Defining Leadership, from the next angle.
The current thread indicated great leaders to be situation dependent
leaders. Relatively unknown people suddenly became "supernovae",
shining bright, sustaining for a while, and later wondering why
they couldn't repeat the process in a different environment.
* * * *
Thesis 1 (for discussion only - not a "proven" statement)
Given the right circumstances, (almost) anyone can become a leader.
- The one eyed pig is king among the blind pigs - proverb.
Thesis 2 (for discussion only - not a "proven" statement)
Leadership is a _state_ of personality, not a part.
Thesis 3 (for discussion only - not a "proven" statement)
Power(wo)man is a self assumed role driven by fear. An inner
obsession of Power(wo)man to keep "everything" under control.
Persons with a self assumption (a believe) that they must lead,
wanting to control everyone else, is what I 'd like to call
"Powerman" in this context.
This inner drive has nothing to do with actual ability to lead.
Sometimes such a person is called the "macho" type. I don't
like to use Machiavelli in this way. M. just researched and
reported what he found to work for other people in power play.
M. wasn't in power.
===========
Powerman (Thesis 3)
What happens if powerman is put in charge of a well running
organization? (An analytical person might not touch it very
much, just tend it.)
Powerman must demonstrate power, therefore will tell people what
they should do and how. He knows he knows - being in power
proves it (for him). Some people in the org. will creep up
powerman's hindsight, <g> feeding his ego.
Powerman's conviction that he must lead is stronger than his
desire to think things over. "Thinkers" in the org. who have the
vision to see where they will end up with powerman at the helm,
thinkers will try to influence powerman. But powerman perceives
this as a threat to his power. Therefore thinkers tend to end up
where they "cannot cause trouble". <ggg :-(>
Is there a "right circumstance" for powerman?
A more or less chaotic company (chaos in traditional view) is a
superb playground for powerman. He will use the mosaic stones to
create a new picture. He will put everything/one in its place,
lubricate the machinery and ascertain there will be no process-
disruptive thinking. Installing an "idea letter box" helps to
point to potential trouble makers and also _controls_ the flow
of ideas to run onto the management's desk. Ideas that do not
challenge powerman's own ideas may even get implemented.
I should include the "fear reason here" how Powerman's own fear
is driving him. To keep this message shorter, I 'll explain this
if being asked.
The organization stabilizes, becomes predictable. Shares
rise with the reduction of personell (removed troubled thinkers
and other people who prefer quality over quantity). Powerman has
earned his view as a strong leader, garnishes the salaries of
those fired + more, sells his stock at a peak and jumps to the
next occasion.
"Prove" that he was right tends to follow when - after he left -
customers leave and shares drop. Note, the action / reaction seems
reversed. It isn't. It's the reaction delay which makes it look
reversed. An organization serving the shareholders instead of
the customers will soon need no shareholders.
(Thinkers kept their mouth shut in an economy where it takes them
a year to get another job. Loss of customers is no surprise to them.)
Circumstances make leaders (Thesis 1)
Even the best educated person excells only in his fields. In
other ways, average habitual thinking and behaviour takes place
elswhere. He will submit leadership role to someone else if
circumstances demand it. Prof. Math will probably follow the
experienced mountaineer if caught high up in a snowstorm. (We are
assuming Prof. Math not to be a "self assumed leader", commanding
the moutaneer to "remove the storm".)
Leader as state of personality - thesis 2
Zwicky and other authors consider struggle in life to be worthwhile
if struggling to becoming "a whole person". - Not by grinding of
edges, rather by filling in what is missing - .
Personality is dynamic, changes as a reflection of environment.
(Feedback system). Keeping up a positive attitude without fogging
reality perception can be really tough at times.
Ability in leading the own person through difficult times might
be the allround need to be perceived as someone who could lead
people. May be that kind of "safety radiation" is what makes
people comfortable to follow such a person to whereever he leads
them. They trust his personality. They trust his knowhow how to
find required knowledge when needed. People follow a leader
without fear. They follow a leader into a dangerous environment,
which induces fear. They may be afraid of the environment, but are
not afraid of their leader. They stick to him, and together.
***
Here the circle closes. Powerman thrieves on radiating fear.
Leader induces trust and respect, without manipulating using "trust
building measures".
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I do not consider the above to be conclusive. Rather a kick for
more thoughts. If it was lengthy, I am sorry. I'd like to get comments. Thanks.
Emil Zahner
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