Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rammorrison/

Michael Fullan's book Change Leader describes his approach to leadership, one he has used successfully in Ontario to lead that city to significant academic gains over the past 9 years.  He prescribes seven key insights leaders should adapt to create the conditions for change to flourish.

1. The effective change leader actively participates as a learner in helping the organization improve.
2. The effective change leaders combine resolute moral purpose with impressive empathy.
3. Realized effectiveness is what motivates people to do more.
4. Collaborative competition is the yin and yang of successful change.
5. Change leaders are more confident than the situation warrants but more humble than they look.
6. Statistics are a wonderful servant and an appalling master.
7. Simplexity is salvation for an intricate world.

Numbers 1, 2, and 5 deal with the character, demeanor and approach of the leader.  I agree wholeheartedly that an effective leader participates as  a co-learner with the staff (#1), maintains a healthy balance of push and support (#2), and balances confidence with humility (#5).  We would do well to cultivate these three character traits in our work and life every day.