In a wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they set the pace for the entire pack. If it was the other way around, they could be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line.
In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following.
Last, alone, is the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack.
The pack members move according to the elders’ pace and help each other, watch each other.
LEADERSHIP is a common word, yet so hard to define.
The example of the wolf pack above shows how leadership works for one species.
Nature gives us other examples, including schools of fish and migrating Canadian Geese,
where members of each group take turns in the lead position.
Just as in nature, there is no single type of human leadership that works equally for all occasions.
Some profound examples of human leadership are the following:
Jack Welch
Identifies three prerequisites any potential leader must possess: integrity, intelligence, and maturity. He also describes the four qualities effective leaders demonstrate. They are commonly referred to as the “4 E’s”: Energy, Energizer, Edge, and Execution
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi was a transformational leader. Visionary and empowering, he taught and practiced non-violent methods for effecting change, and gave his followers hope when there might otherwise be none. He demonstrated confidence in his strong principles of what was right.
One of the most outstanding qualities of Gandhi which makes him a great transformational leader of modern history was his long-term vision, self-confidence which was perhaps perceived as someone who had stubborn and strong principles of righteousness.
General Patton’s aphorisms on leadership
“A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.”
“Do everything you ask of those you command.”
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.”
“Do more than is required of you.”
The Center for Creative Leadership Tells Us:
Important qualities of a good leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity. “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”
What is Inclusive leadership?
Inclusive leaders are people-oriented, great listeners, able to tap into the talents and motivations of their teams. They are patient, understanding, soft-spoken, and genuinely interested in others.
“Only the leader can set the tone of the dialogue in the organization. Dialogue is the core of culture and the basic unit of work. How people talk to each other absolutely determines how well the organization will function.”
— Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, Execution: The discipline of getting things done
Inclusive leaders demonstrate similar characteristics to facilitators, creative leaders, and leaders of innovative organizations. They demonstrate attributes usually found in facilitators who tend to be engaging others in discussion to allow them to take ownership of the goals or end results they wish to achieve.
Seven virtues of inclusive leaders are:
- Curiosity– Inclusive Leaders are curious by their very nature. They know that the world is more complex than they can comprehend but they work hard to understand it. They read voraciously looking to build their knowledge and their internal context so that it informs their decision-making.
They engage in something Sid Parnes called “Deferjudicing” That is the ability to take in huge amounts of information without prejudice.
—Inclusive leaders have the ability to create teams that produce whatever is needed to achieve goals in the most efficient way possible. And, they are also great team players themselves because they understand how to eliminate friction in teams and help them work harmoniously.
- Courage and open mindedness- These two characteristics involve doing the right thing even though you know it might land you in hot water. A good example is the ancient Greek philosophy of stoicism. The stoics regard Socrates as a great example of stoic behavior; someone who demonstrated enormous moral courage. Socrates asked questions and challenged people’s thinking. It led to his trial and subsequent death. Courage is the act of sticking to your principles whatever the consequences.
- Humility- According to Harvard Business Review a sense of humility is essential to leadership because it authenticates a person’s humanity. We humans are frail creatures; we have our faults. Recognizing what we do well, as well as what we do not do so well, is vital to self-awareness and paramount to humility. Being humble is about keeping an open mind while moving forward. According to Sid Parnes, in his book “A facilitating style of leadership” a leader should:
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- Be ready to ask open-ended questions to stimulate thinking
- Genuine-admit when he does not know
- Paraphrase for understanding
- If he interjects his own ideas, does it very casually- never with authority
- Uses “Why?” to discover information- not in an accusatory way
- Optimism– An Inclusive leader’s optimism is the energy that helps a team produce the most favorable and desirable results possible. Optimism is contagious and flows through the team’s members.
- Cultural Intelligence– Inclusive leaders recognize the exponential explosion of ideas that are generated when people from different backgrounds come together to explore possibilities for new directions and solutions. Research has demonstrated the power of cross-cultural dynamics. For a fine example, read Frans Johannsson’s “The Medici Effect” about breakthrough insights at the intersection of ideas, concepts, and cultures and how the Renaissance movement took humanity out of the dark ages and brought it to the Age of Enlightenment.
- Time and Communication (Most important commodities to a leader)- Inclusive leaders abundantly share their time and energy with their teams. They understand the importance of the role they play in motivating those they lead. They share their vision for the future in ways that employees really get the message. When leading a company or transforming one, you must constantly communicate what you are doing and why. Failure to do so means that people will not follow you.