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FROM THE CEOLeadership is not for sissies
Conversation at our family dinner table is always stimulating and full of interesting revelations. As “rents,” which I understand is the current lingo for parents, we enjoy listening to our young adult college students tell their stories, relate experiences and reveal lessons learned. Sometimes they ask us for advice, but more often the conversation just flows from one perspective and opinion to another. Such was the case two weeks ago when our daughter recounted frustrations she experienced with a group project in a business management class. Her responsibility was to write the summary and concluding recommendations for the project paper. Her frustration was that other members of the group seemed to forget the overall purpose of the project when writing their parts, so the pieces neither fit together well nor focused on the issue they were to address. She could not understand why they didn’t comprehend that the job they did individually affected the whole group, their project and, ultimately, their grade. Our daughter was also put out by the tardiness of some group members in getting their work to her, which necessitated that she spend several long, late nights completing the paper. Fortunately, my temptation to comment, “Welcome to the real world,” was pre-empted by her older brother asking, “Who’s the group leader?” That stopped her dead in her tracks. She was the leader. Immediately, she recognized that what hadn’t been done was to keep the purpose of the project front and center and to communicate expectations. We discussed how that could be done effectively when you are leading an assigned group and have minimal influence over slackers. (Apparently, members of the group have opportunity to evaluate each other’s contributions at the end of the project, which does have influence with the class instructor.) In the end, we all agreed with her conclusion to this life lesson: Being a leader is not for sissies! Certainly the challenge of leadership is great. Sometimes, leadership is even dangerous. It takes self-knowing, strong beliefs, continual development of leadership qualities and a set of tools ready for use at a moment’s notice. According to Kouzes and Posner (2002), leadership is a dynamic process that results in extraordinary accomplishments when leaders engage in five common practices: 1) model the way, 2) inspire a shared vision, 3) challenge the process, 4) enable others to act and 5) encourage the heart. These practices are available to anyone, in any situation, in any organization—once he or she accepts the mantle of leadership. Model the way In revealing self, leaders risk criticism, rejection and, for some political leaders, even physical harm. On the other hand, leaders who are not exceptionally clear in word and action about what they believe, and who fail to communicate what is most significant, may lose credibility and respect. Achieving effective leadership lies in one’s capacity to model the way, thus earning respect and the right to lead. Inspire shared vision By knowing the hopes, aspirations and dreams of those they lead, leaders are able to forge unity of purpose by breathing life into their constituents’ needs and showing them how they can realize their hopes through a common vision. In doing so, leaders create passion for the compelling group dream. The danger that lurks here is two-fold. Lack of clarity in communicating the vision may 1) inhibit the group’s ability to connect with it and 2) make it difficult for the group to adapt to realities. Inspiring shared vision requires people to think differently, experiment, discover and change. If a leader fails to clearly articulate vision and blend it with reality, people will not be able to recognize their contributions and realize they are making a difference. The keys to helping members of the group make this connection are enthusiasm, deep understanding of others and compellingly clear language. Challenge the process The dangers are great. Challenging the process requires the leader to deliver disturbing news, raise difficult questions and prod people to take on something new. Leaders who challenge the status quo and put themselves on the line by telling people what they need to hear and do, rather than what they want to hear and do, risk resentment. But good things seldom happen without searching for opportunities and changing to take advantage of them. Enable others to act Enabling others to achieve the vision through empowerment falls short of its potential, however, when leaders fail to step away and allow the team to self-organize efforts around the desired results. If leaders interfere with rather than facilitate a group’s ability to act, they run the risk of alienating or disenfranchising the team. They must delegate power to carefully chosen, competent people who bring the right stuff to the right place to produce the right results. When leaders enable others with trust and confidence, people take on risks, make changes and keep the vision alive. In this way, leaders also turn members of their team into leaders. Encourage the heart One size does not fit all when encouraging the heart. People, both individually and collectively, like to be recognized in ways that are significant to them. Leaders need to express appreciation authentically, in ways that appeal to individual passions, beliefs and dreams. When leaders encourage in this way—by connecting vision to action—they build a sense of collective identity and community. Leadership is found everywhere—in homes, organizations, schools, neighborhoods and governments. Every day, all of us are confronted with leadership opportunities. In accepting those opportunities, leaders achieve success only as they build and foster effective relationships with those who choose to follow. If you do choose to lead, just remember: Being a leader is not for sissies! RNL
References: Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2002). The leadership challenge (3rd ed.). San Francisco; Jossey-Bass. |
