Natural Leadership
Effective leadership, at best, is wise, timely, nurturing and efficient decision making. It is intended to utilize people’s strengths and mitigate their inadequacies. Numerous books and articles have been written regarding the essentials in leadership, training leaders, education in leadership and more. This paper is not intended to redefine what leadership is. It is to present insights relating to staff and managers (people oriented) more so than administrators (things oriented). Can genuine leaders really be taught or are they born naturally? Perhaps the best leaders are a combination of natural tendencies along with proper guidance and training. Do leaders need to be in a position of power to be effective or can they perform successfully as informal leaders? How should we develop and appreciate the informal leaders with or without promoting them?
It is pleasant to work with enthusiastic, energetic children with initiative. We readily recognize that these children have potential to become good leaders. Listening to parents and teachers of children from elementary grades through high school, we also hear about certain students that are labeled “trouble makers, misfits, restless, trying, contrary, loud”, or don’t follow rules. Is it possible that some or many of these children are natural leaders, who also need to be recognized, rewarded and nurtured into positive leadership? Natural leaders may not always be the type of student that conforms to classroom standards. They will lead anyway, perhaps negatively. Why not channel them toward effective, positive leadership? That cannot be done by making them conform. But, it can be done by recognizing, respecting and rewarding their competencies and methodologies as they test their ideas, behaviors and self-worth. Non-judgmental feedback is essential in steering these creative students into positive leadership roles. (Note: Bullies do not fit into this category – they require psychological intervention.)
As young adults enter the work force or societal groups, they continue to experiment and learn, perhaps at a faster pace than their formalized education permitted. Astute organizational educators and managers will identify, recognize and develop leadership abilities in these individuals without feeling threatened or inadequate. To do that, these experienced educators and managers must be able to give up control and decision making while nurturing or guiding these young adults. Engagement and inspiration do not thrive well under fear of failure or loss of position for either the learner or educator. As change agents, we must realize that sometimes the more disruptive ideas are better solutions. In other words, if something does not work well, fix it. Don’t keep doing the same inept process just because, “that’s the way we have always done it” and it has become “comfortable.” We counsel people to “think outside the box”, but often times those thoughts are discouraged before they can be fully developed and tested. Focus on a collaborative environment rather than a competitive one.
Extolling the characteristics and benefits of seasoned employees and experienced members of organizations have been discussed in a previous article on my website titled “Respecting the Experience of Others”. Often times, natural leaders from these competent groups are subdued or devalued by poor management. They may be seen as disruptive or challenging to managers, especially if they are courageous and articulate while challenging the status quo. A mature, confident manager can listen to data presented without emotional attachment. Furthermore, mission statements/goals cannot be realized if members do not have all the necessary information to actualize success. Managers must not withhold information. There are managers who make decisions based on feelings or hearsay rather than data. And worse, some managers or administrators try to use or manipulate data to prove their emotions are logical; which is dangerous to the efficacy of an organization.
Leadership is not about position or title, not a pedestal. No two leaders will possess the same characteristics as they have varying abilities and traits. An organization that employs, utilizes and values that variety on all levels has a better chance of succeeding than one that does not. Dimensional blindness can be reduced by consulting people who can grasp other dimensions. But everyone needs a map that shows where the shoals are and where the treasures are through clear, transparent communication because rescinding decisions wastes time and resources.
Perhaps a reward for effective leadership may be demonstrated by the ability to provide autonomy. ISO9000 quality assurance principles teach that shared rules decrease the need for management intervention. Providing autonomy to followers as they are trusted to perform and contribute allows them to be role models or leaders to others. It does not decrease the need for managers, but allows managers to focus on hiring, developing, supporting, and rewarding staff. Therefore, recognizing and valuing our natural leaders can be a win-win situation for all. (See related articles, Evaluate or Value Nurses and Manager vs Foreman).