Kouzes and Posner (2016)

Kouzes and Posner (2016, p. 4), “there is no hard evidence to suggest that leadership is imprinted in the DNA of some people and not others”.

Kouzes and Posner (2016, p. 5), “leadership is not a talent that you have or don’t have. In fact, it is not a talent but an observable, learnable set of skills and abilities.”

Kouzes and Posner (2016, p. 19), “effective leaders demonstrate exemplary leader behaviours more frequently than their less effective colleagues do. Although people differ in how they demonstrate each behaviour, leaders must express them more frequently to increase the engagement and performance of their constituents”.

Kouzes and Posner (2016, p. 21), “leaders can differ in lots of personal ways, but exemplary leaders universally engage in very similar practices”.

The five practices of exemplary leadership. Kouzes and Posner (2016, p. 26)

  1. Model the way
  2. Clarify values by finding your voice and affirming shared values
  3. Set the example by aligning actions with shared values
  4. Inspire a shared vision
  5. Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities
  6. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations
  7. Challenge the process
  8. Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve
  9. Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from experience
  10. Enable others to act
  11. Foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships
  12. Strengthen others by increasing self-determination and developing competence
  13. Encourage the heart
  14. Recognise contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence
  15. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community

Kouzes and Posner (2016) developed the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The LPI comprises 30 leadership behaviours (six for each one of The Five Practices).

Kouzes and Posner (2013)

  1. Model the way
  2. Sets a personal example of what he/she expects of others
  3. Spends time and energy making certain that the people he/she works with adhere to the principles and standards that we have agreed on
  4. Follows through on promises and commitments he/she makes
  5. Asks for feedback on how his/ her actions affect other people's performance
  6. Builds consensus around a common set of values for running our organization
  7. Is clear about his/her philosophy of leadership
  8. Inspire a shared vision
  9. Talks about future trends that will influence how our work gets done
  10. Describes a compelling image of what our future could be like
  11. Appeals to others to share an exciting dream of the future
  12. Shows others how their long term interests can be realized by enlisting in a common vision
  13. Paints the "big picture" of what we aspire to accomplish
  14. Speaks with genuine conviction about the higher meaning and purpose of our work
  15. Challenge the process
  16. Seeks out challenging opportunities that test his/her own skills and abilities
  17. Challenges people to try out new and innovative ways to do their work
  18. Searches outside the formal boundaries of his/her organization for innovative ways to improve what we do
  19. Asks "What can we learn?" when things don't go as expected
  20. Makes certain that we set achievable goals, make concrete plans, and establish measurable milestones for the projects and programs that we work on
  21. Experiments and takes risks, even when there is a chance of failure
  22. Enable others to act
  23. Develops cooperative relationships among the people he/she works with
  24. Actively listens to diverse points of view
  25. Treats others with dignity and respect
  26. Supports the decisions that people make on their own
  27. Gives people a great deal of freedom and choice in deciding how to do their work
  28. Ensures that people grow in their jobs by learning new skills and developing themselves
  29. Encourages the heart
  30. Praises people for a job well done
  31. Makes it a point to let people know about his/her confidence in their abilities
  32. Makes sure that people are creatively rewarded for their contributions to the success of projects
  33. Publicly recognizes people who exemplify commitment to shared values
  34. Finds ways to celebrate accomplishments
  35. Gives the members of the team lots of appreciation and support for their contributions

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2013). Leadership practices inventory: Sample report. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/teysp/Desktop/EDR9000/References/kouzes%20and%20posner%20the%20leadership%20practices%20inventory.pdf

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2016). Learning leadership: The five fundamentals of becoming an exemplary leader. San Francisco: CA: The Leadership Challenge.