Leadership That Lasts
The Personal Dimensions of Leadership
Dr. Ray Smilor
Senior Fellow
The U.S. Russia Center for Entrepreneurship
Agenda
 Show authenticity
 Create trust
 Exude optimism
2
Authenticity
“Leadership is authentic
self expression that
creates value.”
Jim Cashman
Leadership from the Inside Out
3
Be Authentic
 Identify your uniqueness
4
Be Authentic
 Identify your uniqueness
 Expose a vulnerability
 Be consistent
 Establish your “potent point of view”
5
Potent Point of View
“Never give up.
Never give up.
Never! Never! Never!”
- Sir Winston Churchill
6
Potent Point of View
 “The customer first, last and always.”
 “Every phone call will be answered
by a real person!”
 “Nobody says, 'That’s not my job!'”
7
Trust
“Trust is a pragmatic,
tangible, actionable
asset that you can
create.”
Stephen M.R. Covey
The Speed of Trust
8
Create Trust
Communicate
 Talk honestly
 Demonstrate respect
 Keep commitments
9
Create Trust
Inspire
 Show loyalty
 Be accountable
 Deliver results
10
Optimism
The more difficult the task and the
greater the pressure, the more
important optimism is to the success
of every endeavor.
– Martin Seligman
Learned Optimism
11
Be Optimistic
 See for yourself
 Focus on talents, not weakness of
others
 Label differently
12