What Great Leaders Actually DO

Summary

The video script discusses the E6 framework for effective leadership, which includes envisioning a compelling future, enlisting others to share the vision, embodying the message with integrity, empowering individuals with decision-making authority, evaluating progress ethically, and encouraging team members continually. The speaker emphasizes the importance of involving others in the visioning process, equipping them with necessary skills, and maintaining a philosophy of collaboration and purpose to build a collective of leaders.

Takeaways

• 📘 Leaders must continuously envision a compelling future, different from the present, and have a clear view of what the world could be like tomorrow.
• 🔍 Envisioning is an active process, not a one-time event, requiring leaders to regularly consider and refine their vision for the future.
• 🤝 The 'E6' framework for leadership includes Envision, Enlist, Embody, Empower, Evaluate, and Encourage as the core practices for effective leadership.
• 👥 Enlist others by involving them in the creation of a shared vision, as people are more likely to support what they help create.
• 🧍‍♂️ Leaders should embody their message, demonstrating congruence between their words and actions to maintain integrity and trust.
• 💪 Empowerment involves giving people the authority and resources necessary to work towards the mission, fostering autonomy and success.
• 🔍 Evaluation is a critical practice for assessing progress, skills, needs, and ethics within the team or organization.
• 🔄 Consistent feedback is essential for maintaining alignment with the vision and addressing issues as they arise.
• 🌟 Encouragement is vital for maintaining motivation and morale, especially during challenging times.
• 👥 Leadership is not about having followers but about building a collaborative team of leaders and active participants.
• 🌱 A deep sense of purpose and mission is fundamental to leadership, inspiring and guiding the actions of the team.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the transcript?

The main topic of the transcript is the framework of leadership known as the 6 E's, which includes envisioning, enlisting, embodying, empowering, evaluating, and encouraging.

What does the speaker emphasize as the first 'E' in the leadership framework?

The first 'E' in the leadership framework is 'Envisioning', which involves creating a compelling and different future vision that is shared and inspiring to others.

Why is it important for leaders to continually envision the future?

Continual envisioning is important because it keeps leaders focused on a long-term mindset and view, ensuring that they are always working towards a better future and not just maintaining the status quo.

What is the significance of 'Enlisting' in the leadership process?

Enlisting is significant because it involves getting others to support and contribute to the vision. It recognizes that people are more likely to support what they help create, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment.

How does the speaker define 'Embodying' in the context of leadership?

Embodying, in the context of leadership, means that leaders should demonstrate congruence between their message and their actions, embodying the values and behaviors that align with the vision they are promoting.

What is the role of 'Empowering' in effective leadership?

Empowering involves giving people the authority, trust, and resources they need to contribute to the mission. It's about enabling others to take on responsibilities and succeed in their roles.

Why is 'Evaluating' a crucial part of the leadership framework?

Evaluating is crucial because it helps leaders assess the contributions, skills, and ethics of their team members, ensuring that the organization is moving forward in an excellent and ethical manner.

What does the speaker mean by 'Encouraging' in the 6 E's of leadership?

Encouraging refers to the leader's role in motivating, inspiring, and uplifting their team members, especially during challenging times, to maintain momentum and commitment towards the shared vision.

How does the speaker view the role of 'followers' in the leadership process?

The speaker prefers not to use the term 'followers', instead emphasizing that people are collaborators and active participants in the leadership process, contributing to and shaping the vision.

What overarching philosophy does the speaker suggest should underlie the 6 E's of leadership?

The overarching philosophy is one of purpose and mission, where leaders feel a deep sense of commitment to their work and respect and love for those they work with, fostering a collaborative environment.

How does the speaker describe the impact of implementing the 6 E's of leadership?

The speaker describes the impact as transformative, creating a group of leaders and collaborators who are actively engaged in shaping and achieving the mission, rather than relying solely on one individual.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Leadership Vision and Framework

The speaker, Brendan, introduces the concept of leadership and the E6 framework from his book 'The Student Leadership Guide'. He emphasizes the importance of envisioning a compelling future and having a shared purpose that inspires and compels others. Brendan explains that leaders must continually practice envisioning to shape the future of their teams, businesses, or organizations. He also discusses the significance of involving others in the creation of the vision, highlighting that people are more likely to support what they help create.

