Carol McManus

Regardless of your political persuasion, there is a valuable lesson all leaders can learn from this year's presidential process. Neither Presidential nominee has received resounding and unchallenged endorsements for being the perfect choice for their party or the country.

But in their wisdom to gain the confidence of the American public, both have made the effort to balance their ticket. Barack Obama and John McCain each chose in a vice presidential candidate someone who complemented their beliefs, and brought added value through a set of skills, characteristics or experience that they themselves lacked.

Of course, we won't know for some time whether those choices will win the election and even longer before the country realizes the benefit their alter-egos will bring to the party. We can, however, acknowledge the wisdom of their intent. So what does this have to do with leadership in business?

It's simple, really. Look around your company and do a quick assessment of the key personnel who surround you. Do they always agree with you? Do they fail to challenge you in meetings? Do they execute without ever asking questions or suggesting ways to improve on a plan? If you answered 'yes' to these questions then you are in danger of running a cloning factory rather than an effective organization!

Leaders, no matter how experienced, are still human beings who wear one pair of pants at a time and possess a set of skills that does not cover the universe of wisdom and thought. Leaders have an acute responsibility to identify, hire, and rely on people who possess contrary opinions and aren't afraid to express them. Leaders must have a keen sense of the skills required for the company to achieve its goals.

An effective leader starts with his or her personal skills assessment. What are the things you are really good at? What are the things you do not know how to do or don't like to do? What types of talent should make up your advisory team so that every new idea, initiative, or cut-back has been thoroughly vetted before a decision is made? There are human resources techniques that can be used to answer these questions. Things like Myers-Briggs, FIRO-B, and a 360 survey are among the most popular. But before you make that investment, start with your own information analysis.

Using this simple list can help determine where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and can also give you renewed clarity about the members of your team. There are likely more than the twelve we are suggesting and undoubtedly some that are critical to your operation. We suggest you use this list as a guide to get you started, but refine it before you begin.

1. Strategic thinking and ability to articulate a vision for the future

2. Operational acuity

3. Ability to execute on a plan

4. Budget analysis and fiscal responsibility

5. Human capital management and personnel development

6. Innovative and creative solutions to everyday problems

7. Respect among peers

8. Ability to articulate clearly

9. Sales and marketing know-how to achieve goals

10. Business planning discipline

11. Excellent time management skills and reliability to deliver on-time and on-budget

12. Active listening skills to hear what is being said (and not said)

The hard part will be to be brutally honest about your own skills and those of everyone on your leadership team. Find the holes and begin the process of retraining, redeploying, or hiring new talent who will round out your organization.

Leaders are not successful in the long-run if they surround themselves with 'yes' people. Be brave, be positive, and be confident that those who disagree with you most are often the ones who will make the biggest difference in your company's success.