An Effective Leadership Image Is Critical to Job Performance

Research from CCL Uncovers Link Between Communication Style and Perception of
Leadership Skill

GREENSBORO, N.C.,June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Image may not necessarily
be everything, but it is a critical factor in an executive's overall
effectiveness.

Image - the perception that others form of you as a result of the impression
you make on them - has a significant correlation to perceptions of leadership
skill and the ability to perform on the job, according to research from the
Center for Creative Leadership (CCL(R)), a top-ranked, global leadership
education and research organization.

"Your effectiveness as a leader is tied directly to your image," says CCL
researcher Corey Criswell. "Your ability to project an authentic leadership
presence in the eyes of employees, customers, other important constituencies,
and the general public is closely related to your ability to do your job
well."

Managing Your Image

Criswell and CCL senior fellow David Campbell are the authors of a new Ideas
Into Action Guidebook titled, Building an Authentic Leadership Image. The
32-page guidebook offers a series of practical tips and self-evaluations on
how executives can take control of their image by assessing, choosing,
crafting and practicing an image that will make them more effective leaders.

The authors' observations on the importance of image are taken from a study of
150 executives who attended CCL's Leadership at the Peak senior executive
training program. The study found that leaders who displayed a strong image
rated higher on several important leadership factors, including the ability to
lead change, competency in strategic planning, foresight, the ability to
inspire commitment, and originality.

"Managing your image is not about creating a false image; rather it's about
recognizing genuine aspects of yourself that should be coming across to other
people - but aren't for some reason," Criswell said. "It's about coming
across in a way that does both you and your organization justice."

Image Busters
Specifically, Criswell and Campbell explore five "image busters" or common
mistakes that executives make that have a negative effect on their leadership
image.
1. Too much seriousness - Leaders don't need to be serious to be taken
seriously. A smile and some warmth are positive qualities for leaders.
2. Weak speaking skills - In a media-saturated world, people know a good
speaker when they hear one. If necessary, executives should get a voice or
speaking coach.
3. Lack of clarity - Leaders who speak in vague, disjointed or rambling
sentences confuse people. Executives should invest in media and presentation
skills training to hone their message and delivery.
4. Self-absorption - Leaders who overuse "I," "me," and "my" are isolating
themselves and not engaging their audience. Focus on "we." Inclusive
language inspires listeners and draws on shared efforts and interests.
5. Lack of interest - Dispassionate executives fail to inspire. True leaders
must display energy, interest and passion for their work.
6. Obvious discomfort - Executives who are tentative or uncomfortable in
their roles create doubt among others in their leadership abilities and
effectiveness. Successful leaders need to be confident and use body language
that shows they are relaxed and comfortable in their leadership role.

"Many leaders assume image-building is superficial and therefore unimportant
or only for celebrities and politicians," Criswell said. "But our research
and personal observations of thousands of executives clearly indicate
otherwise. Image is an asset that can and must be managed."

Additional information on this and other CCL guidebooks and publications can
be obtained by calling CCL at (336) 545-2810 or at the CCL online bookstore at
www.ccl.org/guidebooks.

About the Research
As part of its Leadership at the Peak senior executive training program, CCL
analyzed 150 executive responses to a question about the vision for their
organizations taken from seven-minute video taped interviews of each
participant. CCL measured their comments in terms of both content (what's
included in the vision statement) and articulation (how executives delivered
the message). Those metrics were then compared to executives' leadership
skills as measured by two 360-degree assessments completed by their colleagues
before beginning the program.

About the Authors
Corey Criswell is a research associate at CCL's Colorado Springs campus. She
researches senior executives in the Leadership at the Peak program and manages
a component of the program designed to help executives hone their executive
presence. She holds an M.S. in biology from the Florida Institute of
Technology.

During his 34 years at the Center for Creative Leadership, David Campbell was
a Visiting Fellow, executive vice president, and the first Smith Richardson
Senior Fellow. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Iowa State University and
a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota.

About the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL(R))
The Center for Creative Leadership (www.ccl.org) is a top-ranked, global
provider of executive education that develops better leaders through its
exclusive focus on leadership education and research. Founded in 1970 as a
nonprofit, educational institution, CCL helps clients worldwide cultivate
creative leadership - the capacity to achieve more than imagined by thinking
and acting beyond boundaries - through an array of programs, products and
other services. Ranked among the world's top providers of executive education
by BusinessWeek and the Financial Times, CCL is headquartered in Greensboro,
N.C., with campuses in Colorado Springs, Colo.; San Diego, Calif.; Brussels,
Belgium; and Singapore. Its work is supported by more than 500 faculty
members and staff.

Contact:
Flontina Miller, CCL Media Relations Specialist, 336.286.4264 or
millerf@ccl.org

SOURCE Center for Creative Leadership

Flontina Miller, CCL Media Relations Specialist, +1-336-286-4264,
millerf@ccl.org