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The Age of the Anti-Leader

- One Leader's Perspective

By Greg L. Thomas

I felt that feeling again last week as I was listening to the evening news. I must admit that I once again groaned aloud when I heard the phrase. It is one of my pet peeves and every time I hear it, I seem to have an involuntary reaction. I keep asking myself, as a society why do we continue to do this, and say this, to ourselves? I wonder who is to blame for this gross misapplication? Is it the media, or our culture? Is it business, or our military heritage? Will it ever end, or will it take another generation for us to finally care enough to change our pattern of speech and thought? What is this “thing” that bothers me so much? It is the gross misuse of the powerful term we call… a leader!

Even in our modern western society we have yet to distinguish between the positive role of those individuals who beneficially change our times and organizations to attain remarkable achievement, and the mere rabble who simply clawed their way to the top of their heap! We have this rather perverse cultural habit of calling them both leaders! Just look at the news and you will easily see what I mean. For example, speaking of a collection of political tyrants and demagogues, the media will proclaim something like “world leaders gathered today to …”. Often you will hear how a CEO or business executive has been convicted of a criminal act, yet they are typically referred to as a “business leader”. Simply because an individual has gained control of something, no matter how they arrived at that position or how ineptly they have ruled, we still call them a leader. In what other venue could we be allowed to put individuals like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Sadam Hussein in the same class! It isn’t fair and it isn’t right. When will this madness end?

In our society we have made a few feeble attempts to distinguish between these greatly different types of achievers. Some authors and consultants have coined phrases like servant-leadership, stewardship or enlightened leadership to draw a distinction, but with little effect. So we continue to degrade the real position and achievement of those who guided others to attain incredible progress, while artificially granting status to those whose lives were dedicated to manipulation and control over others. We do this by calling them both…leaders. We obviously have not gotten to the point where we are ready to dogmatically articulate the difference. Hopefully that is beginning to change. But, I have a name for those who seek to be in prominent and powerful positions of influence only to serve themselves and achieve their selfish goals at the expense of others. I call them the anti-leaders.

Now the good news! The fact that some of us even care about this contradiction is a positive sign that times are changing. Anti-leaders probably first came to prominence thousands of years ago with the birth of city-states in the Fertile Crescent in Mesopotamia. They promised the city dwellers protection and stability. What they produced was war, control, and manipulation. They acquired vast power and wealth at the expense of the city dwellers. Very slowly, yet very surely, the age of the anti-leader is finally coming to an end. Every day in almost every type of organization or society individuals are gradually recognizing the difference and making a clearer distinction. Those who are blessed to live in free societies are expecting, even demanding, the right kind of positive leadership. Those who live in restricted or controlled societies are waiting for their time to come and eventually it will. Here are some of the traits of the anti-leader. These traits are the same for anti-leaders in all organizations, including governmental, religious or business.

1. They are obsessed with control and power over others. They will find any reason or excuse to maintain being “in-charge”, ranging from claiming a “divine right” to displaying a counterfeit concern about the so-called “needs” of the people.

2. They believe that they and their clique of lackeys are above the values and conduct expected of others. Special rules and privileges apply to them because they are after all…the (anti) leaders.

3. Followers are individuals to be manipulated for wealth, power, or prestige. They are privately referred to or viewed in terms like dumb sheep, inferiors, the workers, or the masses.

4. Priority of importance is considered to be the following: self-aggrandizement is the most important, protection of the “inner circle” second in importance, maintenance of the status quo as third in importance and the people or followers last in importance.

5. Within a perverse paradox they look at the world after their demise or death in one of two ways depending on their twisted ego. Some work hard to build a cult personality and some special type of “monument” to themselves, seeking immortality in the eyes of others beyond their death. Others who deeply despise their followers “couldn’t care less” and tend to act as if the entire world should cease existence when they are no longer around.

These are the major traits of the anti-leader, but a positive change is slowly taking place! The Western world has led the way but it should not get the credit. Actually most major religions of the world and their original founders believed and taught what we now call servant-leadership. Unfortunately, their followers, who later became influential, were more concerned with control and personal status than the original message. So the original message of the founder eventually died. Fine individuals like Robert Greenleaf (www. greenleaf.org ) helped to define the philosophy of servant-leadership for our age, but the basic core belief and methodology has been around for millennia. For an outstanding discussion on servant-leadership, be sure to read these articles written by Dr. J. Howard Baker in past issues of weLEAD Online Magazine. “Is Servant Leadership Part of Your Worldview” and “New Wine In Old Wineskins”.

What is it that has brought about the “beginning of the end” of the anti-leader? The seeds were sown with the birth of democratic institutions. Yes, I certainly know the problems and weaknesses of living in a democratic nation! For example, I am fully aware of the pornography poison my nation has produced and has allowed to be exported to other nations of the world disguised as entertainment. I also know that the USA is a willing market for drugs and other self-destructive habits. Believe me I know the flaws. In some ways, I am truly ashamed to call myself an American. But, the democratic philosophy is still the best form of government ever devised by mankind to promote personal freedom, opportunity, and innovation. The political events that occurred on the eastern edge of North America a little over 225 years ago changed the world forever because a rare group of leaders accepted their responsibility and accountability to place people over privilege.

