‘I’m right – you’re wrong. Always.
I tell you what’s going to happen – but let’s be clear it’s actually your decision …
Your decision… and your risk
If it goes wrong, you’re to blame!
I did no wrong – I empowered you to decide as I told you to…’
How often have you seen a leader manage their team in this way, remaining untouchable, and avoiding any blame when anything does not go quite according to plan. Yet these leaders are very isolated from their team, missing the opportunity to work collectively to achieve the best from others – surely the true role of an outstanding leader?
Here are some other poor leadership styles:
Teflon coated leaders
These are the leaders who are happy to ‘empower’ others with both the decision and the delivery – claim they ‘made it happen’ if it is successful, whilst distancing themselves from it if it fails! This is, in their eyes, a ‘no-lose’ situation. Very soon, when others are being blamed, the rest of the team see how the land lies and will be very reluctant to commit to any initiative that may not work out. The whole organisation becomes risk averse, and starts to choke in a blame culture which actually says’ no way are you going to blame me!’
All leaders should hold themselves accountable for every outcome. In this way we create a real desire for cooperative decisions and delivery, and a truly shared journey to success. No-one feels isolated or left to ‘sink or swim’. It’s no wonder the majority of people who quit jobs say it is because of their lack of faith in their leader. How much better is it for any individual to feel truly supported by the boss, to be able to commit knowing that both success and failure is an equal burden. A leader who is prepared to be involved, where needed, will achieve not only a better outcome, but will be sure that their team are working hard on his or her behalf. Interestingly, rather than distancing themselves, it is often a leader’s higher level interventions in a situation that can save the day!
The most successful leaders are those who are in it together with their team, who own every outcome as their own and who command engagement and respect from every single member of their team
CV leaders
These leaders stay in place for six months – twelve at the most. They are driven by furthering their career, not the company. They look to add to their CV, not the success of the organisation. They stay long enough to make a noise, but not too long so they don’t have to deal with the consequences of their decisions.
They have an immediate presence and often a compelling charisma, and as individuals they are very decisive. However, their decisiveness is often to build up their status and reputation, and not for the greater good. They have heard that ‘not making a decision is worse than making one’ so they can be guaranteed to decide what direction to take. This is often what is required in an organisation, but what happens next is how failure can occur!
These individuals never lead from the front, rather they send people off in the direction they have decided – not empowering them but in reality burdening them with the risk of failure. The quicker the distance between this leader and those who are heading off in the direction they have been sent – the less likely any failings will reflect on their individual leadership. This style never builds loyalty, trust, co-ownership and mutual respect, and often when it doesn’t turn out as promised, this leader has long since moved on….
The General
You often see this in leaders who have worked through the ranks to hold their position. It has its roots in the way armed forces personnel are managed, or at least perceived to be…
It is felt by the leader that a culture of strong discipline is the tool to ensure compliance, and from this loyalty and commitment will follow.
A leader who states ‘it’s my way or the highway’ creates a certain type of culture – one that says they are right and there is no way they will listen to suggestions to do it better. These leaders tend to be strong at face value, but are often insecure and require compliance to reinforce their position. This is often where a leader will also want all decisions to be made by, or sanctioned through, them.
It is true that under the threat of sanctions, there will be compliance, because people adapt to survive – but survival is the lowest form of living! This approach falls far short of the personal investment you wish from individuals – doing enough to comply is certainly not going the extra mile we need for everyone to succeed.
More often than not you come across more subtle forms of this approach. Leaders often set themselves up to be champions of the people, appearing open to suggestion and willing to listen when things go wrong. However they remain resolute to their own view and do not deviate from their way. Under the surface of openness you find teams unwilling to speak up or suggest alternative approaches. Blame falls easily from the leader, who again avoids ownership of specifics, and ensures they remain blameless whilst others fall foul of delivering the decision. Often these leaders hide what goes wrong as much as possible, under the guise of ‘protecting everyone in the team’ yet their main motivation is self-preservation. This approach to leadership is void of emotional engagement with the team.
So are all military leadership styles unable to effectively transfer into the business world? Here’s one I really believe works …
The Marines
I once had the pleasure of sitting alongside a slightly built female marine instructor, based in Chicago. My perception is that the Marines was a hard-nosed process of taking in raw recruits, telling them what was expected in terms of compliance, testing their capability, and producing like-minded soldiers at the end of the gruelling process.
We were chatting about her role and she explained that the key to her success in training marines was treating everyone very differently, especially as they all came from very different backgrounds – some required firm discipline, some building up, and others a sense of self-worth – but she was resolutely determined to engage the emotional side of each of her raw recruits, and in doing so was the leader they wanted, needed and respected.
Leadership that works
Leadership today is not about being an isolated power with ultimate authority to make decisions. It’s about being a warm, engaging, informed, integrated part of a high performing team, where everyone feels interdependent, valued and worthwhile.
On an individual basis, those who work for you want you to be recognised by you, known to you, of value to you, and possibly a friend of yours.
A Leader’s time is always under pressure from the demands of the role, and there can be very little available for you to offer to your workforce, if you structure it this way …. Think how much time you spend on finance within your organisation, then think again about how you value your most important asset – your people. Investing even a little time in them will pay dividends.
I spoke with the Chairman of Wates Construction, Paul Dreschler, who had recognised the importance of this key element of his role. In order to ensure he set aside time for face to face contact with his team, he empowered his PA with the ability to set out his diary with an appropriate number of site visits. He even paid her a bonus for making sure these took place! This was a great way of ensuring he made time to invest in his workforce!
As a leader, people want you to be their safety net, a signpost showing the direction for all, the motivational engine at the hub of the company, available and approachable, interested in everyone and their role within the organisation… and when you meet with your team – considerate, appreciative, and a friend.
Here is my list of the traits of a great leader:
They are integrated and always work as part of the team. They have a clear strategy and vision, providing a destination and direction! They see the bigger picture whilst grasping the value of detail. A leader engages constantly with those around them, setting an example and setting the tone. They set individual challenges, raising the bar whilst being a constant support and personal coach. They manage processes whilst measuring performance.
The Leader’s role is to be discerning and decisive, balancing risk with reward. They strive to better themselves, whilst driving others to equally achieve success through empowerment. They recognise hard work, and celebrate success! They fulfil the need in everyone to be valued and appreciated.
A Leader recognises that achievement is through hard work and effort, and not chance and luck. Outstanding leaders do not dream of greatness, they build it brick by brick.
