Leadership - “I know it when I see it.”

Preface - I just completed this posting only to realize that a similar but longer article was added to this blog in April of last year. If your memory is a bad as mine you might enjoy what follows. If your memory is good I don't understand why you're still reading this. :)

For those who don't want a "rerun" this week or as Lagniappe for all others - a second posting will be added today!

Thanks for your understanding



Associate Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart created his own 15 minutes of fame and gave all of us a definition for the known but not easily defined when he said about hard-core pornography, “I know it when I see it.”

Rather than spend hours researching a definition for leadership let me offer Justice Stewart’s words, “Leadership - I know it when I see it.” Considering that the range of leaders can include Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and the devil on one side and Jesus, Gandhi, Bush, Obama, your Momma or Daddy, and many others on the opposite side, it’s reasonable to assume Leadership is not a “one size fits all” definition.

For this reason let me dissect leadership into “bite size pieces.” I don’t know for certain what leadership is but I do believe I know what it’s like. This is not an all inclusive list. First leadership is like a mother duck because she has a group of ducklings that are her followers and the one absolute of leadership is followers.

A leader must also be a dream catcher in that her role includes providing a Vision (an in focus dream) for her followers. Leaders also must be auditors, designers, security guards, and environmental engineers and this is before we get into the nuts and bolts of the needs, development, and direction of their individual followers.

Max DePree states that the first role of the Leader is to define reality. This requires an audit - a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, knowledge of the history, financials, Values, existing culture, etc. The design aspect of the job is needed to shape the future while understanding and respecting the past and current reality. The leader’s role is to transition from the status quo into the Vision for the future. All of these elements are part of the foundation of an Organizational Architecture that will be necessary to support tomorrow.

As a security guard the leader must protect the Vision, Values, and Mission - since these are the heart and soul of the organization and the future. The role of environmental engineer recognizes that plans on paper or just “doodling” until people bring these to life and when people become involved plans can go away, awry, or all right (even excellent). Unfortunately if the environment of the organization is toxic - it will poison the people and if a toxic person is brought into a healthy organization he can poison the environment. The leader must keep it clean.

Add to the leader list the role of scout (as in “Be Prepared” and being in the front of the group when the shooting starts), Coach, and Cheerleader. Coaches recruit and develop talent, write game plans, train, discipline, call plays, substitute, motivate, organize, and energize their teams. They must kick butts when needed and pat players on the butt when comfort is appropriate. They give credit when wins occur and take the blame in a loss. Cheerleaders are the positive / tireless voice for action.

Leadership - I know it when I see it. What do you see in the mirror?

Copyright - Michael G. Manes (April 24, 2009)
All rights reserved