Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Tabije: Leadership: The uncommon view By Ismael D. Tabije Notions Plus
STARTING this week my weekly Tuesday column will regularly feature a brain teaser. Here's the first one: A man says, "I don't have any brothers or sisters, but that man's father is my father's son." Who is he pointing at? (Answer next Tuesday)
As I was browsing the internet recently, I came across an article by Peter Drucker, the world-renowned management guru. Having read many literatures that dwell extensively on leadership, I was struck by Drucker’s statement: there are no such things as "leadership personality", "leadership style", or "leadership traits".
Let me summarize his thesis with a few of my own thoughts interspersed here and there.
In decades of studying numerous successful managers, executives and business people, Drucker didn't find a single personality, style or trait that is absolutely common among recognized successful leaders.
Some locked themselves in the office most of the time; the others were ultra-gregarious. Some were "nice guys"; the others some were strict disciplinarians. Some were quick and impulsive in making decisions and actions; the others took almost forever to study and analyze before acting.
Some were warm and friendly; the others were aloof. Some were good listeners; the others were loners. Some were charismatic but the others were not.
Some were ultra-vain, like Gen. Douglas McArthur, and some were self-effacing like, Pres. Harry Truman. But these personal traits did not get in the way of their being great leaders.
But despite the absence of a universal trait, style and personality of great leaders, they had a commonality in what they know define what leaders are and their idea of what leaders do.
What real leaders are (or are not):
1. Leaders have followers -- by reason of their personality or ideas or espoused causes or a myriad other reasons. There is no leader who has no followers.
2. Managers and executives are not necessarily leaders. Subordinates are not necessarily followers.
3. Leaders are not necessarily people who are loved or admired. Popularity is not leadership--results are.
4. Leaders are highly visible and their examples are closely observed and followed.
5. Leadership is not a rank or privilege—it is a responsibility.
What leaders do:
1. Leaders internalize what their organization's goals & objectives are. They know what the performance standards and criteria are.
2. They ask themselves, "What NEEDS to be done?" instead of, "What do I WANT done?"
3. They ask further, "What can and should I do to attain that which needs to be done?"
4. They don't mind diversity in their followers' personality, traits and style. What they concentrate on are their performance, standards and values.
5. They don't get afraid of their follower's and associates' strengths. They use those strengths instead to further their causes. Many great leaders became so because they knew how to recruit good performers, even better than they are.
6. Leaders are DOERS. They are on the front line -- where the action is. A leader can't just come out with a plan of action and then give it to his followers for implementation as he stands back to watch the action. Napoleon Bonaparte and Genghis Khan were always there with their men -- sacrificing and risking life -- when they were conquering the world.
Sure, leaders must know how to delegate some work; otherwise they will be buried in too much trivia. However, those work that will set the standards, that will make a difference, that will make them remembered for, they do it themselves.
The bottom line is that leadership can and must be learned. Contrary to other management gurus' teachings, you don't need to kill yourself trying to change to a "typical leadership personality and style". That's the unnatural, and extremely difficult, way. Just do what successful leaders must do with your present personality and style and you're on the way to that distinction of being a good leader.
(Ismael Tabije, MBM, CE, is an International Development Consultant and he consults for the UN, the WB and the EC, among others. Visit his website ManagementWarrior.com or email feedback to idtabije@yahoo.com.)
