Before we ring in the New Year I wanted to post an example of leadership. Too many times we talk about leadership theory, but we don’t take a step back to see what leadership actually looks like (this is just one example, of one type of situation, of leadership – as leadership comes in many shapes, sizes and forms). Below you’ll find a short video. This video highlights an individual named Peter Schiff. Peter Schiff is President and Chief Global Strategist of Euro Pacific Capital. He is one of the few individuals that correctly called the economic collapse that we have seen develop in the United States (years before it occurred). Not only has Peter been a visionary, but he has been an example of a leader that looks at the environment in which he operates and ratifies his strategies accordingly. He also strategizes with a focus on his followership. This is exactly what the leadership process is about. Having a vision, communicating that vision, gaining by-in for that vision, and holding that vision through heavy criticism (when you’re very passionate, and logical, about the accuracy of your assessment). Let me know what you think.
I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from sunny Arizona [and snowy New York City, where I'll be spending New Years Eve ]. I wish all of you the best of luck in the new year and hope that your most desired dreams become reality. Let’s keep our visions alive, our emotions in check, and our hearts harmonious with life in 2009 (if nothing more, a reminder to myself lol). I will resume posting in early January. God Bless. And, to all a good night.
I stumbled across this video while surfing Dr. Z’s Leadership Blog and thought you might like it. Although not really a “leadership” topic, I’m sure you’ll see the humor. Enjoy.
Up to this point we’ve discussed the first element and the second element of the leadership process (the leader and the follower, respectively). Now, I’d like to discuss the third element of the leadership process – the situation. The situation is considered, by many, the most important aspect of the leadership process. It is also considered, in many circles, the most complex part of the leadership process. The reason it is considered the most complex part of the leadership process is because leadership can only be understood in the context of how the leader and the follower interact in a given situation. Because a “given situation” can be indistinct in nature, it’s tough to truly understand in what context the situation should be analyzed.
The situation can refer to anything from the external market environment to the internal cultural environment, to even working relationships and job pressures. It is best to understand the situation from the standpoint of a simple example: suppose that I lead a group of five sales people at ABC Corporation. Also suppose that my leadership style is laissez-faire (free-reign). Four of the five employees that work for me flourish underneath that model (as they are very entrepreneurial, self-starting, etc.). The fifth employee, on the other hand, is not productive and is not producing results. Suppose that this person has been a star in the past, but has been lead by leaders with a more autocratic style of leadership. Analyzing the situation, all else equal, would show that I, as a good leader, must attempt to lead this individual differently than I lead the rest of the group. If the individual then begins to perform well, it is clear, based on the circumstances of the situation, that this individual is more productive when higher levels of guidance are present. In this case, the situation would refer to a relationship and how it is managed versus having to do with the external market environment or some other context (all else equal).
Understanding the situational part of the leadership process can help both a leader and a follower prosper in leadership. Leaders must use knowledge of a situation to modify, refine, and strengthen the leadership process while followers must use knowledge of a situation to better understand the decisions made by leaders and to better contribute to the leadership process as a whole. The situation, in general, is the element that brings the leadership process together.
The second element of the leadership process is the follower. Although I don’t really like to use the term “follower,” we’ll go with it for now (as it is a generally accepted term). The follower is a critical part of the leadership process. The follower is a foot-warrior that helps maintain an organization and implement its vision. Although we may not want to be followers (because we think a negative connotation is associated with it), many of us fall within this realm of the leadership process (especially young up-and-coming leaders). In the past, little attention has been paid to the follower’s role within the leadership process, but times are changing. And, if you’re a follower, or an up-and-coming young leader, it’s important that you are aware of these changes.
Why is the follower, now, receiving more attention (even though they always have been an important part of the leadership process)? Well, in essence, followers are transitioning from being implementers of a leader’s vision to being mini-leaders implementing a shared vision. As organizations decrease in size, more responsibility has shifted to followers thus increasing their span of control. Also, functions traditionally performed by leaders are now being shared throughout organizations through new decentralized business models. Followers are increasingly interconnected to high-level issues facing their organizations and are playing major roles in helping solve those problems.
Followers are also exerting upward influence on leaders. Because followers tend to be close to the issues that their organizations face, they are better able to provide guidance to leaders in terms of how to solve those problems and avoid them going forward. This doesn’t mean that followers are now making all of the decisions that their leaders used to make, but it does mean that they are playing a much greater role in determining the direction of their organization.
Followers may not be fully empowered. However, they can still make a difference within an organization. And, they can still be leaders. If you are a young up-and-coming star, or simply fall within the realm of a follower within your organization, use your role to gain leadership experience. Remember, leadership is a process, not a position.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the leadership process contains three elements: the leader, the follower, and the situation. The first element of the leadership process is the “leader.” When we focus on the leader element of the leadership process, we’re focusing on what the leader, as an individual, brings to the table. Because leaders are not all alike, we try to analyze the unique characteristics of each leader so as to better understand what it takes to become one. Most people agree that leaders differ from their followers, and that effective leaders differ from ineffective leaders. But, what actually makes a leader effective? What traits, characteristics, interests, or experiences do leaders have that make them either effective or ineffective?
The question that we raise above is one that many seek to answer. Michael Hopkin, for example, recently asked the question on his blog entitled: “Lead On Purpose.” Within his post Michael says, “one thing that seems to be a common trait in great leaders, regardless of the time or place they have lived, is a penchant for learning.” Could it be that individuals with knowledge hold power? It doesn’t take a position of authority to be a leader nor does it take a position of authority to have power. As Michael alludes to, knowledge may be a key driver in what actually makes a leader effective.
