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132 PART 3: THE PERSONAL SIDE OF LEADERSHIP
that acknowledging and respecting employees as whole people can enhance
organizational performance. People cannot be separated from their emotions, and it
is through emotion that leaders generate a commitment to shared vision and mis-
sion, values and culture, and caring for the work and each other.
Noted leadership author and scholar Warren Bennis has said that “there’s
no difference between being a really effective leader and becoming a fully inte-
grated person.” This chapter and the next examine current thinking about the
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importance of leaders becoming fully integrated people by exploring the full
capacities of their minds and spirits. By doing so, they help others reach their
full potential and contribute fully to the organization. We fi rst defi ne what we
mean by leader capacity. Then we expand on some of the ideas introduced in the
previous chapter to consider how the capacity to shift our thinking and feeling
can help leaders alter their behavior, infl uence others, and be more effective. We
discuss the concept of mental models, and look at how qualities such as inde-
pendent thinking, an open mind, and systems thinking are important for lead-
ers. Then we take a closer look at human emotion as illustrated in the concept
of emotional intelligence and the emotions of love versus fear in leader–follower
relationships. The next chapter will turn to spirit as refl ected in moral leadership
and courage.

Leader Capacity versus Competence

Traditionally, effective leadership, like good management, has been thought of as
competence in a set of skills; once these specific skills are acquired, all one has to

do to succeed is put them into action. However, as we all know from personal ex-
perience, working effectively with other people requires much more than practicing

specific, rational skills; it often means drawing on subtle aspects of ourselves—our
thoughts, beliefs, or feelings—and appealing to those aspects in others. Anyone who
has participated on an athletic team knows how powerfully thoughts and emotions
can affect performance. Some players are not as highly skilled from a technical
standpoint but put forth amazing performances by playing with heart. Players who
can help others draw on these positive emotions and thoughts usually emerge as

In organizations, just like on the playing fi eld, skills compe-
Action Memo
tence is important, but it is not enough. Although leaders have to
attend to organizational issues such as production schedules, struc-
ture, fi nances, costs, profi ts, and so forth, they also tend to human
As a leader, you can expand the capacity of
ssues, particularly in times of uncertainty and rapid change. Key is-
your mind, heart, and spirit by consciously
engaging in activities that use aspects
ues include how to give people a sense of meaning and purpose when
of the whole self. You can refl ect on your
ajor shifts occur almost daily; how to make employees feel valued
experiences to learn and grow from them.
d respected in an age of downsizing and job uncertainty; and how
keep morale and motivation high in the face of uncertainty and the
stress it creates.
In this chapter, rather than discussing competence, we explore a
person’scapacity for mind and heart. Whereas competence is limited and quan-
tifi able, capacity is unlimited and defi ned by the potential for expansion and
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Capacity
Capacity growth. Capacity means the potential each of us has to be more than we are
the potential each of us has to now. The U.S. Army’s leadership expression “Be, Know, Do,” coined more than
the potential each of us has to
do more and be more than we
do more and be more than we
are now 25 years ago, puts Be fi rst because who a leader is as a person—his or her char-
are now
acter, values, spirit, and ethical center—colors everything else.