- The quality of leadership has been on the decline - whether political, institutional, organizational or within families. (Examples of good leaders are occasionally put forward, but as exceptions to the rule: Hannibal, Ford, Churchill … Certainly, follower respect, trust and confidence in their leaders continues to fall dramatically. This decline has steepened due to the conduct of both public and private sector leaders since the advent of the covid-19 pandemic and how it has been handled. Certainly the perception by some that a small self-appointed elite (by definition: arrogant) seeks to rule and control the wider collective hasn't instilled any confidence in leadership).
- The proliferation of leadership - development efforts has been confusing. (There is always a new ‘flavour of the month’, accompanied by outrageous claims by consultants, trainers and academia. Yet, little changes except the volume of writing – often characterised by increasing complexity. Contemporary theories include competency-based leadership, authentic leadership, situational leadership, results-based-leadership, servant leadership, spiritual or ‘conscious’ leadership, dispersed or distributed leadership, adaptive leadership, agile and resilient leadership, mindful from-the-inside-out leadership, leader-as-coach, shared/ group leadership…)
Click to enlarge:
Well over 100 years ago the name of the game was centralisation, command and control - to impose the will of the leader on the people. Have we now come full circle? Maybe leaders are feeling a great need to control precisely because they fear losing control in a new world of work, or when new, not-before-experienced situations arise?
Whatever your conclusion you may still ask, “Where to Now?” In an era of new relationship dynamics, new values, new working contexts, new and different employee expectations of Employee Value Propositions and wellness concerns - surely leadership development, coaching and training content and approaches need a drastic relook?
Three Reflections
Three items for your awareness and reflection.
1.LEADERS ARE FALLIBLE. They may earn respect and trust but should not be idolised, worshipped. Although flaws are usually disguised and well hidden, being human, all people are fallible, have or lack personal maturity, virtues, vices, motives and vested interests, and weaknesses, and finite coping mechanisms.
Because, as the old proverb says, “A fish rots from the head”, when the dark side of leadership manifests, then followers suffer. And what more and more are seeing to be a truism, “In a septic tank (as in a country, institution or big corporation) the biggest turds float to the top”.
Babiak and Hare have contributed to studies of the leadership mental health phenomenon and their work is well explained on the YouTube: I Am Fishhead - Are Corporate Leaders Psychopaths? (Babiak, P. & Hare, R. 2007)
In my view a narcissistic/ psychopathic/ Machiavellian (dark triad) combination is particularly potent.
We all have feet of clay but should nonetheless be held to account for the responsibilities we accept, and the promises we make.
Reflect on this: Why do so many men become incompetent leaders?
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/08/why_do_so_many_incompetent_men.html August, 2013 (Chamorro-Premuzic, Dr T. 2013)
And on this lovely story of some good (albeit counter-intuitive) leadership:
https://samilhistory.com/2017/04/15/comrades-legend-springbok-and-war-veteran-the-remarkable-bill-payn/ (Dickens, P. 2022)
Alternatively:
https://www.iol.co.za/sport/the-brandy-fuelled-springbok-who-ran-the-comrades-in-his-rugby-boots-e5462b7e-2ab6-44d0-9c3a-27dc38a01d12 (Greenaway, M. 2022)
Surely strength of character is paramoun?
2.LEADERS ARE AN INTEGRAL, INTERCONNECTED PART OF THE COUNTRY, SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY OPERATE
The long-term damage to countries and organisations, and their citizens and members, due to corrupt, incompetent, self-focused leadership can be horrific.
There is always a good chance that the power-holder’s personality characteristics, by a process of osmosis, become part of the organisation’s culture. This is the true danger of dark leadership.
When harmful cultural norms, habits and responses become second nature, then individuals are no longer consciously aware that they are behaving in a dysfunctional way, or that they are responsible for their own behaviour. Group pathology has been absorbed by and entrenched in individuals.
It seems that forced conformity and diffused responsibility are both in play here. As is a ‘fragmentation of conscience’, motivated by fear and self – preservation. (Scott Peck, M. 1990)
Psychologist Irving Janis: “When certain conditions are present … groups quickly reach consensus decisions with amazing disregard for obvious warning signs that they are on the wrong track. Extremely cohesive groups, oriented around a strong leader, will ignore or punish dissenting opinions”. (Sachs, J. 2012)
We simply can’t afford to stay locked into command and control - style leadership (no matter what the pressures are to do this). The World deserves better.