The birth of freedom was much more than a political event. It was the beginning of a seismic cultural change. More than anything else, it celebrated the latent potential within each person to achieve more. It allowed the unique talents of each person to develop and grow according to their amount of personal will and desire. As an American, I am no better or smarter than anyone else. Though the USA is a rich nation, other nations have also had great mineral wealth, rich farmlands, good educational institutions, and an energetic people. The difference is that the USA was founded on democratic principles that allowed ordinary people the freedom to achieve extraordinary accomplishments! The foundational rock on which a democracy is cast is the belief that leaders are to primarily serve the needs of the people. If they are unwilling or unable, they are unfit to lead and should step aside. Personal accountability is the key. This brings us to some modern events presently in the news.

Today the news media is broadcasting a scandal within a major religious organization because of pedophile priests. Reports are that some of these priests were known by their superiors to have this deviant problem and were simply relocated to other parishes. Some committed the same tragic abuse over and over again. But notice it is different now! No longer will followers put up with hypocrisy. No longer will they simply allow another special protected hierarchy to “protect its own” at the expense of their children. As little as 50 years ago this would have been quietly accepted in mute resignation, but no more! Other examples have been recently demonstrated by large and small business anti-leaders. Some have bilked their employees and shareholders while they made millions selling stock at the “right time” during their reign of corruption. Hopefully, when the dust settles they will spend some quality time in a prison cell. The age of the anti-leader is ever so slowly coming to an end!

One of the hallmarks of a democratic society is the process of what we call voting. Voting is the way we show a preference or choice for something. In reality, we vote every day by our personal choices and actions. We vote by what or who we choose to support. We vote by what we choose to buy or not to buy. Some may protest an organization or action by “voting” with their feet and leaving. Others may vote with their pocketbook and send their dollars somewhere else. But the point is this…modern leaders are now expected, no demanded, to serve their followers needs first! It is no longer acceptable to manipulate or use others in order to preserve your own status or maintain power. The same message holds true for all of society, including business. As Peter Block has written,

“Democracy cannot thrive if we only experience it for a moment of voting every two to four years. If day in and day out we go to a workplace that breeds helplessness and compliance, this becomes our generalized pattern of response to the larger question of our society, and in fact most other aspects of our lives. In a high-control environment, what is personal and sacred to us is denied. Autocratic governance withers the spirit. In the marketplace we operate in now, centralized control cannot create product, guarantee quality, or serve customers. This is true for both a whole economy as in Eastern Europe or Russia, as well as for the single organization where we work”.

I maintain that a major reason for the high turnover of the most talented people from organizations is because of this experience with self-centered autocratic (anti) leaders. Every day brilliant, gifted people leave the highest paying jobs because they won’t surrender their souls and endure anti-leadership any longer. They vote with their feet and go somewhere else, or do something else. This is just one way individuals are putting the anti-leaders on notice. Anti-leaders are nothing when people are unwilling to follow. Just ask the former communist “heads” of Eastern Europe! Without anyone to control or use as a source or wealth or prestige, anti-leaders soon fade away. Here are a few other things you can do…

1. Become a personal advocate of what we now call the servant-leadership or stewardship philosophy. A real modern leader is a servant first! Secondly, the servant aspires to lead in order to help produce positive change. The leader’s main goal is to help the followers grow as individuals. This allows them the freedom to reach their needs as they become more autonomous, wiser and productive. In turn, they also become servant-leaders since they will model those who have credibility and their respect. Become an “army of one” in your organization and influence as many as you can by being a servant-leader. Others will notice the difference. Maybe you can’t single-handedly change the culture or environment of your organization, but you can change yourself as a wonderful start. Those stakeholders who work for you and with you will notice the difference!

2. Let your organization’s leadership (or anti-leadership) know how they are doing! When they do well, let them know they are meeting the needs of those whom they should be serving. When they become self-absorbed and are serving only themselves, let them know that as well. Patiently attempt to help show them the problems and why they are happening. Give them the benefit of the doubt and your support when possible. Remember that leadership is not an easy task. If they listen, there may be hope. If they refuse to listen, consider one of the “choices” we spoke about earlier. Remember, anti-leaders are nothing when people are unwilling to follow, and vote with their feet or their pocketbook.

Perhaps some day soon we will come up with a new set of terms to distinguish between what is the positive role of a leader whose service beneficially changes our world, in contrast to the anti-leaders who simply exist to serve themselves and their status quo at the expense of others. Until then, we will unfortunately continue to hear the misapplied and muddled term “leader” applied to all. But, I have one consolation…

At least we know and appreciate the real difference!

Comments to: gthomas@leadingtoday.org

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About the author:

Greg has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience within the electrical manufacturing industry. Some of his positions have included being a National Sales Manager, National Marketing Manager and Regional Sales Manager. He also has an extensive 35 years experience in public speaking and has written articles for various publications. Greg has a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Bellevue University, where he has served as an adjunct professor. He is the founder of weLEAD Incorporated, a nonprofit organization chartered to promote personal and organizational leadership. Greg's personal site is located at http://www.greglthomas.info

References:

Block, P. (1996). Stewardship – Choosing Service over Self-interest. San Francisco: Beret-Koehler Publishers

Greenleaf Center For Servant-Leadership, www.greenleaf.org