Emergingleader.com caught up with Author and Professor, Michael Useem, on a spring afternoon - the interview taking place via telephone. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. Our thanks to Michael Useem for his insight and for sharing his thoughts on leadership.

EL: - Dr. Useem, how has your Leadership style been influenced by your research?

Useem: - In looking at people in key positions, it has become increasingly apparent to me that a critical element separating those who lead from those who do not is what you might call an "active will." Those with the latter are often seen to fill in when there is a leadership gap or rise to the occasion when there is a need for direction, and we witnessed many such actions in the wake of the disaster on September 11th. Leadership often comes down to a self-conscious decision to make a difference, and my research has led me to conclude that I have to be more ready and willing to step up to the plate.

EL: -What relationship do you feel volunteerism has to leadership - if any?

Useem: - Volunteerism and service are certainly good in themselves, but they also provide those in positions of responsibility with an invaluable appreciation for the concerns of people in many walks of life. It is for this reason that many companies have had long encouraged their managers to take active part in the broader community. If you are a manager of virtually any blue chip firm it is expected that you will pursue a voluntary role in a non-profit organization or serve on a non-profit board. Companies want their enterprise to be visible and seen as a good public citizen - but they also want their managers to become savvy about the world in which they operate. Many firms have concluded that there are few better ways to foster such an understanding than to involve their managers directly in community and public service.

EL: - Who has had the greatest impact on your leadership style and abilities and why?

Useem: - I think my own story is typical of that of many people. Most of us have benefited from several mentors who have graphically demonstrated what it is to think strategically, communicate persuasively, work decisively, mobilize effectively, and act with integrity. These are among the essential qualities of leadership, but until we see how they translate into real decisions and daily behavior, they often remain too abstract. Mentors give life to the concepts, and by witnessing our mentors in action, we come to better appreciate what we should do ourselves if we are to lead.

Several individuals provided me with such guidance, and it proved invaluable. One manager with whom I worked was incredibly effective at mobilizing outside networks and constituencies. I had not appreciated how important that was until I saw this person in action. Another manager consistently hired great people around him and then delegated great authority to them, and I had not understood how powerful this formula was until I witnessed the extraordinary impact that this manager's team had on the organization.

EL: - Who do you consider to be a great leader today and why?

Useem: - At the top of nearly everybody's list of great leaders today are such individuals as Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Rudolph Giuliani of New York. The chief executive of eBay, Margaret Whitman, is near the top of many lists of exceptional business leaders. I would also single out one individual for the unique blend of capacities that he brings to the office. Marine General Peter Pace, presently Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, is a superb articulator of ideas and has an exceptional capacity to connect with people around him. He brings great passion to his job and commitment to the national interest.

EL: - If you were giving the state of the union on leadership studies, what would you say? In other words, is there anything new in leadership or do you think the well is pretty much dry on new ideas?

Useem: - Keep in mind that the traditional qualities are enduring and every generation must master then. In his first inaugural address in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called upon the country's citizens to appeal to the "the better angels of our nature," and that is certainly an important quality for any leader at any time, whether the 19th, 20th, or 21st century.

But two new forms of leadership have become important as well. The first is an ability to lead in all directions. In my view, Leadership should be seen a set of capacities that you exercise not only down but also out and up. The skills required to mobilize people below you are no different from the abilities that you need to excite and align people that are on the same plane with you - whether team members or alliance partners. And these are the same capacities that you also require for moving your superiors to do what they should be doing. In an era of accelerating change, greater uncertainty, and more ambiguous authority, you have to mobilize people all around you to get the job done, and being able to lead those out and above is thus becoming just as important as leading those below.

The second form of leadership that has become more critical is to view it as a quality of a team and not just that of the individual. Leadership should not be seen as something reserved only for the president or chief executive, but rather as a capacity exercised by the entire team. In fact, the quality of the top team in a company is now often a better predictor of the firm's future performance that the quality of the CEO alone.

EL: - Speaking of military - in your opinion, is a leader with military experience better?

Useem: - Those with military backgrounds are not necessary better, in my view, but their training and experience have typically provided them an accelerated development in the essentials of leadership. Few colleges and universities, for instance, even offer a curriculum in leadership, but all of our military institutions require it of everybody. The Military, Naval, and Air Force academies emphasize leadership in the classroom and beyond throughout the four years that their officers are in the making. It is for this reason that we have arranged for groups of our MBA students to visit West Point, Annapolis, and the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Virginia (select here).

EL: - What impact do you see sports playing in leadership?

