What kind of leadership do we need now?

In his 30 years of asking this question, Dr Stew Friedman has heard one word become increasingly common: Flexible

How to achieve Flexible Leadership?

Have you ever wondered if “work/life balance” exists?  How do some of the world’s most successful professionals find harmony in work and with the rest of “life”?

This post is based on a conversation with Dr. Stew Friedman.  He is the author of Leading the Life You Want.

What is a good life?

His answer: Be real, be whole, be innovative.

What does it mean to be real, be whole and to be innovative?

Be Real, Be Whole, Be Innovative

What does it mean to “Be Real”?

• You know what matters to you
• You live in accordance with your values consistently
• Your daily actions are aligned with values
• You can communicate values with personal stories
• You can describe your legacy
• You hold yourself accountable before all others

What does it mean to “Be Whole”?

• You are good at clarifying expectations
• You help others
• You build supportive networks (you cannot live a good life on your own: without peers, coaches, mentors)
• You apply all of your resources effectively
• You manage boundaries intelligently (sometimes firm, sometimes loose)
• You weave disparate strands of life together

What does it mean to “Be Innovative”?

• Your focus is on results
• You resolve conflicts among domains
• You continually challenge the status quo
• You seek new ways of doing things (crowdsourcing solutions, ask for help)
• You embrace change courageously
• You support innovation attempts by others

Video: Dr Stew at Google

What do you think?  What areas are clear, unclear for you?  What action will you take?