Leadership — What it looks like

The more time I spend studying and applying leadership, the more certain I am that it is being used as a collective noun for a range of different behaviours. First there is command and control leadership, there is also servant leadership and then there is management leadership. Across my blogs so far you will see descriptions that cover these, but here I wanted to differentiate between the three.

Command and Control

This is the Hollywood version of leadership and intentionally or not it is short lived. This behaviour is a reaction to crisis or chaos.

In this version of leadership a single individual is making the decisions, holding the knowledge and giving the instructions. They are the hero of the hour and the single point of failure.

“If you can keep your head when all about you, Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;

… you’ll be a Man, my son!” — If by Rudyard Kipling

Those who choose this approach when not faced with crisis often find themselves ousted within a few months.

It has its uses though, when there is a problem with multiple solutions or opinions sometimes there is a call for someone to make a decision, to stand up for the vision and to instruct what happens next.

This is sometimes how change or organisational transformation has to happen, venture capitalists specialise in this, but it should always be the option of last resort.

If you are having to do everything, then you are wasting your team.

Servant Leadership

My previous blog describes how Servant Leadership is leading from within the team, being in the game but not controlling everything. Empowering others, owning strategy and making people feel safe.

Servant Leadership — the value of…

Management Leadership

There third option is so often the best of both worlds and there are elements of that in great management leadership. Leadership is a skill that takes training, practice and hard work. Great leaders are respected, but more importantly they are effective. That means some ability to be flexible but more importantly they need to be strong and know what is right — though they should not become stubborn and single minded.

There are a few more traits that define good leadership that is sustainable, effective and out in front:

• Trusted: People hang on their every word because it will make a difference, it is insightful and believed in a person's gut feel.
• Communication: The root cause of most issues found in business. Great leaders are masters of communication using it just enough to share the right message with the appropriate audience to make them feel inspired, informed and empowered. They do not micro-manage.
• Visibility: Great leaders have excellent time management and engagement skills. They are available enough to play the appropriate role in every initiative they are accountable or responsible for. Their input is knowledgeable and appropriately communicated.
• Strength of Commitment: They own the vision and their area of expertise. They have a positive reputation for that area and make progress with implementation. This leads to…
• Deliver of their Vision: This is what they are paid for, to implement change and growth through delegation and empowerment of teams
• Transient: Good leaders are typically in a role for about 3 years. Experienced ones will even announce their exit plans at their joining interview. Not because they are going to be forcibly moved on, rather because they have delivered change and are ready for a fresh challenge and learning new things.

What Leadership is most Definitely not

“People don’t leave companies, they leave bad managers”

We all have anecdotes about bad management (or “leaders”) we have worked with. There are a few key traits and behaviours that should be watched for and avoided at all costs.

1. Ivory Towers: Leadership by announcement, or just an email
2. Changing Sides: Where policies or ideas depend on whatever the last person said
3. Lack of Authority: No will or ability to make change, always referring upwards
4. Empire Builders: Success is measured in number of people, not what they do
5. Invisibility Cloak: Usually seen with Ivory Towers, work is delegated but authority is not. They are not around to support.
6. There for the Salary: “People are promoted until they get a job they can’t do”. Many people find themselves in Leadership positions because that’s the only way they could get a pay rise.