Perspectives on Leadership

 

I am a baby boomer. My grandfather was born in 1880 at a time when there were no cars, no planes, no computers…hell, the telephone was just invented.  How much leadership expertise do you think he had?  And how different was he from the majority of the population?

Seventy years later my father entered the workforce.  He had just spent the prior 20 years surviving the depression and World War II.  He was a rarity in that he had a university education.  The total student body of his university was captured in one panoramic photograph.  How much leadership expertise do you suspect he brought to his early roles; where could he go for wisdom? Like his peers, he adopted the only style he knew…survival of the fittest and commander in chief, tainted by PTSD. 

It was the best that they could offer.  For boomers entering the workforce in the 70’s and 80’s, these were their mentors.  Is it any wonder that so many of the greatest demographic generation failed to live up to the expectations?

Their leadership style was modified to embrace a motto of entitlement.  He who has the most toys wins.  Wall Street insisted that ‘greed is good’.  The Vice Chairman at Goldman Sachs was quoted as saying ‘…we have to accept that inequality is a way of achieving greater opportunity and prosperity for all…’  The message was different but the underlying style remained the same.

We are now firmly in the grasp of the 21^st century. This historic style does not work and will not serve us in the coming decades. But decisions still must be made and leadership must be exhibited.  In my experience, consensus decision making is simply a recipe for inaction.  But the authoritarian method is a recipe for abuse.  What’s the answer?

First, some realities.

1.    Individuals are much better educated and experienced and therefore much better prepared to lead.

2.    Most employees are also much better educated and capable of making informed contributions.

3.    There are fewer levels of management thereby allowing for closer communication top to bottom.

4.    Diversity has created a deeper pool of candidates with the skills needed to lead successfully.

5.    The complexity of business means that no one has all the answers.

An effective leader is one who:

1.     Is willing to be held to the highest levels of moral, ethical and legal conduct.

2.    Understands that leadership is a privilege and not a right.

3.    Seeks input from various sources, internal and external, in developing decisions.

4.    Acknowledges the contributions of others and reinforces that success comes from the team, not the individual.

5.    Accepts not only the responsibility and authority of the position but also the accountability.

It’s a big ‘ask’. The challenges we face are more daunting than ever and one size does not fit all.  We are beyond the time of excuses and procrastination until ineffective leaders are replaced by those who can deliver. We need more, now!