The Leadership Code: Rule #5--Invest in Yourself

This is the 5th and FINAL post based on a book review of The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Live By written by Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood, and Kate Sweetman (Harvard Business Press, 2008).

Airplane safety instructions always instruct parents to put on their oxygen masks first, then their dependents’ masks. Ultimately, that advice is excellent for leaders regarding what the authors call personal proficiency. At a minimum, leaders should take care of themselves at least as well as they do of others. And, the first, best kind of knowledge needed to grow and learn, is self knowledge—knowing your strengths and weaknesses and developing as personal strategic plan that leverages strengths and minimizes weaknesses. Start with yourself and work out into the world. Key issues discussed in this rule:

--Know yourself

--Demonstrate learning agility

--Tend to your own character and integrity

--Take care of yourself

-- Have personal energy and passion.