LEADERSHIP GAP
I believe leadership requires a
two-ways relationship between leaders and follower. Since childhood I unconsciously
faced leaders as teachers, parents and older relatives in an approachable way,
not as hierarchy.
I can recall one phase that my
own attitude toward a leader
changed my life. I started in a company as a trainee, and due to my experience in
the field and commitment I became a full-time employee. Each day my relationship
with my manager was getting stronger and more personal. We became friends, and
with that I conquered full trust from her. I started, informally, taking over
her roles, and slowly doing her tasks. While people were labeling her as lazy
and opportunist, I was taking the opportunity to learn new things and to show what
I was capable of. After resigning she recommended me to the directors to fill
the gap as manager since she was leaving, and the director accepted her
recommendation. Although it was stressful, challenging and overwhelming at that
point, it was my first leadership direct experience and I carry my lessons to
the current days in my organization.
While considering leadership
traits differences across generations I can think of one major trend, which
leads to other: communication. The communication channels are more variable and
more open. Slowly, people started having freedom to express themselves in all
senses. Even in traditional families, the dialogue between generations are more
frequent and wider. This trend leads to the point made by Obolensky (2014) when
he mentions the transition from anarchy to oligarchy and then to polyarchy. As
the relationship across generation become more opened, consequently the
leadership attitudes become more polyarchic.
The main reason behind this trend,
in my perspective, is the general discussion and fights for freedom, equality
and technology, which make younger generations think they have more knowledge, and
with that they have something to add, to teach and consequently being able of
decision making, even if partially.
This, as many other questions
are hard to answer precisely. For an instance, why we have an apparent
gap in the quality of our leaders, if we live in a world
with more information about leadership and leadership practices?
The reason I can think of, is
the fact that leadership studies is something new, comparing with other
business subjects. Still, people in the corporation environment are more concerned
about technical knowledge than subjective one. We still live in a world task-oriented
when comes to business. As all effective changes, a good and contemporary
leadership approach will happen in a slow process. One way to close the gap in
the quality of our leaders, is the educational leaders (consultants, trainers,
coaches, so forth) change their mindset first. Changing their selves f to be
able to change organizations effectively. (Heifetz et al, 2009)
References
Heifetz,R. A., Linsky,
M., Grashow, A. (2009). The Practice of
Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for changing your organization and the
world. Business Harvard Review Press.
Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing
Paradox and Uncertainty (2nd edition). New York, NY: Routledge.