Is there still doubt that in terms of the development and training of future leaders - tuned-in, compassionate, responsible leaders are desperately needed?
https://culturescan.biz favour a person-focused leader who conscientiously wrestles through Who am I? Why am I here? What lasting difference can I make to better others and my world? How will I measure this?
The development of meaningful virtues in individuals and organisations must assume the highest importance. Society is currently characterised by values such as: look after number one; survival of the fittest; be happy and embrace pleasure; self-esteem is grown when we succeed - and success means amassing wealth, property and possessions, recognition, having power and knowledge, aiming for 'perfection'.
We pay only nominal attention to developing personhood and presence, accessing wisdom, ethics, having a higher purpose, focussing on others, being caring and compassionate, and stewarding the planet, society and economy. These ‘interior’ values (not externally determined) move us towards better relating, raised consciousness, and becoming fully human. And being able to truly lead and live wild and free.
Franciscan Richard Rohr: “To be a leader is to author life in others”. That requires tolerance, compassion and wisdom, being comfortable with multiple perspectives, and being willing to journey with others into the unknown.
(One development worth exploring more in a future newsletter is that of circle work in a business context, as a shared leadership initiative. “A fully functioning circle welcomes strangers. The members refrain from offering help and advice. Participants are heard for who they are. They receive affirmation that there is nothing wrong with them. This makes leadership as we know it, obsolete. Members are present for each other”) (Block, P. 2020).
3.HOPE FOR THE FLOWERS. A PARABLE FOR OUR TIMES
Stripe the caterpillar was always seeking more, remained unsatisfied. Other caterpillars could not help. One day he found and joined a huge, tall pile of squirming caterpillars. A caterpillar pillar.
They were all pushing and struggling to get to the top. Stripe was excited, thinking that here he might find what he sought. Everyone was too busy to explain, no one knew what was at the top, but everyone believed it had to be good if they all wanted to get there. “Stripe was pushed and kicked and stepped on from every direction. It was climb or be climbed…”. A single-minded approach. No friends, only obstacles and threats. Everyone pushing to get to the top. Some falling by the wayside.
And then he met Yellow, who was having doubts. But one day she was blocking his way up the pillar and he stepped on her head to get ahead. He felt bad and apologised. She cried and confessed that she hated life on the pillar, wanted out. Stripe felt the same way. And they looked for a way to leave the pillar.
After a long while they found themselves on the side of the pillar, on some soft, green grass. They hugged and felt good. Enjoyed every moment. Were happy to be off the pillar and in love. But Stripe grew restless, became unsure, and began to long for the climbing life again. One day one of the caterpillars that fell off the pillar didn’t die at once but gasped “The top … they’ll see … butterflies alone…” and then died.
Stripe wanted to go back and did so after a long while thinking and being in turmoil. Yellow was pulled and pushed in both directions but eventually decided she could not, knowing deep down that climbing was a wrong choice.
Yellow was desolated. She waited and waited for Stripe to return. One day she wandered off and met a grey-haired caterpillar. He was hanging upside down from a tree and explained that he was starting the process of making a cocoon in order to become a butterfly, something “…you are meant to become. It flies with beautiful wings and joins the earth to heaven. It drinks only nectar from the flowers and carries the seeds of love from one flower to another”. Yellow couldn’t believe that she, an unattractive worm, could be a butterfly. Nor that she would have to die before she could have this new life, when she could really love. The grey-haired caterpillar assured her that after she was changed, she could fly to Stripe and try and convince him also to become a butterfly. And so, she took the risk …
Meanwhile, Stripe was making fast, ruthless progress up the caterpillar pillar. But the pillar was taking its toll and he was quite exhausted as he neared the top. And those nearest the top were all ruthless, and their only way to the very top was to get rid of competitors. Many fell off.
And eventually he saw that there was nothing at the top. But lots of other caterpillar pillars could be seen. He thought of Yellow. And then: “A brilliant yellow winged creature was circling the pillar, moving freely – a wonderful sight! How did it get so high without climbing?”
Most were unable to let go of the dark and gloomy space that was the pillar, but Stripe, having seen a butterfly, began the long way down the pillar. At the bottom he fell asleep and on waking the yellow creature was “fanning him with wings of light … stroked him with her feelers … looked lovingly at him” and showed him how to enter a cocoon.
Although afraid, he took the risk.
And Yellow waited.
