A generation or two ago, a prominent leadership style was command-and-control, which used the military as a model for leadership in our organizations. It was led by an autocratic individual who held the view “my way or the highway,” and ruled every bit of the operation with an iron fist. It worked on many levels, however, the downside was a deterioration of the morale of the rank and file and a reduced level of commitment to an organization’s mission. However, because of the time period, many workers put up with the strict hierarchy because they had been so influenced by their participation in military structures through various wars. The accepted view was that any job was a good job, so don’t blow it! There are many examples of this style of organizational leadership still in place, though it is now evolving.
The 1960s and 70s, along with the turmoil of cultural unrest, saw organizations begin to experiment with less autocratic approaches, with one being a democratic structure in which everyone had an equal vote. Again, this style can work, especially in our representative republic, but the downside of a fully equal hierarchy system is that progress can slow down greatly, and in our highly competitive market of today, many organizations have discovered that there is still the crucial need for a clear leader who has the authority, responsibility, and vision to make the tough decisions for the good of all stakeholders.
I am a big fan of the leadership style which has emerged as highly effective today. It is when an organization has a visionary and authoritative leader, but one who views their role as a servant leader and creates an environment which relies on a collaborative leadership team. In this structure, the leader takes the approach that they must be sacrificial in their service to their teammates, and that they are no more important than anyone else, even though each have differing roles and responsibilities. In addition, the servant/collaborative leader is sure to give all stakeholders an appropriate voice in the process of leading their organization. The leader still has the final decision, but they insist on input from their team, which allows for the collective benefits that come from utilizing everyone’s gifts, talents, personality, and strengths. Servant leadership is not new. Robert A. Greenleaf authored On Becoming a Servant Leader decades ago, and the concept was later explored in further depth by Peter Drucker and others. It incorporates humble leadership, courageous leadership, and emotionally intelligent leadership within the collaborative style which is now used by many organizations. In future posts, we’ll explore these and more.
Have a comment? Tell me about your experience with different leadership structures and why you feel they work. Brag about a leader you’ve enjoyed following.
Lead well!