Table Of ContentPo i s e d Fo r
E x c e l l e n c e
Fundamental Principles of Effective Leadership
in the Boardroom and Beyond
KARIMA MARIAMA-ARTHUR
Praise for Poised for Excellence
“Karima Mariama-Arthur’s Poised for Excellence shines new light on a path to
personal and professional excellence. Its strategies capture ageless truths uniquely
presented for our times. The breadth of her experience is beautifully woven into a
guide that inspires the reader toward excellence. In a time of social chaos and
information overload, Poised for Excellence helps to position the next generation of
leaders to guide us out of the morass.”
—Kamau Bobb STEM Director, Constellations Center for Equity in Computing,
Georgia Institute of Technology
“Rarely is a leadership book equally practical and inspiring. Mariama-Arthur
approaches leadership as self-actualization, providing a clear m ethodology while
igniting the desire to take the prescribed actions to achieve a leadership personal best.”
—Hayley Foster Short Talk Expert® and Author,
Don’t Tank Your TED Talk
“‘Effective leadership’ is a scarce commodity on which successful organizations,
policies, and social interactions as well as education and academic work highly
depends. Based on such rightful argument, the author of this inspiring book shows,
in accessible style, how complex but ‘effective leadership’ can be learned practiced and
developed. If your interests or professional needs require better understanding or
enhancement of leadership skills … read this book.”
—Jan Sadlak President, IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence
“Poised for Excellence is a perfect training tool for rising and aspiring cadets at the
United States Military Academy at West Point. Relevant for anyone in the military or
civilian sector who endeavors to become the best leader they can possibly be, its
insights will inspire you to rethink your path to leadership and empower you to
become a better one.”
—Andre Rush, Master Sergeant (MSG) Senior Enlisted Aide/Advisor to the
Superintendent, United States Military Academy at West Point
“Karima Mariama-Arthur generously, graciously and expertly shares invaluable per-
spectives and experiences for personal and professional leadership excellence. Her
insights are practical, accessible and implementable. Considerably more than a self-
help book, Karima’s offering is a bright light illuminating the path of those who are
indeed poised for excellence.”
—Patrina Clark, CEO, Pivotal Practices Consulting
“Bypassing the tendency of traditional leadership development models that simply
categorize existent characteristics of perceived effective leadership traits, Karima
Mariama-Arthur utilizes her extensive experience in nurturing human potential to
cultivate the leadership development process. Karima’s work not only provides the
tools needed to develop the core leadership skills addressed by traditional models, but
also those outside of them, while simultaneously utilizing personal reflection as a
means of developing the interpersonal sensitivities needed to connect with the self at
a deeper level. This perspective provides important context for understanding indi-
vidual and group dynamics, which invariably helps organizations to achieve their
strategic objectives.”
—Malik R. Watkins, Principal, Taking Ownership Public Service Associate,
Strategic Operations and Planning Assistance Carl Vinson Institute
of Government, University of Georgia
“Turbulent times, such as those we live in now, demand the insights and guidance of
“true leaders.” Poised for Excellence is an exceptional guidebook, chock-full of key
strategies for harnessing true leadership acumen. It speaks to my innermost convic-
tion that leadership faculty is not merely hereditary, but is also acquired through a
lifelong process of learning, focus and practice. I hope you enjoy reading it and apply-
ing its thought-provoking principles as much as I have.”
—Amal Daraghmeh Masri, CEO, Middle East Business Magazine and News
Karima Mariama-Arthur
Poised for Excellence
Fundamental Principles of Effective
Leadership in the Boardroom
and Beyond
Karima Mariama-Arthur
WordSmithRapport
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
ISBN 978-3-319-64573-5 ISBN 978-3-319-64574-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64574-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017954991
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the
whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or informa-
tion storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does
not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective
laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are
believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors
give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions
that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps
and institutional affiliations.
Cover illustration: © JohnDWilliams / Getty Images
Printed on acid-free paper
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature
The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Foreword
Leadership always has been a topic of significant interest to me. For 32 years,
I have taught leadership development to civilians in the academic, govern-
ment, business, and corporate sectors. I also have had the privilege of leading
Marines throughout my career with the exceptional Corps. My experience
confirms that there is no such thing as a “born leader.” No fairy dust lands on
the shoulders of a newly promoted leader and magically provides direction on
what the person should do. Everyone, without exception, must learn to lead.
Experienced executives understand this concept and prioritize developing
sound leaders in every area of an organization for its success. The most suc-
cessful corporations in the world have this thread in common.
You are fortunate to have this copy of Poised for Excellence. Karima’s unique
professional insights, skills, and experience all have been brought to bear in
this authoritative book on leadership. There are three reasons why you not
only should read this book but also make it required reading for all leaders in
your organization.
First, it makes the critical and, often overlooked, connection between soft
skills, such as emotional intelligence, and leadership. Based on my more
than 30 years of experience as a Marine officer, I can attest to the need for a
high EQ.
Second, Karima’s writing style makes it an enjoyable read. Any reader
would want to devour it cover to cover, and use it as a “go-to” manual for
leadership excellence. The fact remains that, there are numerous leadership
books on the market, some better than others and some that readers put down
almost as quickly as they pick them up. This one stands out.
Third, all leaders must do one thing above everything else—accomplish the
mission or task at hand. Failure is not an option. Experienced and successful
v
vi Foreword
executives and leaders across industries know that their success depends on
the ability to work through others—that is, those they lead—to accomplish
the tasks. This book provides leaders with the fundamental tools that will
ensure success and advance their leadership missions in the boardroom and
beyond.
