On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis: A Review

Introduction to Bennis's Leadership Framework

The classic book On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis scrutinizes the differences between leaders and their followers. It details the processes that lead to the emergence of leaders and how they sustain themselves. In the chapter titled "Knowing the World," Bennis studies the significance of learning to leaders and differentiates among three main types of learning: innovative, shock, and maintenance. He goes on to reveal the benefits of (1) looking back into one's childhood and adolescent years and using past experiences to influence present circumstances; (2) deliberately seeking out experiences that can enlarge and improve an individual; (3) understanding the importance of risk-taking, coupled with the knowledge that failure is both important and unavoidable; and (4) bearing in mind that the future gives one the chance to do what ought to be done, rather than serving as a test or trial (Bennis, 2009).

Core Leadership Qualities

It is not easy to become a leader, just as it is difficult to become a poet or a doctor. People who think otherwise are only deceiving themselves. Although mastering leadership skills is not as simple as most people assume, virtually everyone has some leadership potential. In fact, almost all of us can point to certain leadership experiences. Leaders come in different shapes, sizes, and dispositions; however, they all seem to share certain qualities.

A guiding vision is the first and most important leadership quality. The leader must have a clear idea of what he or she intends to do — personally and professionally — in addition to the ability to persevere in the face of challenges and failures. Passion is the second most important leadership quality: a fundamental enthusiasm that guides the promises of life, when combined with a measure of vocational commitment, professional purpose, and a defined course of action. Integrity is the next essential quality, and it encompasses three important aspects: maturity, candor, and self-knowledge (Bennis, 2009).

Maturity is essential to every leader because there is more to leading than issuing orders and showing the way. Every leader must have gained experience through being observant, dedicated, working within a team, learning from others, and always remaining truthful without servility. The basis of trust is integrity, which functions more as a product of leadership than merely a quality. It is one attribute that can never simply be acquired — it must be earned from followers and co-workers. In its absence, a leader finds it difficult to function effectively.

Daring and curiosity are two additional important leadership qualities. Every good leader thinks carefully about every issue at hand, is willing to take risks, yearns to learn more, and is open to experimenting with new ideas. Such leaders rarely worry about failure, but are quick to acknowledge their mistakes with the understanding that growth comes from them. Another theme that recurs throughout the book is learning from difficult situations. The essential part of every leader is, as Bennis describes it, "letting the self emerge" — taking the important step of making a difference through authentic expression without merely trying to prove a point (Bennis, 2009, p. 107).

Learning from Experience and Reflection

One important way in which leaders learn from their past is through reflection. Almost everyone is shaped more by their negative experiences than by their positive ones. We all accumulate thousands of experiences every week, but our victories are not remembered as vividly as our shortcomings, because setbacks demand a response. In fact, powerful lessons are contained within our mistakes — but only if people think through those mistakes to understand where things went wrong. With that understanding, mistakes can be rectified, lessons learned, and better choices made going forward.

The key is not to become a victim of one's feelings, driven by unresolved emotions. Life experiences should not take control of a person; instead, they should be used creatively for personal growth. Just as writers transform their life experiences into plays or books, we can all turn our experiences into something beneficial. Genuine reflection does not merely inform and inspire — it demands decisive action on important issues. Applied to a career as a sales representative in the sports industry, this means engaging in conscious reflection not only of oneself but also of the tasks ahead, in advance (Bennis, 2009).

References

Bennis, W. G. (2009). On Becoming a Leader. New York: Basic Books.