By Dr Brian Harris, Principal of Vose Seminary
Don’t know if you enjoy watching Mythbusters. You know the program. The one I like is where they test to see if your head will get chopped off if entangled with a ceiling fan. The answer – only if it’s an industrial strength one, so check before conducting the experiment for yourself!
This is the age of the cult of personality. Those we most admire are larger than life figures. They are never stumped for words and unlike us, are at ease in all social situations. They are smarter, wealthier, fitter and more beautiful than we can ever hope to be. The work they do seems so much more important than the modest fare that fills our daily agenda. They are leaders and therefore, clearly, we are not…
Welcome to a tired and stereotypical view of leadership. It owes its origin to the belief that leaders are born, not made, and that you’ve therefore either got it, or not. It also focuses on leaders rather than on leadership, usually falsely assuming that the two are synonymous. And it’s time for some mythbusting…
Actually, when it comes to leadership, the tortoise usually beats the hare. “How come,” you ask? “Simple,” I reply! “While the hare is superb in the short sprint, most of life’s race is on the long distance circuit.”
Let’s explore this a little.
We often rule ourselves out as leaders because we aren’t dynamic, upfront people (with apologies if you are!) Badaracco (2002) has made a study of what he calls “leading quietly” where he argues that the qualities that result in long term success include perseverance, willingness to improvise and flexibility, as well as a willingness to nudge, test and escalate gradually. Instead of trying to find brilliant ways to solve problems, quiet leaders look for ways to live with problems, and are willing to aim at what is reasonably attainable rather than only at what is ideal. They model restraint, modesty and tenacity. And like the tortoise in the old fable, they often surprise by being the ones to reach the finish line, first.
In short, this view of leadership shifts the focus from charisma to the tasks that need to be done and the relationships that need to be formed, to accomplish the desired goals. So many forget to check these all important bases.
Leaders are people who make a difference, rather than simply an impression. If you despair for yourself in the charisma stakes, why not do a quiet leadership exercise and ask yourself “so what needs to be done to make a difference in this situation, and what relationships need to be formed to make these tasks possible?” If you then stick to your answers (with a little wriggle room for flexibility) and get on with it over the long haul, you could discover that you’re another mythbuster who has made a significant difference through being a quiet leader…
This article first appeared in the Advocate in July 2008