Leadership
is something that grows, changes and develops just like you do during the
stages of your life. As I learn and
progress, and am given more opportunities to lead greater numbers of people, it’s
important that I am able to integrate new and effective ways of
leadership. In order to be successful in
this world, and successful as a leader, there are some dimensions of leadership
that should be applied.
The
first is “The interactive leader works with the world rather than against it” (Denning, 2011, p. 269) . In every leadership position, there is always
some level of opposition. Rather than
trying to constantly force people into your train of thought, or attempting to
change everything around you, it’s more effective to work with the world. By using learning to work with others, you
can channel the momentum, excitement, and ideas of those that work for you in
new and effective ways. By doing this,
you can more easily overcome adversity.
I have learned that by working with others, listening to their ideas,
and helping when possible, you can get significantly more done. In the text, Denning likens this to
Judo. Judo focuses on channeling the
attacks and energy of others in positive ways that put the defender in a better
position. I have had many experiences
when people either want to attack my ideas, or help in unhelpful ways. It can be tempting to push those people away,
or shut down their ideas. Being a good
interactive leader means knowing how to work with others and channeling their
energy in productive directions.
An
incredibly important dimension of leadership discussed by Denning is,
“Interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity” (Denning, 2011, p. 270) . I once had a Wing Commander that described
the leadership hierarchy of officers. He
told us that as Officers we would be seen as if we were living in a glass
house. As lieutenants, the glass part of
that house right now is maybe only a few walls, or some really big
windows. As captains, said windows grow
larger; as Majors, they move to other rooms, and incorporate most of the walls
comprising the house; as a lieutenant colonels, all the walls are glass; and as
Colonels and General Officers, the entire house, walls, ceiling and floors are
glass. His point in making the analogy
is that as you grow in leadership, you are over more people, and subsequently, watched
by greater numbers. Everything you do is seen and scrutinized by others, your
subordinates, and the media. Integrity
and authenticity play vital roles in being a good leader. As you go through your career and life, and
others see that you have integrity, are honest and care about people. Because
of this, you will gain respect and will be able to rely on those around
you. People will want to work hard for
you; because, they know when you give your word that you will stand by it. In the text, Denning puts it perfectly. He states, “Because you listen to the world,
the world listens to you. Because you
are open to innovation, happy accidents happen.
Because you bring meaning into the world of work, you are able to get
superior results” (Denning, 2011, p. 270) . I have witnessed first-hand what happens when
poor leaders, with little to no integrity are allowed to run rampant. At first, they look like heroes because they
demand people do what they say, but they lead with fear. This type of leadership produces minimum
quality work. In the end, many will turn on the so called leader the first
chance they have, find work elsewhere, and often leave when they need people
the most. Being able to take care of
others and make sure they have what they need to get the job done is my
favorite part of leadership. Working
with others to make sure their families, lives and jobs are all taken care of
is what makes me enjoy going to work every day.
Without the trust and respect of others, leadership is pointless. That trust and respect will be given to me as
I give it to others. Making sure those
that work for me know my values and expectations will help open the
communication flow and let people know that I do as I say.
The
last dimension I want to incorporate into my leadership style is the idea that
“interactive leadership doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical
authority” (Denning, 2011, p. 171) . Being a leader does not mean I need to have a
specific rank, title or authority. Being
an example, sharing my values and working hard to improve the office, project
or work environment is what leadership is about. In the military they have a famous statement:
“lead from the front.” This means that when you go into battle, you are willing
to go in ahead of others. I think this
also means that you will never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing
to do. I also think this should mean you
are willing to catch the negative comments, attacks and blame that will bombard
the office. By leading from the front,
you are sometimes the motivator, the punching bag and the windbreaker. Leadership means taking care of those that
work for you. It means that you are a
part of the work and you participate in the work and lives of others and serve
at every possible opportunity. You
should know when work conditions are rough, morale is low and people need a
break. You should stand up for what is
right, not only for the company, but also for the employees. As I take on more leadership roles, I will be
given more chances to prove my worth, take care of my airmen, and sometimes be
the punching bag for the mistakes they make.
This sometimes means working longer hours, so others can go home to
their families, or taking a shift for someone so they can make it to their
nighttime class. During the month of
August, the mission called for people to work extra hours and even extra
days. Three weekends in a row, I had to
ask my airmen to work weekends. For the
fourth weekend in a row, I was going to need them to work another weekend. There was a large medieval festival going on
in Germany that weekend, and even though I had not been, and would have liked
to go, I did not want them to miss it. I
told them they did not need to come in to work the next day, which meant I
ended up working the next day. I felt
like doing this helped me to learn to sacrifice and lead from the front, as any
leader should. Besides, whether they
were there or not I would be there so why make everybody sacrifice.
By
implementing these dimensions of leadership we can take care of the company,
take care of our people and earn the respect and loyalty needed to be a true
leader. Without these things we will
either lead with fear or get fired.
While some may find this to be an acceptable within their own careers, I
do not.
References
Denning, S. (2011). The Leader's Guide to
Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San
Fransisco: Josey-Bass.
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