The Who, Not What Principle

The Maverick Paradox Podcast

In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Tim Spiker about his "Who Not What" principle and leadership development. Tim shares how a chance encounter with a multi-level marketing organisation sparked his lifelong passion for studying and teaching leadership. He was struck by the negative views on being led by others, which motivated him to learn more about effective leadership.

Key Takeaways

• 77% of leadership effectiveness comes from who you are as a person, not what you do as a leader (the "Who Not What" principle)
• Being "inwardly sound" (grounded, stable) and "others-focused" are key to being an effective leader
• Effective leadership development requires depth (going beyond just behaviors), community (peer learning groups), and time (consistent effort over time)

Topics The "Who Not What" Principle

• Based on research showing 77% of leadership effectiveness variability was driven by 2 out of 8 measured areas - these 2 areas were about who the leader is as a person, not what they do
• The truth is that leadership effectiveness comes more from who you are than what you do as a leader
• Highlights the importance of focusing on the "who" of leaders in development, not just skills/behaviours

Inwardly Sound and Others-Focused Leaders

• Effective leaders combine being "inwardly sound" (grounded, stable, can be counted on) and "others-focused" (primary focus is on others, not self)
• This powerful combination of qualities is what produces leadership people want to follow
• Organisations need leaders at all levels who truly value and develop people, not just use them as "widgets"

Leveraging the "Who" in Leadership Development

• Requires depth to go beyond just surface behaviors and explore perspectives, motives, worldviews
• Benefits from a community/peer group for accountability, learning from each other's stories
• Takes consistent time and effort, as inner growth and development happens gradually over time

In this conversation Tim emphasises the importance of leaders being both inwardly sound and others-focused.

Tim and Judith discuss the importance of investing in leadership development not just for senior executives, but also for frontline managers and supervisors who have a disproportionate impact on the organisation. They caution against neglecting leadership at lower levels.

Tim Spiker's book, The only leaders worth following, reveals the data-driven, accidentally-discovered, and rarely leveraged truth within leadership known as the Who not what principle.

To find out more about our guest and today's episode in this Maverick Paradox Magazine article here.

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Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It's about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine.

But amplifying your influence as a leader isn't just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It's also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans.

The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact.

How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see.

Catalysing Transformation - 1 min video

Judith's book: The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders.

Judith's websites:

• Judith Germain (mentoring, Speaker, author) - judithgermain.com
• The Maverick Paradox Magazine - themaverickparadox.com
• The Maverick Paradox Website - maverickparadox.co.uk

Judith's LinkedIn profile is here, her Twitter profile (MaverickMastery) is here, Facebook here and Instagram here.