05:01

🤝 Enlistment and Empowerment in Leadership

Brendan continues the discussion on leadership by focusing on enlistment, where leaders involve others in shaping and supporting the vision. He stresses the importance of asking for input and reflecting on the needs and desires of team members. The third aspect, embodying the message, is about leaders demonstrating congruence between their words and actions, maintaining integrity. Empowerment is the next key point, where leaders must equip their teams with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to succeed. Brendan points out that empowerment is an ongoing process, not a one-time event, and that consistent training and coaching are vital for momentum and progress.

10:02

💪 Embracing Evaluation and Encouragement

In the final paragraph, Brendan discusses the importance of evaluation in leadership, which involves assessing the contributions, skills, and ethics of team members. He emphasizes the need for leaders to provide honest, direct, and constructive feedback. Brendan also talks about the role of encouragement, describing it as a continuous process of motivating and uplifting team members, especially during challenging times. He concludes by highlighting the philosophy of leadership that involves a deep sense of purpose and mission, and the importance of treating people as collaborators rather than followers, which fosters a culture of shared leadership and engagement.

Keywords

💡Leadership

Leadership refers to the process of influencing, motivating, and guiding others towards achieving a common goal. In the video, it is the central theme, with the speaker discussing various practices that leaders must enact to have the desired influence and impact in their work lives or any role where they are leading others.

💡E6 Framework

The E6 Framework is a leadership model introduced in the video that stands for six key practices: Envision, Enlist, Embody, Empower, Evaluate, and Encourage. It is presented as a comprehensive guide for leaders to enact major practices continually, which is essential for effective leadership.

💡Envision

To envision, in the context of the video, means for leaders to create a compelling and different future vision. It involves having a clear view of what the world could be like and setting a shared purpose that is compelling enough for others to be interested in and work towards.

💡Shared Purpose

Shared purpose is the collective goal or vision that leaders and their teams are working towards. It is a fundamental aspect of leadership, as it unites people under a common objective and motivates them to strive for it, as mentioned in the script when discussing the importance of having a vision.

💡Enlist

Enlist, in the leadership context, is the practice of involving others in the creation and support of a vision. It is about getting people to share their perspectives and desires for the future, which is crucial for gaining their support and active participation in achieving the vision.

💡Embody

To embody in the script means for leaders to demonstrate through their actions and behaviors the values and mission they stand for. It is about having integrity and ensuring that one's actions align with their stated goals and beliefs, which is essential for gaining trust and respect.

💡Empower

Empowerment in the video is defined as giving people the authority, trust, and resources they need to work towards the mission. It involves equipping team members with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to succeed and allowing them the autonomy to contribute meaningfully to the organization's goals.

💡Evaluate

Evaluation, as discussed in the video, is the practice of assessing the contributions, skills, and ethical behavior of team members. It is a continuous process that helps leaders to monitor progress, ensure excellence, and maintain ethical standards within the organization.

💡Encourage

Encouragement in the leadership model is about being a constant source of motivation and inspiration for others. Leaders are expected to uplift and inspire their teams, especially during challenging times, and to foster an environment where people are excited and committed to the mission.

💡Integrity

Integrity is mentioned in the context of leaders needing to demonstrate congruence between their words and actions. It is about being genuine, authentic, and consistent in what they stand for, which is crucial for building trust and credibility with their teams.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration is the idea of working together with others towards a common goal. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of involving people in all aspects of the leadership practices, turning them into active collaborators rather than passive followers, which enhances the collective impact.

Highlights

Leadership involves envisioning a compelling future, different from the current state.

The E6 framework for leadership has been widely adopted in top schools and corporations.

Leaders must continually envision the future for their team, business, or organization.

Involvement in the creation of a vision leads to greater support from team members.

Leaders should embody their message with congruence between words and actions.

Empowering people involves giving them decision-making authority and trust.

Leaders must equip their teams with the necessary knowledge and tools for success.

Evaluation is a key leadership practice, assessing contributions and ethics within the team.

Leaders must provide honest, direct, and constructive feedback to their team.

Encouragement is vital for maintaining motivation and lifting spirits during challenges.

Leadership is not just about having a vision but also about the active involvement of the team.

The philosophy of leadership should be deeply rooted in purpose and mission.

Leadership is about building a collaborative environment where everyone is a contributor.

