How to Be Exceptional

About the Author

John H. Zenger is co-founder and CEO of Zenger Folkman, considered a world expert in leadership development. Joseph R. Folkman is co-founder and president of Zenger Folkman, renowned for his expertise in survey research and change management. Robert H. Sherwin, Jr. is the COO of Zenger Folkman with extensive experience in training and development. Barbara A. Steel is the senior vice president of leadership effectiveness for Zenger Folkman, dedicated to leadership consulting and coaching for over 25 years.

Main Idea

How to Be Exceptional: Drive Leadership Success by Magnifying Your Strengths by John H. Zenger, Joseph R. Folkman, Robert H. Sherwin, Jr., and Barbara A. Steel offers a revolutionary approach to leadership development. The book advocates focusing on magnifying strengths rather than fixing weaknesses. By enhancing leadership competencies to exceptional levels, leaders can boost employee engagement, productivity, and profitability.

Table of Contents

1. What Leaders Can Learn from Their Strengths
2. Why Emphasize Strengths?
3. How Exceptional Strengths Are Developed
4. Leadership Cross-Training
5. Benefits from Developing Strengths
6. Sustaining Strengths
7. Special Considerations

What Leaders Can Learn from Their Strengths

Organizations thrive under strong leadership. Great leaders attract talented individuals, uncover hidden abilities in others, and create strong, collaborative teams. In a study of over 5,000 leaders, the most effective leaders were those who focused on their strengths rather than just fixing weaknesses. These leaders inspired commitment, increased employee engagement, and fostered an environment where everyone could grow and thrive.

"Great leaders attract others with talent. Like magnets that are properly aligned, there is a huge attraction. Other competent leaders want to work with them." - John H. Zenger

Strong leaders are magnetic, attracting other talented individuals and fostering an environment where good qualities emerge, teams develop, and collaboration abounds. They tend to stay and build upon their successes, creating a thriving garden of talent within their organization.

In the study, leaders who were rated as highly effective were able to create a culture of growth and development within their organizations. These leaders were not just managing tasks but were actively involved in developing their teams, fostering an environment where everyone felt valued and motivated to contribute their best.

how strong leaders can influence their teams include:

• Providing regular, constructive feedback that helps team members improve and grow.
• Encouraging a collaborative environment where ideas and suggestions are welcomed and valued.
• Setting high expectations and providing the necessary support to help team members meet those expectations.
• Recognizing and rewarding achievements to motivate and inspire continuous improvement.

Why Emphasize Strengths?

The traditional approach to leadership development focuses on identifying and fixing weaknesses. However, Zenger and Folkman argue that magnifying strengths is a more effective strategy. Leaders with significant weaknesses, known as fatal flaws, should address these issues, but the primary focus should be on enhancing strengths. Exceptional leaders are defined by their strengths, which far outweigh any weaknesses.