And one day …. (Paulus, T. 1972)
In the light of the Hope for the Flowers story, reflect on these questions:
Who am I?
- Am I able to ignore the ‘flavour of the month’, what passes for ‘current wisdom’ in my peer group, prevalent societal and organisational values and behaviour (manifested rather than stated), and think and act independently and non-dualistically, access multiple frames of reference, follow what I know to be the correct path for me?
- Do I consistently do deep and honest inner work?
- Do I perceive that I belong to an interconnected web of vast potential, far bigger than I am and feel compelled to be as wise and compassionate as I can? Am I other-oriented?
- Can I live with uncertainty and the unknown future?
Why am I here?
- Have I done enough work on my unique ‘motivational fingerprint’ and higher purpose?
- Am I guided by solid, well thought through principles and in the process of cultivating virtues that support who I am meant to become, wish to BE and do?
- Have I been able to arrive at specific and meaningful relational and task aspirations, and widen the scope of my endeavours?
- Am I motivated to author life in others? (Their coping and their thriving and leading, their being and their doing, their independence)
What lasting difference can I make to better others and my world?
- Have I insight into how who I am and what my purpose is can bring about change and transformation and “author life in others”?
- Do I have the awareness and collaborative intent that can result in the fruit of my endeavours rippling out beyond my own micro-world (even if this is not visible to me)?
- Do I believe that my ‘mind’ (sensing, intuiting, accessing, relating, consciousness) goes beyond self and is a social mind able to connect, communicate, stimulate, develop and regulate a ‘shared mind’ and collective consciousness withot manipulation or imposition?
Is there room for the 'spiritual'?
Many leaders continue to shy away from mention of the word ‘spirituality’ – especially in a hard-nosed ‘business’ context.
“One of our problems today is that we are not well acquainted with the literature of the spirit. We’re interested in the news of the day and the problems of the hour”. We fail to hear those “who speak of the eternal values that have to do with the centering of our lives”. (Campbell, J. 1988).
(A view of spirituality/ consciousness:
- a deep internal focus and a sensitive outward execution
- a meaningful, transcending, pervasive world view that calls forth faith and hope and a higher purpose, and rises above religion, culture and ethnicity
- a deep appreciation of our wonderful interconnectedness
- an other - orientation. The desire to serve others, society and the environment.
- an awakening from ‘self’ - consciousness to a wider, deeper consciousness (and an understanding that there is an unknown, unfathomable, deeper reality (implicate – to use a David Bohm term) that holds together and is always interacting with what we see and know (explicate reality))
- the development of positive principles and character virtues, a mature ethics and morality in action (purity of heart) - along with a recognition that unconditional love is the highest virtue (not only desired, but reachable) ) (Williams, G. & Chalmers, C. 2017)
How will I measure this?
- What signs, feedback, inner knowing (if any) do I need in order to measure the difference that I make?
References
Babiak, Paul & Hare, Robert Snakes in Suits: when psychopaths go to work Harper Collins Publishers NY 2007 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Jxq7hiHi1cE&goback=%2Egde_4122540_member_225862306#%21
Campbell, J. (1988) The Power of Myth New York: Doubleday
Chamorro-Premuzic, Dr Tomas Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/08/why_do_so_many_incompetent_men.html August 2013
Dickens, Peter (2022) Comrades legend, Springbok and war veteran – the remarkable Bill Payn The Observation Post, 15th April, 2022
Greenaway, M (2022) The Brandy-fuelled Springbok Who ran the Comrades in his Rugby Boots IOL Sports 22nd August, 2022
Paulus, Trina Hope for the Flowers Paulist Press NY 1972
Peck, M. Scott People of the Lie Arrow Publishers London 1990
Sachs, Jonah Winning the Story Wars Harvard Business Review Press, Boston, Mass. 2012
Siegel, Daniel J, MD (2017 ) Mind: a journey to the heart of being human W.W. Norton & Company
Williams, Graham; Haarhoff, Dorian & Fox, Peter (2015) The Virtuosa Organisation; the importance of virtues for a successful business Knowres Publishing https://kr.co.za/product/the-virtuosa-organisation/
Williams, Graham with Chalmers, Carolynn (2017) The Arrival of Corporate Spiritual Governance Journal of Spirituality, Leadership and Management, 2017, vol. 9, pp. 1-19 www.slam.org.au Published by Spirituality, Leadership and Management Inc
