MSLD 633 Module 1 - Leadership Gap

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 (2^nd edition). New York, NY: Routledge.