Rule-Breaker or Not: Which Type of Leader
are You?
“Following all the
rules leaves a completed checklist. Following your heart achieves a
completed you.” This quote by author Ray A. Davis may be a bit of an
oversimplification, but it carries some significance, too. Some people are
attracted to breaking rules and live their lives accordingly. They are
typically acknowledged as either highly successful people or scoundrels.
But in any case, they are people who choose their own paths instead of
following the well-beaten trails of life. Many times they are revered as
leaders. However, not everyone is cut out for rule breaking.
This may be the key difference between two very different types of leaders.
One is devoted to organizing procedures and processes and directing
operations and the systems that make them functional. The other is
primarily engaged in creativity and the positive influence of others. As
such, these two types are differentiated as managers and visionaries. Some
individuals are fortunate enough to have both of these capacities, but most
of us, if we are leadership material at all, fall into one of these two
categories more so than the other, and that is not a bad thing. The world
needs both types of leadership.
Perhaps the most important difference between these two is that one of them
is routinely devoted to following the rules, or at least helping to make
and institute those rules. The other is largely committed to finding ways
to circumvent the same rules, exploring new ground instead of restricting
one's latitude to a structured set of limitations. One follows the rules;
the other seeks to break them.
Looking at these two individuals we can see some very clearly defined
differences. The one who seems born to be a manager is focused on technical
aspects and structural adhesion. She is committed to smoothness in
operation and well-practiced efficiency. Everyone usually acknowledges that
she is quite good at what she does.
The other is visionary in his approach to problem solving, so his solutions
are not always popular. He is, instead, a bit of a maverick. But his ideas
can be so very convincing sometimes, usually due to his emotional
involvement and vision. In a word, he is passionate, and his passion is
contagious. He is an idea factory.
Successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Twitter Jack Dorsey said,
"Everyone has an idea. But it’s really about executing the idea and
attracting other people to help you work on the idea.” The idea for Twitter
was amazingly simple. It was also untried. The "idea people"
attracted some management types to make it happen...and the rest is
history.
Successful organizations usually require both types of leadership, the idea
generators and the systems people who build and pattern the formula.
Successful World War II general and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you
want done because he wants to do it.” That, in a nutshell, is the path of
the idea creator, the entrepreneurial genius, the visionary leader who
starts the engine and motivates it to keep running.
The running of the engine requires the attention of those most capable of
coaxing from it the power that is needed. The engine must be tuned to
perfection. Systems experts keep it running and running in the right
direction. Without them, the visionary's idea could easily die on the vine.
True leadership may begin with a breaking of the rules, but it can only
truly succeed by virtue of learning one's real limitations and finding help
in those areas of relative weakness. Break the rules to get started, but
then find help covering your weaknesses from another kind of leader, and
your chance of success is increased.
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment