The 21 Laws of Leadership: How to Develop the Qualities of a Leader

Chapter 9 Discrimination: An Indispensable Leadership Qualitative
Discernment
A wise leader believes only half of what he hears; a perceptive leader knows which half he can believe.

—John C. Maxwell

"Pothole Rule" Number One: When you're deep in a hole, don't keep digging!
— Molly Evans, columnist

Explore to the end, there must be discovery

Marie Sklodowska has always liked to get to the heart of the matter.She grew up in Poland and loves going to school and absorbing new knowledge.When her parents lost their jobs teaching at the school and took on boarding students, she spent a lot of time helping them with housework.Despite this, she graduated from high school with No.1 grades, and her exams were not in Polish, but in Russian.

Since circumstances at the time did not allow her to study at university, she relied on being a nanny and tutor for a living.So she saved enough money for her sister to study in Paris and finish medical school.Then she went to France herself and entered the famous Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the University of Paris.Two years later, she graduated from the Physics Department of the college with No.1 grades; one year later, she got a master's degree in mathematics.

At this time, she began to devote all her energy to the research work in the basic field, and was responsible for the experimental work for the French Industrial Association.But she has always had a deep desire in her heart - to find out the mystery of uranium metal radiation.

While scouting for a laboratory site, Marie met Pierre, his future husband and research partner.You've probably heard of Marie Sklodowska, but you're probably more familiar with his name after he married Pierre Curie in 1895.She likes to be called Madame Curie.

Marie Curie's research finally shined in the field of radiation (the word she invented), and opened the door for research in both nuclear physics and medical radiation. In 1906, Pierre died in an accident, but Marie Curie continued their research and made many major breakthroughs.

"A person's life is mostly difficult," Madame Curie once said in her heart, "but so what? We must persevere and maintain a high level of self-confidence. We must deeply believe in ourselves, that is, given some meaning and purpose, not Don’t stop until you achieve your goal.” Her research has received a lot of recognition in her life: 15 gold medals, 19 degrees and two Nobel Prizes (one in physics and one in chemistry).

Madame Curie's indomitable spirit can be seen from her thirst for knowledge and the application of research results.She and her daughter Irene (who later won a Nobel Prize) co-invented photoradiography and spearheaded the installation of the device in ambulances.Marie Curie also trained 150 technicians to learn to use X-ray photography, and helped the University of Paris to establish the Institute of Radiological Sciences.She not only supervised the laboratory building project of the Institute, but also helped to raise materials and funds to equip the laboratory in Europe and the United States.

Mrs. Curie believes: "There is nothing terrible in life, and you will understand when you explore it to the end." Her intelligence and insight enabled her to understand and discover many things that contribute greatly to today's world.But unfortunately, her keen powers of insight did not save her a long life.She was at the cutting edge of radiation research, and because of inadequate protection, she was exposed to radiation for a long time, and in the end, her work slowly wore her down.Her health deteriorated, and she tragically died of blood cancer in 1934 at the age of 66.

Analytical skills can be developed
Discernment can be said to be the ability to find out the root cause of things, which is based on intuition and rational thinking.Effective leaders need insight, but more good leaders ignore it.For example, here are a few quotes from great leaders that became their last quotes.

Wellington is a bad general, I tell you, and the British troops are weak: we can finish them off before lunch.

—Napoleon's breakfast conversation with his generals before the Battle of Waterloo (1815)
I estimate that there are only about five computers sold in the world.

—Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM (1943)
I don't need bodyguards.

—Jimmy Hoffa a month before his disappearance (1975)
Insight is an essential leadership quality for any leader striving for excellence.It facilitates the following important matters.

1. Identify the source of the problem

Leaders of large organizations have to deal with so many unexpected and busy matters every day that it is almost impossible to wait until they have enough information before making a decision.In this way, they must have the ability to discriminate.Henry Mintzberg, a scholar at McGill University, said: "The decisiveness of an organization does not come from a narrow rational judgment, but is composed of a logically clear mind and excellent intuition." See part of the vision, supplemented by intuition as a supplementary judgment, you can find out the problem.

2. Strengthen problem solving
If you can identify the source of the problem, you can start to fix it.The more a leader is in the field where he is more talented, the more he can develop excellent intuition and problem judgment.If you want to exercise your potential for discernment, start with your areas of expertise.

3. Evaluate options for the most favorable situation

Business management consultant Robert Heller offers this advice: "Never underestimate your intuition, but don't rely on it alone." Discernment isn't about intuition or your brain; and mind, to find the best judgment and best interests for your organization of people.

4. Expand your opportunities
People who lack the ability to discriminate rarely meet a "bestowed match". Maybe great leaders sometimes seem lucky, but I believe that they know how to use the ability to create "fortune" for themselves, and are willing to use experience and listen to their intuition.

Self-reflection: Do you have the ability to discern?
Are you a discerning leader?When you're faced with a complex problem, can you get right to the heart of it?Can you see the source of the problem even without complete and detailed information?Can you trust and rely on your intuition as much as wisdom and experience?If not, you need to strengthen it, cultivate it, value unconventional thinking, embrace change, embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, and expand the breadth of your experience.Your intuitive powers of discernment will grow stronger the more you use them.

"Prescription" for Improving Discrimination Ability

In order to improve your analytical skills, you may wish to try the following methods.

1. Analyze past successful examples

Looking back at the problems you have successfully solved in the past, what was the root cause of each problem?What factors make you successful?If you can define the core of the problem in a few words, maybe you will be able to do the same to solve other problems you encounter in the future.

2. Learn how others think

Which leader do you admire?Pick a few who are similar to you in terms of expertise and talents, and read their biographies carefully.Learning how other discerning leaders think can help you sharpen your own.

3. Listen to your gut
Think about the right intuitions or inspirations you've had in the past (perhaps you didn't follow them), what do these experiences have in common?If you can spot patterns, it will help you develop the ability to use intuition to assist judgment.

It's a pity to miss the opportunity

Swiss watches are well-made, so the Swiss watchmaking industry is world-renowned and once dominated many years ago. In 1940, Swiss watches accounted for 80% of global production.By the end of the 20s, an inventor introduced a brand-new watchmaking concept to entrepreneurs in the Swiss watchmaking industry, but they refused to accept it, and even dismissed it.Convinced of the promise of his design, however, the inventor introduced it to Japan instead.This company later became Seiko, and this design is now the popular electronically driven timepiece; today, 60% of the world's watches are based on this design method.

One discriminating choice can change your entire outlook.

(End of this chapter)