When we talk about leadership, what does that really mean? It can mean a variety of things to a variety of people, but there are some universal traits that all good leaders possess. These traits are: honesty, integrity, humility, intelligence, and trustworthiness: in other words, a person who has quality of character. In addition, a truly good leader will be dedicated, open to listen to others with mutual respect and trust, will treat all with fairness, and be self aware of and insightful about his/her impact on others. He or she will be able to inspire employees to work together to achieve a common vision and goal. The best leaders are assertive (not aggressive), often have a sense of humor, and will give credit where credit is due. In other words they will be interested in the what is good for everyone.
Good leaders seem to be very comfortable in their own skin. They have a very strong sense of themselves and can admit when they don't know something or they can admit when they have made a mistake -- because no one is perfect. And because they have the ability to be introspective, they also know that they are not perfect. They can speak their mind, critique a situation, or mentor an employee. This is done with respect, and is intended to be helpful, not to demean. There is a difference in tone and intonation -- and we can all recognize the difference.
When leaders show up every day and speak their truths, and if they are consistent, over time we get to know who they are and what they stand for. We can make intelligent decisions as to whether to respect, trust and follow them. If leaders are inconsistent and do not let us see who they are, it is hard, if not impossible, to build an honest relationship with them or to have confidence in them. Not only is this true for leaders, it also applies to everyone we have a personal relationship with -- including family members.
Many leaders deliver contradictory messages and when confronted and asked to explain themselves, they get very aggressive and put down whoever is asking the question; rather than just answer the question. We often mistake this bullying behavior as strength. True strength does not require anyone to be put down or treated with disrespect -- in fact it is quite the opposite.
All of us need to do a reality check and ask ourselves this question -- are our leaders really leaders or are they bullies disguised as leaders?
2 comments:
Read through all of them so far; good discussion topics; helpful to talk about the ethics of business and workplace relationships. In some places integrity is lacking; creating a culture that is counter productive in both business and public interest work enviornments. Why?
Leadership and corporate business philosophies set the tone and many levels.
Leader directed collaborative work environments are the most fun for many of us and very self motivating. What is it in some business cultures that are so threaten by that model?
Great topics. The workplace is running rapant with the "Bully" managment. To me this represents insecurity. Unfortunately, the only way to survive is to keep your head down and not get involved. This continues to breed a very unhealthy workplace.
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