Recently, two CEOs, a father and son, walked together for 100 miles. Their goal: to find the essence of leadership. Sure, there are hundreds of books published on the topic every year, but it’s tough to find any that can relate the wisdom of well-known, baby-boomer leaders to the 20- and 30-something managers and students of today. So Sander Flaum, CEO of Flaum Partners and founder of the Leadership Forum at Fordham Graduate School of Business, and his son, Jonathon Flaum, CEO of WriteMind Communications, set out to do just that. The result: a new book called The 100-Mile Walk (AMACOM, 2006). Their central finding: there are nine key leadership practices. These practices emerged during the Flaums’ discussions on their walk, in reviewing reams of information from the Fordham Leadership Forum, and in Sander Flaum’s lifelong experience as a student/practitioner of leadership. Here are the nine practices, or the Nine Ps, of leadership:

People. A leader continually learns what his people need to do their best; he focuses on his people’s strengths and works hard to get the best out of them. He hires people at least as smart as he is, or hopefully smarter in areas in which he does not excel. “To lead people, you don’t have to be the IQ leader of the pack. Be the best motivator, the best listener, the best facilitator, and the best identifier of best ideas,” say the authors. “And by all means, hire people who know tons of stuff you haven’t even imagined.”

Purpose. Clearly define your vision for your people and shape all decisions around that objective. Check that vision/purpose often to ensure it is still vital. If it isn’t, change it to make it so.

Passion. Passion is the practice of embracing your job and your organization with great vitality and commitment, creating a spark that ignites the spirit of your followers. To achieve this kind of passion, you have to love your work. If your focus is not on the work but on the reward – the paycheck, the incentive award, and the end-of-year bonus – it’s time to re-evaluate.

Performance. In everything you do, aim for excellence. “In a culture of incessant ‘multitasking,’ remember the importance of focus and flawless execution,” say the Flaums. “One A+ outcome at a time.”

Persistence. Persistence is all about believing you can do it, no matter the obstacles. It’s about focusing relentlessly on a positive outcome. It means stepping over a “no” today to fight for a “yes” tomorrow.

Perspective. Stay alert to your surroundings and to your reactions in those surroundings. When someone needs a pat on the back, give it. Tell it like it is; great leaders do not hide behind their role. And strive for balance, to steady yourself on both sides of an issue.

Paranoia. Identify what keeps you up at night and proactively do something about it. Pay attention to anomalies. If something seems “weird” or unusual, it might be important, so investigate it. Personally solicit feedback from customers and employees, big and small. Do it now, before your competitors get there.

Principles. Do the right thing all the time, not just when it’s convenient and not just when you know somebody is watching. Strive to lead with credibility, integrity, vulnerability, accountability, and steadfastness.

Practice. Real leaders continuously work at their craft and love to practice just as artists, athletes, and musicians do. Find ways to strengthen and practice the nine Ps of leadership every day.