Would You Hire a Pessimist?

I had a discussion with a friend and colleague recently. My friend is a notable expert in the psychometric assessment field. His comment was, and I paraphrase, "most Emotional Intelligence assessments punish the pessimistic."
I must admit that the comment did not sink in right away. After ruminating on it for about a week, however, I concluded, as he did, that it is probably true that EI assessments do punish pessimists. But my thought was, "is that all bad?" I could not think of a single job that would benefit from pessimism. I knew a few people in jobs that seemed to be perpetually pessimistic, like my accountant. I am not sure that is a good thing.
One suggestion I got was that it might be good for airline pilots to be pessimistic i.e. "do we have enough fuel to make it to Paris or should we stop and refuel?" Personally, I would prefer a little pessimism there and to make sure there is enough fuel. Beyond that example I have no others. Do you have any thoughts?

How to be A Leader When You are not the Boss

Most of us are followers. Some are better followers than others and sometimes our world cries out for leadership when you're not the boss. The boss may be good or bad but that should not be a deterrent to you step up to a leadership role within your group. I am not advocating a Coup, just a few tips on how to lead when your not the leader.
1. Be a visionary.
2. Be the best at Show and Tell
3. Have integrity
4. Demonstrate Initiative
5. Be Accountable
Possibly the list does not stop there but if you or anyone consistently demonstrates those five attributes your will be a leader among any group, in any role, in which you participate.
So let's take a brief look at each of these attributes:
Visionary-Being visionary is one of the essentials in being a leader and even leaders sometime struggle with this one. Having an inspirational goal and a plan to get there is no small task. Oh sure, the goal is easy enough but the plan to get there is another.
A goal without a plan to achieve it is worthless. So, make sure you have a plan, even if it is the wrong plan you are ahead of the game.
Show and Tell-goes along with being visionary. Having a goal and being able to communicate it to others and tell them how to reach it is masterful and something that few have. Develop great communication skills.
Integrity-Integrity, like visionary is one of the leadership essential. But few people are willing to walk the talk. You be one of them!
Initiative-Simply put, work in the white spaces of your job description.
Accountability-The last on the list but certainly not the least important. We are all accountable to someone. You be the poster boy!
There you have it. Five simple but not easy steps to being a leader when you are not the boss!

Stephen J. Blakesley is Managing Partner of GMS Talent L P, http://gmstalent.com a one-of-a-kind Human Resources firm in Houston, Texas. He is an author, speaker and entrepreneur. GMS Talent focus is the sourcing, selecting, developing, and retaining of talented people.

His books include, How to Hire The Right Person The First Time Every Time, Strategic Hiring-Tomorrow's Benefits Today (one of the top 50 business books of 2006) and The Target-The Secret to Superior Performance, http://target.tatepublishing.net/

How to Be a Leader When You're Not

Most of us are followers. Sometimes our world cries out for leadership when you are not the boss. How do you lead when you are not the leader. Here are five attributes to develop which when applied will allow you to lead from a follower position:

1. Be a Visionary-Know where you are going and how you expect to get there.
2. Demonstrate Integrity-We need people who do what they say they will.
3. Be Known for Your Intiative - Be a self starter and work in the white spacees of your job description.
4. Be a Show & Tell Champion - Develop extraordinary communication skills
5. Be Accountable - We are all accountable to someone other than ourselves, be the posterboy.

The list certainly doesn't stop there but you or anyone in your group consistently demonstrating those qualities will become a leader among followers.

Seven in Ten Believe There is A Crisis

According to the Center for Public Leadership, 7 out of 10 people surveyed believe there is a leadership crisis in our country. I must admit that all you need to do is watch and listen to our elected leaders in Washington to confidently support those numbers. Certainly our elected leaders are in crisis but what about our corporate leaders.
All you have to do to get a pretty good picture of corporate leadership is watch and listen as well. Certainly, the recent melt down in the financial industries is a good example. If you want a clearer picture, read Michael Lewis' latest book the "Big Short."
So what is the solution? There may be several good solutions, but one I am confident of begins with creating good followers with "Plymouth Rock Solid" standards. Corporate America has been in such a rush to find and develop leaders they have lost site of the fact that not all leaders are "good leaders." Leadership at any price is not the answer. The answer lies in creating pool of outstanding followers and choosing our leader from there.
What are your thoughts?