Success Junkie Interview - Kevin Eikenberry - leadership and learning expert, author, speaker and Chief Potential Officer.

Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that has been helping organizations, teams and individuals reach their potential since 1993. Emphasizing the power of learning, Kevin’s specialties include leadership, teams and teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, training trainers and more.

Kevin’s philosophy in business and in life is that every person and every organization has extraordinary potential. Investments of time, energy, focus and money are required for that potential to be realized. He believes learning is an active, ongoing process, not a passive, one-time event. Learning, work and life should be fun; and if we are doing it right, work (and learning) is play.

Kevin, in your work as a consultant and speaker specialising in leadership development. What would you feel are the top 3 characteristics that the world's best leaders possess.

In my book Remarkable Leadership I identify 13 competencies that I believe are the package of behaviors and skills that we all work from, so it is hard for me to pick three specifically. The characteristic that most of don't think about, but is tremendously valuable is being a continual learner. The best leaders recognize that great leadership is complex and therefore a journey. The journey of improvement is a journey of learning. Beyond this critical habit, I believe that the most successful leaders recognize and build on their unique strengths. It is our greatest strengths that propel us towards our potential.

Let's ask you the age old question - leaders, born or made?

Yes! Leaders are born (with our unique set of DNA that gives us the potential to be great) and made (the skills of leadership are developed, taught and practiced throughout our lives). If we think great leaders are born (and it isn't us), then we can easily be cynical about our ability to lead (after all, we can't be great if we weren't born with "it", right?). If we think it is all about being made, then we don't recognize the value of our unique collection of innate skills and abilities.

Your book Remarkable Leadership is a great read. What would you consider to be your top 5 "must read" recommendations for our readers and why?

It is hard to pick just five books! I've thought about your question for some time though, and I came up with some books that I believe everyone - leaders included - should read.

The Greatest Miracle in the World - Og Mandino
Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini
How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
The Leadership Challenge - Jim Kouzes & Barry Posner
Something from Tom Peters (take your pick)
And of course, Remarkable Leadership!

You can learn about Kevin and his products and services at: http://KevinEikenberry.com and http://RemarkableLeadershipBook.com

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