Useem: - Sports provide wonderful illustrations of the differences that leadership can make. One sporting activity that I have come to make special use for learning leadership is mountaineering. In examining how individuals and teams have attempted to climb such peaks at Mt. Everest, we can see in stark relief virtually all of the qualities that define great - and sometime deplorable - leadership. We organize an annual "leadership trek" to the Himalayas for our MBA students and graduates for precisely this purpose (select here).

EL: - What do you recommend for someone who wants to develop leadership skills?

Useem: - I recommend three steps. Number one is to read accounts of great historical and contemporary leaders, whether Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, or Jack Welch. Such accounts provide rich insight into the leadership actions that make a difference. Number two is to find a good professional mentor or personal coach. Such a person can furnish pointed guidance on how you can more effectively develop your leadership. And number three is to seek out challenging assignments. Demanding experiences build the diverse skill set that is essential for positions of great responsibility.

EL: - What do you look for in a person to help you determine that person has leadership potential?

Useem: - I often ask the individual to reflect on what he or she did when faced with unanticipated adversity or a tough decision. Upon hearing how they did nor did not come to grips with the situation can be a good indicator of whether they are the kind of person who will take charge when they are not in charge.

EL: - What, in your opinion, is the best way to encourage leadership in youth?

Useem: - Jump into school clubs, sporting teams, or service activities where you are not simply accepting instructions but have an opportunity to define the game. There are no better ways of learning leadership than by exercising it.

EL: - How much do you rely on intuition or gut instinct?

Useem: - Intuition is a very useful capacity as long as it is well informed. It worries me when I hear somebody declaring that he or she is relying upon "gut instinct" since it may be based on woefully little experience or information -- when both are essential for making a good decision. Even when good intuition is a product of extensive experience, it is still essential to exercise due diligence and use analytic thinking. Well-informed intuition, however, can be invaluable for taking fast actions when time is of the essence.

EL: - You have done a fair amount of research on leaders and situations that involve leadership - what leaders did you find to be the most engaging and why? What characteristics do you find to be the most common among these leaders?

Useem: - I would single out Charlene Barshefsky who served as the U.S. Trade Representative during the Clinton administration. She was responsible for negotiating with China its terms of trade with the United States as China sought membership in the World Trade Organization. She passionately believed that the U.S. should normalize its trade relations with China and that China should be admitted to the trade organization. She saw these moves as essential for both American interests and world security. But for the deal to be made, she had to negotiate with the Chinese government, persuade the White House, and build support in a skeptical Congress. She succeeded in all these areas in part because she could persuasively articulate why WTO membership for China was vital and because she remained undaunted in her task despite daunting resistance from both China and Congress.

EL: - When you think of your own characteristics as a leader, what would you describe as the skills you have gained and what would you consider as traits you have always possessed?

Useem: - I have come to appreciate that it is vital to always look far beyond your own small world, to seek experiences and ideas from well outside your comfort zone.

EL: - If you had time with a "Leader of Tomorrow" and you could tell him/her the highlights of your lessons in leadership, what would they be? And, what is the most important lesson of all?

Useem: - Think strategically, communicate persuasively, and act decisively. Above all, do everything with integrity.

EL: - What is the most difficult aspect of being a leader for you?

Useem: - I must remind myself that I have to subordinate my own self interest to what is required by the team and organization. A phrase often expressed within the Marine Corps captures the essence of the point: "The leader eats last." During the Civil War, a kindred dictum offered the same point: If you are a cavalry commander, "feed your horses, feed your men, then feed yourselves."

EL: - This is a bit of a connector to an earlier question but with a different focus... What advice do you have for today's leadership student?

Useem: - It is critical to drive your own leadership development. No one else can do it for you as well as you can guide it yourself. Set high expectations and then force yourself to undertake the learning experiences that will allow to achieve those lofty goals.

EL: - In your leadership classes, is there anything particular that you stress?

Useem: - We emphasize the importance of translating the concepts of leadership -- such as strategic thinking and decisive action -- into what you actually do. There is greater disconnection here between what people think they do and what they do do than in almost any area of human behavior. The challenge is to forcefully and consistently demand of yourself that you take actions in a way that you know a good leader should.

EL: - On your web page - the faculty page for Wharton, it mentions developments since September 11th - do you feel that anything has emerged in leadership since this event - or at least has been brought to the forefront?

Useem: - In the aftermath of September 11 we have all become more aware of how vital leadership is both to avert disaster and to respond to adversity when it occurs. We have also come better to appreciate how important it is for leaders under enormous stress to remain confident and focused.

EL: - May I ask a question about your book, Leading Up : How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win? It speaks well for itself - Is there anything you would like to add personally?

Useem: - Leading Up argues that if that if the top people in an organization create a culture in which people below can bring their ideas up, everybody will help to lead the organization and everybody will win.

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