The E6 framework includes Envision, Enlist, Embody, Empower, Evaluate, and Encourage.

Leadership is a continuous process, not a one-time event.

The importance of integrity in leadership is emphasized through embodying the message.

Leaders must be champions of the mission, providing guidance and support to the team.

The role of a leader is to turn negatives into positives and help the team see the next steps.

Transcripts

people always ask me Brendan what do

leaders actually do you know maybe maybe

you're leading a team or you're in

charge of a large organization or you're

just trying to even lead your own life I

mean what is it that leaders actually do

many of you know this was my graduate

school work and in 2001 I wrote a book

called the student leadership guide and

I never had any clue that they would

blow up the way that it has and this

framework for leadership it's called e6

is from that book and it's been used at

I think 40 of the top 100 schools in the

world major corporations from around the

world

major associations have called me in to

speak on this top because it's a great

framework for leadership it's it answers

that question what are the major

practices of leadership that we must

enact on a continual basis to be able to

have the amount of influence and impact

we desire in our work lives or in any

role in which we're leading other people

so let's get right into it the first e

of these six e's is

envision great leaders envision a

compelling and different and vibrant

future than what is here they have an

alternative clear view of what the world

could be like tomorrow then it is today

right they have a shared purpose they

believe that they and others would be

compelled by interested inspired by and

want to work towards and that's a big

deal and you always read about in

leadership right you have to have vision

I mean it's biblical where there is no

vision people perish right we know the

power of having that vision so you have

to sit down though and actually do it

the reason we say envision versus just

have a vision is you have to sit is it

it's a practice of envisioning what

should tomorrow look like for my team

what should tomorrow be like for my

business for my organization what should

tomorrow be like for my life and not

just tomorrow a long term mindset and

view the dream right that magnificent

obsession that that bold desire the

moonshot goals and purposes and missions

of life the bigger picture that's

envisioning a different reality in the

future than we experience today and

that's what everybody gets excited about

in leadership or there's no vision

there's no leadership where there's no

vision people perish so we have to

envision and I say that these are six

practices of leadership and not six

steps because it's not like you do

envisioning once and then you move on in

the process we always have to

continually sit down and envision where

are we where can we be going is an

active process if you set a vision one

time and and you forget about it it's

not going to help you accomplish the

influence or the impact one in your

lifetime or in those that you v ii ii

here is enlist as you're developing this

vision it's not just your vision and

listing other people to share their

voices their perspective their dreams

their desires for where you could be

going you know I think that the most

important leadership lesson in the world

is that people support what they create

if people are involved in the ideation

of a vision they're involved in creating

ideas of brainstorming of figuring out

what is that we are about what do we

stand for where are we going a great

leaders enlist that from other people

there they're constantly asking people

what they think how they feel what think

would think things they desire and need

and it's that enlistment that is always

going on a great leader is always

enlisting other people to believe in the

dream to shape the dream to stay

dedicated to the dream it's an honest

and authentic and a genuine desire to

see other people be involved in the

process and to enjoy that process I mean

it's so vital and that methodology of

what you know how do you get people

involved in it you're asking questions

you're paying attention to their needs

you're reflecting back to things that

you're hearing

you're always enlisting others to

support and to build this vision this

ideal future together the third thing

that great leaders are always doing is

embodying their message they stand for

something there's a congruence between

who they are the behaviors that they're

enacting into the world how they treat

people what they're working towards and

what they say is important right that

that's

basic line is integrity you know it's a

congruence believe between what we say

we're after and how we are behaving

there's nothing more important is there

you know it's like it's that old message

it's like you don't believe the message

unless you believe the messenger so as

leaders we have to stand for and

demonstrate and show and portray what we

are really believing it I mean are we

really are is our team and the people

around us

seeing us work for it sweat for it

sacrifice for it champion over and over

and over again even when it's hard even

when there's conflict even when people

are pissed even when people want to quit

are you still there do you still stand

for if you do you become a legend

third I'm fourth what we have to move on

to is now empowering people empowerment

means we give people the decision-making

authority and the trust to be able to

work towards this mission to allow them

the autonomy the strength the input to

equip them with the knowledge the skills

the abilities the technologies the tools

the training to allow them to succeed as

they march with us to achieving

something extraordinary and phenomenal

that's vital that's what empowerment is

