Leadership has been one of the most researched, most written about, and perhaps the least understood topics in our modern world. From the Great Man theory in the late 1800s, to the Behavioral theories in the 1970s, to more recent concepts like Servant Leadership, academics and business practitioners have tried to demystify the concept of leadership. Leadership programs usually start with a discussion of the differences between a manager and leader at the end of which each person is convinced that he is a true leader and others are mere managers. Then, there is the eternal debate of whether leaders are born or made which ends only when someone remarks that all leaders are born–they don’t come into the world in any other way!
Most leadership theories include certain important aspects of leadership, but none of them gives a complete picture of a leader. Leaders are human beings and at their best, humans are messy, complicated, contradictory and full of surprises. Even with extensive research and sophisticated behavioral models, we cannot predict human behavior with 100% accuracy.
I am sure we will have more versions of leadership in the coming years and yet we will never have a perfect formula for what makes a good or great leader. In times of rapid change, even theories of leadership behavior and old paradigms are shifting rapidly. However, it is possible to unearth and understand the factors that lead to great leadership. We know that family background, economic and social status and education have little to do with the quality of leadership. Individuals from humble backgrounds like Dr. Abdul Kalam or Oprah Winfrey have become excellent role models while those born into privilege like Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Congress family, or Jeb Bush, the son of former U.S President George H. W. Bush, have not become successful leaders.
So what does Leadership depend upon?
Having studied leadership theories, facilitated several leadership programs and followed the histories of some people who have been successful as leaders, I still cannot say that there is a form of leadership that is best. However, I have seen that certain factors determine the kind of leadership a person will display.
The quality of our leadership depends upon the quality of our Purpose, Principles and Practices. If I were a famous leadership expert, I would propound the Leadership Quality Theory in abstruse academic jargon. But for now, I am content to examine these three elements in more detail.
Purpose
‘He who has a why to live for can bear anyhow.’ — Friedrich Nietzsche
Martin Luther King had a dream which gave him the energy to fight against all odds for a just and equitable social system. Bill Gates wanted to put a computer in every home. Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew had a clear mission of securing the future of Singapore. Some people just know what they are going to do, some others come by their calling through an opportunity or an upset, many people stumble from one role to another hoping to discover their purpose. A clear purpose is both the starting point and the pole star for a leader’s journey. It provides energy when a leader faces hardships; it is the fuel that spurs the leader forward, it is the shining light that attracts others on the journey.
What we set out to do in the world determines who we are and the kind of leader we become. The starting point is a strong desire to accomplish something. The larger and bolder our dreams are, the larger the canvas is on which we choose to create our actions. It does not mean that everyone has to become a CEO of a company or a Nobel Prize winner. Nor is every CEO or President a great leader. Everyone does a job or pursues a career for financial security, for social acceptance and for their own growth. Their contribution is important and noble. One can choose to be a leader in the family, at the rotary club, a thought leader in an area of expertise or a business head in a corporate setting. Having a clear personal mission statement is essential to both exceptional performance and psychological well-being.
Nick Craig and Scott Snook, in their Harvard Business Review article say that ‘We believe that the process of articulating your purpose and finding the courage to live it—what we call purpose to impact—is the single most important developmental task you can undertake as a leader.’
Principles
One of the popular topics for debate in many leadership workshops is, ‘Was Hitler a great leader?’ He did have a clear purpose and several qualities required in a leader, but everyone usually agrees that he cannot be called a great leader because he lacked certain core human values.
The quality of leadership depends upon the quality of a person’s principles and values. If the purpose is the guiding star, principles are the building blocks of the road on which the leadership journey takes place. Principles are core values that lead to specific beliefs, which in turn drive behavior. The principles that we consciously or unconsciously hold as adults come from our upbringing, culture, religion and the sum of our life experiences. We do not choose our principles, they are acquired over a period of time and usually difficult to dislodge.
Two leaders may hold the same core principles but different beliefs around the core values, which make a huge difference in the quality of their leadership.
Let us take the example of two leaders – Leader A and Leader B both value achievement and want their team to succeed.
As a result of his experiences, A believes that people will be motivated to achieve through fear of punishment and insecurity.
As a result of his experiences, B believes that people will be motivated to achieve if they are recognized and rewarded.
Both A and B may achieve their goals, but the quality of their leadership and the impact they have on the people around them will be different. It is important for leaders to connect to their principles and beliefs and examine how it impacts their ability to tap into their leadership potential.
Practices
Dr. John Maxwell, the leadership expert and author of ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’, talks about the Rule of 5. Leaders need to identify the 5 essential activities for success and practice them every day. In the Law of Process, he notes that leadership is what you do daily. Stephen Covey has written extensively about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, emphasising the importance of doing simple but powerful things regularly.
Even if we have a lofty goal and noble principles, we cannot achieve anything if these are not translated into concrete actions. Practices are the regular steps we take on the leadership journey, these are the observable behaviors people see. Practices include the how of everything from the time we get up in the morning, how we greet other people, how we prioritize tasks, how we take care of our health, how we handle conflicts, how we put forward a point of view, how we react under stress and how we solve problems. While leaders do need to adapt according to the situation, daily practices give them the ability to read the situation and respond in the right way.
One of the leaders in a workshop, told me that he has a practice of meditating for 15 minutes everyday. This helps him to stay calm through the day and react in a more positive way to situations. Another CEO holds a coffee morning with one of his team members every week and spends the time just listening to that person. Another leader reads one relevant and useful article every alternate day and circulates it to his team.
The quality and consistency of our practices determines the outcome of the leadership journey. While the quality of the practices can be enhanced by acquiring skills and techniques, reading and learning, consistency requires discipline and determination.
The quality of the purpose, principles and practices individually are extremely important, but what is even more crucial is the alignment between the three. All leadership practices have to be powered by the right set of principles which in turn are in service of the larger purpose. In today’s fast paced world, it is easy for people to lose sight of the core elements of the leadership and life journey. Reflecting from time to time on of their Purpose, Principles and Practices is a practice that all leaders can and should do to grow in their leadership journey.
– See more at: http://elavateleaders.com/blog/not-just-another-leadership-theory/#sthash.Ukyam1c0.dpuf
