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The 4 Promises of Leadership

Writer's picture: BenNogginBenNoggin


Leadership comes with expectations.


There’s the explicit ones - to deliver on your targets, complete your projects and commercials.


Then there’s the implicit ones that the people that you lead will have - to provide clear direction, engage people in how their “why?” links to the organisation’s purpose, to bring forth their inherent potential and provide the resources to set people up for success…..


Bob Anderson and Bill Adams, creators of the Leadership Circle Profile, talk about the above expectations as Leadership Promises.


We like the word promise - as expectations go, it feels like a stronger imperative - people experience you keeping them or breaking them…..



Setting Direction and Creating Meaning


This is the promise to set a direction that is unique to a team or organisation and create meaning for people. People invest their energy so it needs to matter to them. Leaders set the context and create the conditions for the promises that follow.


Here are some provocative questions to help you keep your promises:


  • Do you keep your team’s meaning and purpose front of mind?

  • Does it provide your people with a sense of identity and meaning?

  • Do you provide a clear line of sight for individuals linking their contribution to your overall purpose?



Engaging all stakeholders and holding people accountable


Have you ever worked for a leader who made you feel part of something bigger than yourself? Someone who joined the dots between your role and the overall purpose? Worked for someone who you would willingly and constantly go the extra mile for?


Fostering discretionary effort from people by engaging them fully in their contribution and having them commit to owning their part.



  • Do you provide the “why?” behind the “what” you ask of people?

  • Do you actively balance what’s important to individuals with what’s important to the team?

  • Do you draw forth your people’s potential and make them feel valued?



Supporting Focus and Execution


This promise is about creating an environment where your team can actually thrive. Leaders need to clear roadblocks, make sure the right tools are in place, and set up systems that let people focus and deliver.


  • Do you walk the talk and provide the resources necessary for your people to succeed?

  • Do you maintain focus on what matters most and not get distracted ?

  • Does effort translate into tangible results for people ?



Leading Effectively


This is the promise that supports the rest. The promise to continually evolve as a leader. People expect you not just to be good but to be improving as a leader.


  • Do you find time to pause and reflect on how you are showing up as a leader?

  • Does your own development journey keep pace with the increasing complexity of your role?

  • Do you encourage feedback and dialogue about your effectiveness



Fulfilling your Promises


At its heart, leadership is this big balancing act. It’s about juggling the explicit and implicit, the personal and the organisational, the strategic and the human. When leaders deliver on these four promises—direction and meaning, engagement and commitment, focus and execution, and continuous evolution—they don’t just get results. They build trust, inspire action, and create lasting success.


These aren’t just transactional expectations, they are real promises to the people who’ve chosen to follow you. Meet them and your people will reciprocate by meeting their own promises to you.


When leaders keep these promises they elevate not just themselves but their teams, their organisations, and everyone they touch along the way.



Want to explore this more? Listen to our podcast episode on the 4 Promises of Leadership:




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