Looking for Leaders – No Personality Required
By Michelle Malay Carter on October 12, 2007
Leadership: the ability to set purpose or direction for others and then get them to move along in that direction with competence and full commitment –Elliott Jaques. Within organizations, leadership is an accountability of all managers.
Leadership ability could fall into the hands of an intuitive, a senser, an extrovert, an introvert, a thinker, a feeler, a perceiver, or a judger. Good news. Want to be a leader? No single personality characteristic or profile required!
Using the definition above, a leader could be a college drop out, a criminal, or a six year old. Those searching for the leadership “formula” are missing the point, for a series on this issue click here. One man’s leader may be another’s fool.
Maybe instead of studying leaders, we should be studying followers.
In organizations, we often give people leadership positions paired with impressive titles and some direct reports follow with full commitment and others complain with full vibrato. So, does this person have leadership “competencies” or not?
Back to our leadership definition. It’s two part, and let’s not overlook the phrase, set purpose or direction. In order for someone to set an appealing purpose, direction, and context for me, that person must add value to my thinking. They must see a bigger picture than I and solve problems in a way I couldn’t. If I am capable of thinking at the same level as my boss, what is the point of my boss? Either I’m in need of a promotion, or my boss was promoted too soon.
Employees will naturally seek the counsel of a person who adds value to their thinking, whether this person is their manager or not. Have you ever had one boss “on paper” but consistently sought guidance from another, perhaps your manager’s manager? This is the phenomenon of levels of problem solving capability in play.
Simply put, if I am currently capable at level 2, the most satisfying leader for me will be one currently capable at level 3. Ask me to submit to the leadership of someone at level 2, and I will be dissatisfied. Expect me to work for someone capable at level 4, and I may not be able to convert their guidance into action.
Nearly anyone can be a leader; however, not everyone will be a candidate to be one of their followers.
I’m OK. You’re OK. Let’s fix the system.
Filed Under Accountability, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, High Potential, Managerial Leadership, Requisite Organization, Talent Management
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