Karima has successfully compiled, in one book, a tour de force on leader-
ship. Topics, such as emotional intelligence, owning mistakes, decision mak-
ing, and challenging the status quo, are just a few of the key areas that reflect
her expertise and, more importantly, provide readers with guidance on build-
ing competence across the panoply of leadership. Additionally, she has pro-
vided emerging as well as seasoned leaders with a clear path to success,
chock-full of valuable takeaways that, when applied, will help able leaders to
guide their organization into an optimistic and prosperous future.
Finally, I have always pointed out to all who listen: Women make extraor-
dinary leaders. Karima, an exceptional and greatly admired leader in her own
right, continues to make my point. This book is a testament to the remarkable
ability of women to wield expertise and influence in a space that traditionally
has been dominated by men. I am humbled to have been asked to write the
Foreword to Poised for Excellence—Principles of Effective Leadership in the
Boardroom and Beyond.
Enjoy the read and put what you learn into practice!
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) John T. Boggs
President, Fortitude Consulting, LLC
Preface
I have devoted my career to engaging and developing leaders at all levels,
within traditional organizational hierarchies and outside of them. As the CEO
of a boutique consulting firm specializing in professional development and a
trusted advisor to accomplished individuals around the globe, I advocate for
lifelong learning and the enthusiastic development of human potential.
As a burgeoning professional, I committed to developing core leadership
skills and sought the advice of seasoned leaders who provided clear direction
on navigating the often treacherous waters of leadership. These pivotal men-
toring relationships helped me stretch and grow, and I resolved to embrace
leadership development for the long haul.
Each leadership crucible required me to dig deeper to discover new possibili-
ties, and each new discovery was a catalyst for my evolution. The challenges,
considered individually and collectively, affirmed the powerful connection
among self-examination, self-actualization, and self-mastery: The trio that has
inspired my leadership ambitions in the courtroom, the boardroom, and beyond.
Each challenge also taught me that the path toward effective leadership is life-
long, and, more importantly, requires an earnest commitment to excellence.
For leaders, individual achievement is not the only measure of success.
Success also includes the interrelated processes and performance benchmarks
of the institutions and organizations that they serve. That said, discerning
leaders realize that they must cultivate personal effectiveness, because collec-
tive success necessarily depends on individual performance. As numerous
studies make clear, excellent leaders are key to successful organizations.1
A compelling aspect of leadership is its evolutionary nature. It is a skill,
rather a skillset, that can be developed through learning and practice. The
vii
viii Preface
argument, which holds that great leaders are born and not made, is specious
at best. The Great Man theory of leadership was debunked long ago.
The pathway to effective leadership is contextual and collaborative, and it
requires mastery of certain knowledge, skills, and abilities. Trial and error, risk
management, adaptation, and increased perception are some of the tools of
the trade that must be picked up along the path. Effective leadership demands
mental and behavioral acuity; grit; creativity; innovation; and, of course, the
ability to apply all this spectacular learning in real time.
Although some leaders seek positions of authority, others stumble into
leadership roles. Another type of leader only rises to the occasion out of com-
pulsion, when no one else is willing or able to step up to the plate. Regardless
of how a leader arrives at the reins of power, the success of an endeavor is
contingent on effective leadership.
This book presents a cross-section of fundamental leadership principles
gleaned from my research, observations, and experiential learning as an advi-
sor to high-level corporate, academic, government, and nonprofit business
leaders. The pages ahead will introduce readers to selected core principles and
walk them through the stages of the internalization process, which will help
them develop leadership skills. All leaders, emerging or seasoned, can benefit
from the perspectives and exercises contained herein.
My advice to readers is to fully explore each principle to understand how it
contributes to effectiveness. Try to apply the Core Strategies. Then, after com-
pleting each of the Journal Questions in the chapter, reflect on any new per-
spectives gained. Finally, implement each Leadership Challenge. Follow the
recommendations and observe your acumen grow exponentially. Thoroughly
examining the principles and strategies in each chapter presents a unique
opportunity to rethink the way leadership is viewed. Strive to achieve a per-
sonal best.
We all are works in progress.
At our best, though, we are poised for excellence!
Washington, DC Karima Mariama-Arthur
September 2017
Note
1. Abbatiello, A., Knight, M., Philpot, S., & Roy, I. (2017 February 28).
Leadership Disrupted: Pushing the Boundaries. Global Human Capital Trends.
Retrieved March 3, 2017 from https://dupress.deloitte.com/dup-us-en/focus/
human-capital-trends/2017/developing-digital-leaders.html? id=us:2el:3dc:du
p3822:awa:cons:hct17.
Acknowledgments
To my amazing son, Khalil, who constantly inspires me to stand taller, to lead
fearlessly, and to continue to spread my wings. I would not have written this
book but for your sweet inspiration. To my remarkable family and friends
who believed in me and kept pushing me to commit my best efforts to this
book project. Your support reflects an enduring abundance of love, respect,
and accommodation that continue to invigorate my spirit daily. I am proud
to be in the arena, fighting for excellence, with you by my side.
Thanks to the Honorable John Boggs, Marine Corps Colonel; my incredibly
talented team of editors; and the remarkable team at Palgrave. Without all your
unique and considerable contributions, this book would not have come to frui-
tion. I am sincerely grateful for the outpouring of love, support, insight, and
graciousness that you have each given so willingly and without reservation.
ix
