Leadership that
Participates
– Most especially in todays global society, leaders must be ready, willing and
able to lead by example from the front lines with the individuals who will make
the objective happen. The days of leadership by fear distance or from a
position of unrelenting power are over.
· My style of leadership
will not change much with this style. I have always been hands’ on, down in the
trenches type of leader. I believe that leadership by example, showing the
troops you are there for them and with them, is the best style.
Leadership that Connects – Again I have always
been hands’ on type of leader and have often given the leadership role to an up
and coming airman who may need to take the reigns some time. I do not believe
in a single point of failure or that any operation should rise and fall on one
individual.
Leadership that is like
Conversation - Like
Denning states, “The relationship between leaders and listener is symmetrical.”
I prefer to lead in a manner that those responsible for the completion of a
task make the critical decisions at the lowest point to the problem possible.
That said, there are certain caveats that can never be overcome, however as a
leader, I also like to point those out to inform and show that things might be
beyond my control as well.
Leadership that is
Possible – Leadership
that is possible is leadership that can enable individuals to thing out of the
box and utilize critical thinking skills to problem solving and creative
solutions to problems. The effective leader knows they do not poses all the skills
or knowledge and to let go of the inhibitions that scotch creative thought in
subordinates and coworkers.
Leadership that Fits the
Modern Need – Globalization
and companies entering into joint-ventures has caused an entire generation and
culture to re-think how effective leadership can survive and thrive in an age
of rules restraining critical thought, and the old way may not be the best way.
· Working with individuals
of differing cultures can be an eye opening experience. And a method of
reshaping how organizations thrive in an era of doing more with less and still
making a profit.
Leadership that is not for
everyone – Ruling
by fear or intimidation may have had its place at one time or place? Leadership
today must be authentic and just, it cannot survive through fake collaboration,
or counterfeit methods.
Organizationally
it would be a death sentence to not institute effective and collaborative
leadership in today’s global market. Companies do not want to do business with
an organization that has little regard for its employees and would be wise to
attract those that do.
Leadership that is
Relatively Free of Ego – Ego and pride can go hand-in-hand and should never be
confused for one another. Ego can be a one-person show that is about agendas
and the consequences of not obtaining those agendas. Pride can come in many
shapes and forms.
The
truly proactive leader never expects a reward; the reward is the pride in their
team and the progress made, along the way along with the support that transcends
up and down the organizational ladder.
Leadership that is Like
Judo – An
effective leader is one who is ready for the challenge of creating positive
change, or change that may be unfavorable, undesirable or almost unobtainable.
The effective leader is one who uses the tools of persuasion, intellect and
information as a manner to invalidate an opponent or roadblock.
· I often find that I resort
to Leadership by Judo. I often stand-alone or quickly loose allies as the
contention gets heated. I always use rules, regulations and past performance as
a justification for advancing on a contentious issue. I have learned to let
remarks, personal attacks and attempts at discrediting information I have
provided as a sign that those who resort to these methods have already lost.
Of
course there is a limit we all have at being thrown under a bus or treated like
a doormat. The trick is to not let the conversation get to that point… at
times, easier said than done.
Leadership that has
Feeling – I
am a believer that history can and do in certain instances repeat itself. That
said, there are many leaders in todays global environment who lead by
intimidation, the bottom line and from what is in todays news in the state of
Michigan regarding right to work states and unions. There are leaders who are
leading via a position of authoritarian, possibly out of fear of loosing the
backing of their constituents. I am referring to the union leadership that is
now threatened by signed bill making Michigan a right to work state.
That
is not interactive leadership. Interactive leadership is leadership that has
passion, reasoning and rational analysis. A true leader can and often should
walk a mile in their employees’ shoes as a manner to not ever forget where they
came from. It is that experience’s that past and present that make a great
leader. A textbook can offer instruction based upon someone else’s perspective,
it is the great leader who takes those teachings into account, tailoring them
to their specific need or situation. Only a leader who is in-tune with their
emotions and feelings can lead by this practice.
Leadership that avoids
“Apollo Run Amok” – Big
government, big corporations and possibly a bit too much collaboration with
other cultures and nations could lead to another autocratic or tyrannical
manner of order much like “The Borg” from Star trek. Where order at all costs
is the goal above the human aspect and occasional gentle kindness of stooping
to help a child or someone who needs a hand-up (notice I did not say hand-out).
· I have been in aviation my
whole adult life. I have always leaded via a passion for my chosen career and
vowed to myself never forget from where I came from. I worked my way not up
from the trenches but aside from the trenches, aligned with those who occupy my
previous positions and lead as though some may sometime occupy my current
position as I move to the next assignment. Much like I instructed young airmen
as a Senior NCO in the A.F. to correct faults on aircraft like your family was
flying on it… I lead now as though those airmen will at some point may take my
place.
Leadership that includes
Beauty – Management
and leadership that are stuck on eternal autopilot are destining toward failure
via Controlled Flight Into Terrain (C.F.I.T). It is the prudent leaders who can
see the forest for the trees and pull an organization out of impending failure.
The culture of an organization is its greatest strength and its greatest
weakness.
A
leader is only as good as its followers, an organization with a strong leader,
but followers stuck on an unhealthy past practice will stifle any growth the
organization may need to the point of failure. Consequently it may often take
those stifling individuals who impede growth to leave, allowing management the
opportunity to hire individuals with the same or similar visions shared by an
organizations leaders. Unfortunately it is often the case where it is the
visionary leader who leaves out of disgust or being driven away, by those who
would rather stifle positive growth, remaining stuck on past practice.
It
is those leaders who have came and went who poses the creativity and beauty to
transform an organization from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. It is to
the great detriment of those who are incapable of seeing this that an
organization may simply stagnate on its own devices and never transform itself
into the beautiful swan that it could be.
Final
Comment - A vast proportion of the responses blended into others. It is not for
a lack of words, but rather individual leadership dimensions often complement
one another, to a point they comingle into yet another dimension.
Much
like raising a child, it is the smart parent and mentor that know when, where
and to what extent to apply the methods described above. My years serving in
the U.S. Military taught me many things. The most prevalent is the art of
leadership… and its never-ending quest for better methods of applying those
skills, old and new.
Kurt,
