Is a Less Rigid Approach the Key to Leadership Success?
March issue of T+D magazine explains how the rules have changed
(Alexandria, VA) March 8, 2005 - Today, the business world is more complex
than ever before. In order for leaders to maintain credibility, they must respond
effectively to this complexity. What has felt like natural leadership for a long time
is no longer functional. The March issue of Training + Development (T+D) magazine, published by
the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), discusses 10 'unnatural' instincts
demonstrated by the most effective leaders, in the article 'The Unnatural Leader.'
Authors David L. Dotlich, president of Mercer Delta Executive Learning
Center, and Peter Cairo and Stephen H. Rhinesmith, partners with the Executive Learning
Center, explain that four of the new, unnatural instincts are personal challenges, three
have to do with leading teams, and three are about leading the organization. They note,
"You'll find, however, no formula for adopting these 10 unnatural instincts. Each must be
considered and adapted on a situational basis."
One personal challenge for leaders is to refuse to be a prisoner of
experience. Oftentimes, leaders are tempted to go with what has always worked. However,
the authors say, "The unnatural leader recognizes the need to be comfortable with chaos
in order to navigate a business environment that is difficult to predict, let alone
direct. That requires honing a discipline for looking at new situations with a fresh eye."
Exposing vulnerabilities is another personal challenge for leaders. As
the article states, "There is too much ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty in the
world for any leader to expect to have all the answers... Leaders need a strong point of
view, but they must also develop an unnatural instinct for admitting that they don't
always know the right way to go."
In addition to personal challenges, the authors discuss team and
organizational challenges. They encourage leaders to create teams that create discomfort:
"Unnatural leaders build teams in which contradictory views are in creative conflict."
According to the authors, "Balance and diversity are more critical than comfort and unity."
Leaders should also give up some control. "The unnatural leader must strive for a more
effective balance between control and autonomy to get the most from people," state the
authors.
The authors note that despite what one might expect, most executives buy
into the idea of unnatural leadership, at least intellectually, but it is easy for them
to return to old habits because those behaviors feel comfortable to them and others, and
are often sanctioned by the organization. The authors explain, "Few leaders ever give
themselves the opportunity to assess their leadership assumptions regularly; it just isn't
scheduled. By acknowledging the paradox and chaos facing today's leaders, we encourage a
focused self-awareness that can break the grip of old ways."
The full article, 'The Unnatural Leader' from the March issue of T+D
magazine, can be found at .
The PDF file of the article is free for ASTD members while nonmembers may purchase the
article for US$10. This article is based on the book 'Unnatural Leadership: Going Against
Intuition and Experience to Develop Ten New Leadership Instincts' by Dotlich and Cairo
(Jossey Bass, 2002).
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