Four E’s of Leadership

About 20 years ago, Jack Welch had described the 4 E’s that were required by effective leaders. The following can be called the ‘old’ E’s that were required:

1. Energy
Leaders need to have the capacity to be on the go, always engaged and ready for a challenge.

2. Energize
Leaders should have the ability to invigorate others and motivate them to do better.

3. Edge
Leaders should have the capacity to make yes-or-no decisions.

4. Execution
Leaders should have the ability to get the job done.

All the 4 E’s need to be wrapped in P for Passion for both life and work.

In today’s global economy, the 4E’s have been revised as follows:

1. Empathy in global market and across cultures
This would mean establishing a corporate calendar that would include everyone’s holidays. It would also imply learning and respecting each other’s mannerisms e.g. ‘namaste’ in India and bowing in Japan.

2. Experimental
Companies need to adopt risk-taking in their profile. They need to encourage their employees inventiveness. They also need to explore new ideas, products and markets even when the rewards may not be immediate.

3. Example
Leaders need to set by example the corporate values that they want to be shared across the board by all the employees. They need to serve as role models.

4. Excited to Win
Leaders need to be always tuned in to the next challenge and have the desire to win. They need to demonstrate the hunger to go to the next level.

Source: Winning: The Answers Confronting 74 of the Toughest Questions in Business Today