about and a lot of leaders who come in

with the big vision they get everyone

excited you know that they seem like

they want everybody involved and they do

a great job of standing for it but they

don't equipped their teams to kick some

butt they never get to that place of

real stride of real momentum and that

happens all the time

training other people and equipping them

with everything they need to succeed has

to be a vital practice of every great

leader and they get it it doesn't happen

just once that's a huge failure in the

working world especially in corporate

America great leaders come in they nail

the vision they get people around it

they stand for something but they only

empower people at the beginning they

give some training and then they just

disappear training has to be consistent

coaching

to be consistent equipment people to

deal with the new challenges the new

tools new technologies the new

competitive realities that's vital we

have to have that in place right so

we've got we've been doing this practice

we envision a better future we enlist

other people to help shape that vision

to believe in that vision to support

that vision we stand for something by

embodying our own message we empower

other people to be able to support and

to be able to win then we have to

evaluate so the hardest things that we

do in all of leadership to evaluate the

key people who are with us their

contributions evaluate their skills

evaluate their needs and to evaluate the

ethics that are going on in our

organization in our team are we being

are we being excellent and are we being

ethical is the questions that we're

evaluating on right are we being

excellent and ethical as we are

progressing which I guess would be the

third question are we progressing if not

why are we being ethical if not why if

our people are not being excellent if

not why these are the questions that we

have to ask as this practice and

evaluation it's like every day as a

leader you know you've got to keep your

thumb on the pulse to see hey how we do

it

are we alive are we moving forward that

evaluation also brings up their

incredible challenge that we face as

leaders which is to give honest direct

immediate constructive feedback to those

people who are trying to influence and

lead you know to our collaborators to

our friends to our followers whatever

word that you use for them I mean it's

vital it's vital that we are paying

attention and seeing when things are

going off the rails you know that we

never check out I mean it's a consistent

process of checking in and seeing how

we're doing and paying attention to

really evaluating the progress of our

mission and that final thing that sixth

thing that thing that makes the magic

and courage you know to encourage the be

the champion to be the cheerleader to be

the person always motivating inspiring

uplifting people to never just have you

know a lot of leaders they get their pet

projects and I get excited about in the

disappear know man you need to encourage

on a continued

a basis you need to light people up you

need to have it in your heart and in

your soul that desire to want to lift

people off you know to lift them up and

lift them off their butts to get them

excited about things you know if you

can't motivate them with with your

passion and your example then what are

we doing

you have to encourage people when this

gets hard you know when you're working

towards a mission it gets hard at a

longer term the more people involved the

bigger the organization the bigger the

vision the bigger the dream the longer

the duration to accomplish it the more

struggle the more challenge the more

conflict the more discord the more

disappointment the more frustration the

more doubt the more delay all those

things happen leaders have to deal with

them and the way they have to deal with

it is always being that encouraging

voice when the chips are down when it

looks most bleak you're still that beam

of light and when it gets dark when it

gets challenging when there's conflict

and turmoil and turbulent seas you're

solid you're somebody that they know

they can go to because you're always

going to turn a negative into a positive

you're always going to help them see the

alternative view the next step you're

going to champion people you're going to

champion the mission of the cause that's

leadership that's the 6yz of leadership

envision enlist embody empower evaluate

and encourage and I'll say what overlays

all this is a philosophy about what

we're doing then it's important to us

that there's a purpose there's a mission

to it that we feel that deeply within us

is so powerful and we honor we respect

and we love those who work with last

night you know I never used the word I

tried to maybe I use it in this video a

little bit to give us context but I try

never to use the word follower you know

people aren't following you there

they're actively engaged they are

collaborators when you get people to

collaborate with you in all areas of

these 6yz you're building leaders you're

building collaborators within the

organization within the team with those

who you are serving a magic happens it's

now it's not just you the leader it's a

group of us we are pure set of leaders

we are the movers and shakers

who are shaping and making this mission

happen every single day we love to work

together we have fun people are standing

up they now are helping come up with

vision they now are champing and

cheering on bringing in and listing

other people they now are doing all

their standing for something they're

living that value the truth they now are

empowering other people and championing

the cause they're your eyes and your

ears evaluating how the organization how

the mission is going they now are

encouraging it so it doesn't just ride

on your shoulders when we do that right

then we have this thing called

leadership

[Music]