On Leadership Styles

During my career as a consultant and as an executive I came to know many leaders. Many were vanilla flavor, only a few stood out.  What set them apart for me was their style of leadership and the quality of the results they achieved.

Many books have been written about leadership, leadership styles, and leadership skills. In those books academicians and practitioners advance their models, philosophies, and theories. In my view John Zenger and Joseph Folkman hit the bull's eye with their remarkable and award winning book The Extraordinary Leader.

My Own Experience

In my own practice as a consultant, I paid close attention to my clients’ leadership philosophy and managerial style. An effective consultant, during the engagement period, needs to appreciate his or her client’s world and challenges. No two clients were alike for me, and no two organizations were the same. Each had strengths and weaknesses, value sets, aspirations, and track records.

It has been said that what sets leaders apart is how they go about motivating people in order to achieve incredible results.  In this realm, not everyone is created equal; some are much better than others. I have seen leaders succeed with a variety of styles. There are no magic bullets or canned remedies.

In this blog I want to address two opposite archetypes, knowing fully well that most effective leaders fall somewhere along the continuum. Archetype refers to a pattern of behavior or fundamental characteristics of an individual. No human being can be easily pigeonholed in one category or another, but we can surely examine whether they might, more or less, follow a pattern of behavior.

It was recently pointed out to me by my friend Mark Giulieri that the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said that character is destiny. Style is one of several descriptors we associate with character.

The Fearless Leader Profile

There are few of them. In my view, they set themselves apart for their bold pattern of behavior. When we think about fearless leaders the following personalities surface: General George Patton, General McArthur, Teddy Roosevelt, and President-Elect Trump. They are few and in-between. Individuals, strong willed and courageous, willing to take risks the average person would avoid.

Their preoccupation with bold action often borders on the reckless. They seem to thrive on controversy, and gain energy by doing what others might think impossible. Danger brings out the best in them. They value speed and are loath to incrementalism. They are unpredictable, and as a result, keep their adversaries off-balance. Their narcissism and their aura of invincibility are often ridiculed. But, make no mistake, they are movers and shakers.

They are blessed by a sense of history. They seem to be driven by an exaggerated sense of urgency and purpose.  It has been said that no grass grows under their feet. Often they exceed expectations and gain the admiration of their competitors and subordinates. They are capable of great feats. Their philosophy of life is that it is now or never.

Their willingness to put everything on the line borders on the heroic. The anxiety they generate can frustrate those around them. They love arguing and are quick to respond. They are also quick to sniff opportunities and to capitalize on them. They set very high goals and they bask in the glory that comes from surpassing them. They reject monolithic ideologies preferring to mix and match. They are masters at bluffing and intimidating others.

Their behavior is often seen as exhibitionist and self-centered. They tend to have a short attention span and are quick to discard conventional thinking in favor of something jazzier. They somehow create an aura of invincibility and “damn torpedoes, full steam ahead”.

Their hot interaction style provokes others to take a defensive stance, and their ability to compromise might surprise many. They are not afraid to lose their jobs, and ultimately their arrogance can lead them to self-destruction.

The Timid Leader Profile

The majority of leaders fall in this category. Those who stand out, they do so thanks to their technical brilliance, superior interpersonal skills, and peculiar situation. They are successful without making a loud splash. They create a performance culture that accommodates diversity. They are reluctant delegators, and can often get trapped into micro-management.

When we think about fearful leaders the following people come to mind: General Bradley, General Eisenhower, George H. Bush, and Barak Obama. Steady, conscientious, methodical in delivering results.

Timid leaders are deliberate and systematic. They love to analyze problems, evaluate options before jumping to a decision. When they get absorbed in the details, they can get trapped in analysis paralysis. They are afraid to fail and, as a result, they become victims of inaction. Their affability rescues them. People like them; they love their even keel approach to their job. No theatrics, no drama. Just win, baby.

They are loath to swing for the fence afraid of striking out. They are happy to achieve success in manageable milestones. Their philosophy of life is one brick at the time. Idealism guides their thinking and decision-making. A primary concern is to not to do harm. They are genuinely concerned about how their decisions affect the lives of others.

Their style can be classified as cool green with a dose of supportiveness as a back-up. Because of their idealism, they can be easily disappointed in people when people fail to deliver. Adversaries might judge them as low energy, and can be fooled by the low-key approach. They are consultative with their staff reserving for themselves the decision-making role. 

They go about their jobs without much fanfare. More introverted, they shun the limelight. They retreat to the comfort of loyal friends and colleagues. They hand off an orderly functioning organization.

In Closing

In this rapid-fire recollection, I might have overlooked or skipped important traits and qualities, so I leave it to the reader to fill the gaps. 

I invite the reader to read Michael Maccoby’s article Narcissistic Leaders: the Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons written in 2000, for which he was awarded a McKinsey Award from the Harvard Business Review. Maccoby is a psychologist and anthropologist. He has written extensively on leadership and consulted with many CEOs throughout America. I had the privilege of taking a short course from him at Oxford University in 2008.

I also invite the reader to peruse Allan Katcher and Stewart Atkins work on the LIFO – Life Orientation Inventory. The inventory helps people identify their interaction style under positive conditions as well as when under stress or opposition. I started using the instrument in 1972 as a development tool for individuals and teams.  I found it extremely useful. Dr. Katcher served on my doctor committee and is one of my cherished friends.

At a time of transition at the top, we are a witness to two contrasting styles in the presidency of our nation. Many pejorative terms are hurled pro and con our favorite leaders without full understanding of what drives them, their strengths as well as weaknesses, and unique gifts.

I trust that this blog will stimulate a thoughtful reflection.