A Leadership Truth: Leadership is Messy
No matter your leadership style, personal philosophy, or deeply held beliefs regarding leadership, one truth is inescapable: Leadership is messy.
Many of us harbor idealized notions of leadership informed by the myriad strategies, styles, and philosophies presented with academic rigor and research. Yet applying these principles to our day to day operations, on some days, rival Herculean feats of strength and resolve.
In our experience, and in the stories of countless leaders we have had the privilege to learn from, we have learned that good, authentic leadership often stems from many failed attempts, assessments, learnings gleaned from the analysis, application of the aforementioned learnings, … rinse and repeat. It is a continuous action, not a task that can be checked off at the end of our day.
Leadership is not a position, but a Journey.
Whether you subscribe to the paradigms of transformational leadership, servant leadership, or any other recognizable form, you will experience unexpected outcomes. At times, these outcomes are anything but what you expected, sometimes classified as satisfactory, sometimes as a learning opportunity, and oftentimes produce results better than what was originally intended.
So why does this happen? Great question! Here is a small, non-exhaustive list of common characters:
The Human Element: Leadership invariable involves people - those entities that have their own experiences, skills, aspirations, motivations, and other complexities that do not have a static state. To take these intricately woven tapestries and integrate them into a mosiac is no easy task. Even Michelanglo is credited with the statement that “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the job of the sculptor to discover it.” Your role is similar. As a leader, you help your people uncover the greatness within them, the greatness of their best self.
The Unpredictable Environment: You would be hard pressed to say that any of the authors of these amazing leadership theories, in all of their academic prowess, ever fully considered the exact situation as yours. Kotter recognizes that change is a constant for organizations, but originally had no reference for the impact of AI in today’s organizations. Dumas and Beinecke recognize that challenges in the public sector require constant diligence and agility to manage, but did they anticipate today’s economic and structural upheavals? Recognize that there are going to be “known unknowns” as well as “unknown unknowns” and restructure or adapt KPI’s, targets, and goals accordingly - this is a superpower of great leadership.
The Imperfect Nature of Leaders: Leaders are human too. We all have our own idiosyncrasies, habits, and/or blind spots that define our comfort zone. However, it is when we try to project that image of perfection that we damage one of our most precious attributes - authenticity. For some, it is a struggle to not be the smartest person in the room, when in fact if you are - you’re most likely managing, not leading. You are in leadership to create a synergistic output, not to be the best at everyone else’s job in the room.
Misunderstanding Leadership Scope: Some of us came into leadership by promotion through management, which, unless we are careful, can be a detriment. In a nutshell, Managers place the highest priority on achieving institutional goals, adhering to expected norms for production, and being an organizational control. Leaders, on the other hand, place the highest priority on the people that they lead, ensuring their growth, their needs as individuals, providing guidance rather than instruction. Managers say “Here is the step by step process to achieve this priority, Step 1 …”. Leaders say “Here is the vision, it looks like this…. Now tell me what you need in order to make it happen.”
Embrace the Messiness of Leadership.
Ultimately, leadership is not about adhering to a specific formula but by embracing the messiness with self awareness, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and an overriding commitment to learn and grow. It requires understanding your own strengths, and weaknesses, as well as the ability to foster open dialogue, all while continuing to make your top priority the collective good.
At Leaders Praxis, we understand that the path to effective leadership is not always linear or clean. We provide personalized coaching and tools to help you navigate the complexities of your leadership journey turning insights into impactful action.
Are you ready to embrace the messy reality of leadership and develop the skills to thrive within it? Contact Leaders Praxis today to explore how we can support your growth!