From a broad standpoint, we can say that effective leaders often have traits linked to loyalty, legitimacy (through knowledge acquisition), visioning, influence, and communication. Many leaders have a history of accomplishment, but a history of accomplishment is not a requirement to be a successful leader. Simply look at the variety of young entrepreneurs that have made themselves millions of dollars, and have developed extremely successful businesses and business models, yet may not have a strong history of accomplishment or success (by societal standards)? Or, just count the number of small business owners that fail prior to succeeding.
In the end, it is clear that we may not be able to define exactly what traits a leader must have in order to be effective or successful. However, what we can do is understand that the leader is a very important part of the leadership process and that certain traits can be useful in helping make the leader successful. Without a strong leader, the leadership process will fail. Without a strong vision, maybe the leadership process cannot exist? Perhaps we can conclude that “visioning” makes or breaks a leader?
According to Wil Schroter of the Portland Business Journal, start-up companies do better when surrounding themselves with leaders. On that note, I couldn’t agree more! Part of the duties of a leader lay in resource allocation. In other words, this means finding the right talent mix to implement your vision. If you’re a young entrepreneur, don’t be afraid to build a team of leaders around you. Many small business owners make the mistake of hiring individuals at talent levels below their own. Why do they do this? Well, partly because they want to avoid what I’ll call “perceived competition.” Young leaders think that having too many cooks in the kitchen can be a problem. Although in some cases this can be true, leaders must surround themselves with other leaders in order to succeed. This is not only important for innovation, but also for the leadership process at all levels of your organization. The larger your business, the more leaders you need within it.
Additionally, in the article Wil alludes to the fact that leadership is a process, not a position (we talked about this in our introductory post). He says that, “leadership encompasses your approach and talents, not your title.” This is true. Within the leadership process, understanding your approach and your talents falls within the “leader” portion of the “leader,” “follower,” “situation” interaction cycle. One of the most important steps you can take as a young leader is to be aware of your approach to leadership, as well as your talents, and adapt that approach to each situation that you face within your organization. In some circles, this is called “situational leadership.”
Wil states that “in a perfect world, if everyone were acting like a leader, the potential of the company would be incredible.” I tend to disagree, but I can see his point. In my opinion, you can be sure that you need managers within your organization just as much as you do leaders. Management is required in order to help maintain your organization as well as to help implement your vision. Many excellent leaders cannot manage if their life depended on it. But, they have a vision, can communicate that vision, and can influence others to believe in that vision and implement that vision. This is one of the key differences between an administrator, or manager, and a leader. And, it is one of the reasons why leaders are so important. Remember: successful resource allocation requires a “talent mix,” not an overload of one personality type.
Leadership is a concept that has been studied for centuries. In more recent times, its popularity has been revived. A simple Google Trends analysis shows that individuals’ interests in the concept of “leadership” rivals the likes of individuals’ interests in the concept of “small business.” But, what is leadership and why is it so popular?
If you look-up the term “leadership” in the dictionary, you might get a variety of definitions. You’ll likely read something to the effect of: “the act of providing guidance and direction.” Although a “leader” is an individual that provides guidance and direction (putting it simply), “leadership” is actually a process. It is a process that includes three parts: the leader, the follower, and the situation. The manner in which these three parts interact will determine the degree of success or failure of the leadership process.
Step one, as a young leader, is to do what you can to get the rhetoric taught to you in the past out of your head – leadership is NOT a position. Understanding that it is a process allows you to crease a vision that incorporates not only the goals and objectives of the leader (which is you), but also the interests of your followers. With the interests of your followers in mind, you’ll be sure to be in a better position to gain buy-in for your vision. With that knowledge in hand, incorporate the situation within your vision. Completely understand the environment (internal and external) in which you operate. We’ll get into more detail of each aspect of the leadership process in future posts, but know that you do not have to be in a position of power within your organization to be a leader and have a vision. As a matter of fact, you might just do yourself a big favor by proving to those around you that you can be a leader even if you are not empowered.
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]. I wish all of you the best of luck in the new year and hope that your most desired dreams become reality. Let’s keep our visions alive, our emotions in check, and our hearts harmonious with life in 2009 (if nothing more, a reminder to myself lol). I will resume posting in early January. God Bless. And, to all a good night.
Up to this point we’ve discussed the first element and the second element of the leadership process (the leader and the follower, respectively). Now, I’d like to discuss the third element of the leadership process – the situation. The situation is considered, by many, the most important aspect of the leadership process. It is also considered, in many circles, the most complex part of the leadership process. The reason it is considered the most complex part of the leadership process is because leadership can only be understood in the context of how the leader and the follower interact in a given situation. Because a “given situation” can be indistinct in nature, it’s tough to truly understand in what context the situation should be analyzed.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the leadership process contains three elements: the leader, the follower, and the situation. The first element of the leadership process is the “leader.” When we focus on the leader element of the leadership process, we’re focusing on what the leader, as an individual, brings to the table. Because leaders are not all alike, we try to analyze the unique characteristics of each leader so as to better understand what it takes to become one. Most people agree that leaders differ from their followers, and that effective leaders differ from ineffective leaders. But, what actually makes a leader effective? What traits, characteristics, interests, or experiences do leaders have that make them either effective or ineffective?
According to Wil Schroter of the 
