The Benevolent Dictator — A Lesson in Leadership
For many years I worked in senior leadership roles in the corporate world and in non-profits. While I was effective in those roles and well-liked, it was largely due to my ability to persuade people to do what I wanted done. I didn’t behave in a dictatorial fashion and berate or harangue my team, but to be sure we were going to do what I wanted done and largely how I wanted it done; I was a benevolent dictator.
As I grew as a leader I became aware of my approach and disenchanted with being that type of leader. I learned that it’s best to have people that want to follow you rather than relying on the authority of my position or rank. A wake up call came when I realized that I was like the military officer that gives his troops a pep talk then yells “Let’s get them!” while running toward the enemy then stopping to turn around and learning no one was following him :(
I didn’t have any problem being accountable for the results, but I began to regularly seek, and truly appreciate, feedback from every member of the team as well as my peers. By building trust — the foundation of all highly effective teams — employee engagement soared and the ability to solve problems and implement positive change as a team grew dramatically. This was because by feeling heard and valued team members were vested in achieving a successful outcome. Plans and initiatives became their plans and initiatives, not just mine.
The takeaway? Encourage input from all team members, discuss and debate the ideas with candor and respect, and watch the support you get for the project or plan rise dramatically.
Frank Manfre
Breakthrough Consulting & Coaching www.frankmanfre.com
