Leadership, according to the Organizational Behavior specialists has me questioning a few concepts about leadership. Does being a great leader mean you know how to get into the position of leader (elected, coup, heir)? Does it mean you are able to stay in that position – longevity? Or perhaps it means you bring great utility to a large amount of people?
Robbins and Judge in their text book Organizational Behavior write that leadership is the ability to influence a group to achieve a common goal or mission (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Hitler was a great leader using this definition. He also had great skills that landed him the reigns of leadership in Germany and he had staying power, that is until the Russians occupied Berlin. The story line behind many a great leader whose company fell apart upon his or her retirement or vacancy is sadly a common theme within corporate America (Collins, How The Might Fall. 2009). Are they great leaders because the stockholders made money while they were CEO? Using this definition, leadership is a temporary phenomenon using a very base set of criteria that Al Capone possessed.
I submit that the unsung leaders of the world are those who make their space a better place for being there. A leader doesn’t need to be a narcissistic figure head, a mean dictator, a dominant or numbers focused financial guru, or even born that way, as many people still believe.
A leader is a person who makes a difference in another person’s life. According to Positive Psychology and many studies done on happiness, giving service and seeking the betterment of another person is an intrinsic reward, a dopamine release, and a satiable approach to happiness and well being. Using this argument, leadership can be taught and with the speed of knowledge and business, having a company of great leaders may be the most powerful tool a company could invest in.
Perhaps what each organization needs is more leaders who possess the ability to make life better for another person versus the traditional figurehead whose reign of profits end upon his or her demise.
Kay and Richard, you might like the concept of servant leadership, developed by Robert Greenleaf in the 70s. Jim Collins talks about humility in leadership (Good to Great), and Greenleaf and a host of scholars after him have talked about servant leadership, not as a vehicle to greatness, but as the platform for great companies. Regent University has an excellent online series on leadership virtues and may be of use to you. Look under the Masters in Organizational Leadership section.
Thank you Shelly.
I’m curious to know if Mr. Greenleaf had any contact with Edgar Schein, the author of the Humble Inquiry approach to leadership. It sounds very similar to the servant leadership concept.
This position takes nothing away from great leaders like Steve Jobs. Rather it gives perspective to what a leader is. There are only a few positions in the world where a Steve Jobs type leader is possible, so as a member of the masses, it’s easy to tune out the attributes and qualities of what makes a great leader. I submit that if every employee strived to be a great leader, it would make a tremendous difference in our work place dynamics.
An interesting perspective on leadership…it certainly makes me think – it doesn’t resonate completely with me at the moment but I will sure think on it
– I guess I have always viewed a leader as someone like Steve Jobs (Apple) or Andy Grove (Intel) – as supremely gifted visionaries who besides the gift of creative genius for product development also had the ability to lead a company/people and make a company number one in an industry. Great leadership to me has felt great because it motivated me to feel good about doing a 110%. I have in those cases, admired the ability of the leader, their dedication and commitment style they set by example and where I felt motivated to push myself beyond my own perceived limitations.