Leader

After all the political shenanigans and snafus, I wonder what is a “Leader”?

Leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual, group or organization to “lead”, influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations.

U.S. academic environments define leadership as “a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. 

Others have challenged the more traditional managerial view of leadership which believes that it is something possessed or owned by one individual due to their role or authority, and instead advocate the complex nature of leadership which is found at all levels of the institution, both within formal and informal roles.

Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values, charisma, and intelligence.

The person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country is the leader.

The leader may go by many titles: chief, head, principal, boss, commander, captain, figurehead, controller, superior, kingpin, headman, mover and shaker, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, chair, convener, moderator, director, managing director, manager, superintendent, supervisor, overseer, administrator, employer, master, mistress, foreman, president, premier, governor, ruler, monarch, king, queen, sovereign, emperor, tsar, prince, princess, lord, lord and master, elder, patriarch, guru, mentor, authority, boss man, skipper, top dog, number one, big cheese, big noise, bigwig, big shot, gaffer, guv’nor, honcho, Mister Big, numero uno, sachem, padrone or president.

The military probably do it better than anyone else. Like many corporations, there are ‘titles’ for responsibilities and position in the organization chart. The ‘Leader’ is the one with more jewelry than anyone else. The ‘Leader’ demands respect with a salute, stand at attention, and respond with a “Yes Sir” or “Yes Ma’am”. The ‘Leader’ in the military does not make request. They give orders.

A ‘Leader’ might be the most skilled or knowledgeable so others with less know how will follow directions. A ‘Leader’ may be a hand-me-down from family ancestry. A ‘Leader’ may be the most attractive, richest or snappiest dresser, but those qualities don’t last long.

Most deal with a ‘shop steward’ or ‘office manager’ or supervisor who gets request from up the chain of command to pass onto you and to follow your achievement of a task. Some of these ‘Leaders’ are working their way up the corporate ladder while others have reached their level of incompetence.

I was watching some old civil war movies (seems timely?) and noticed the ‘Leaders’. There are the generals who are behind the lines, strategizing with arrows on maps and riders coming back and forth with information of how the battles were going. They would sit on horses and watch a poof of smoke and hear the roar but have to wait for the body count to see if they won or lost.

Then there were the ‘Leaders’ who received the orders and followed them. These ‘Leaders’ actually lead men into battle. Their assignment was to get young men to run toward other young men shooting at them. They would carry a sword held high, run in front of everyone else yelling, “Come on boys, follow me!”

I’ve had different titles and responsibilities to supervise other people. I mentored some, instructed others and disciplined a few who bucked my position. I hired some, documented the positive and negative employment, recommended raises and escorted some out the door. I never thought of any position or title as ‘Leader’. I never had to have the dedication or respect of people to follow me to their death.

A good ‘Leader’ does more than spreadsheets and PowerPoint charts. The ‘Leader’ makes a decision on the best information at the time. The good ‘Leader’ takes responsibility for the outcome, for better or worse.

Our country has new ‘Leadership’. Let us hope he & she can pull us out of this mess.

Are you ready to follow?