weLEAD Online Magazine
Copyright 2002 ã weLEAD,
Inc.
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