Finally, we’ve reached the end of the alphabet. Candidate Z-words for the attribute of an exemplary leader from AI software packages include ZEAL, ZEN, ZENITH, ZERO-BASED THINKING, ZERO-DEFECT MINDSET, ZERO-EGO, ZEST, ZIGZAG THINKING, ZOOM-OUT PERSPECTIVE, ZONAL AWARENESS, and ZEITGEIST AWARENESS, among others. None of them is my winning Z-word. ZERO-TOLERANCE is my choice.
Many times, exemplary leaders must be flexible and tolerant, but their followers need to know when the leader will draw the line. They need to know when the leader will have ZERO-TOLERANCE. Stephen Sample, in The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, addresses the need for leaders to know on which hill they are prepared to die.
Lying and cheating come to mind immediately when I think of things for which I have ZERO-TOLERANCE. Bullying is another. Are there things for which you have ZERO-TOLERANCE? Do you have a hill on which you are prepared to die? I do.
Here’s a hill on which I’m prepared to die: sexual harassment. At Georgia Tech, at the National Science Foundation, at Virginia Tech, and at the University of Arkansas I made decisions when sexual harassment occurred. In each case, I had ZERO-TOLERANCE. People knew where I stood on that subject. Now, you do, too.
In the leadership alphabet game, for other letters of the alphabet, I devoted more space than I’m devoting to the Z-word post. Why? Because I’ve said enough. I believe you know where I stand on the subject. If you believe otherwise, that’s your choice.
Clearly, many people view the subject differently. It has been a headline grabbing subject for too many years. It’s time for leaders to step up, to have ZERO-TOLERANCE!
Next: Leadership ABCs: A to Z
