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The popularity of this myth extends far beyond the business world. We see it glamorized in Hollywood movies and glorified in popular novels. This ideal paints a picture of the leader as hero. No doubt, it is a very attractive image. Consider for a moment this leader’s heroic qualities: (Leading Followers)
- The ability to make quick decisions
- Possession of all the answers, or alternatively, the ability to put on a brave face
- The ability to move others to action
- Hunger for results, and
- An amazing sense of business intuition
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Given this list, it would seem that no company can weather a storm without this leader/ hero at the helm, calling out orders and exuding confidence. (Of Confidence, Capability and Competency) But while this certainly makes for a good movie or an even better book, the leader-as-hero ideal serves modern companies poorly. Leadership Quality is about more than being heroic or going your own way. |
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Think of it this way: If the only thing standing between the success or collapse of an entire company is the leader, than that company is in a very unstable position. Please do not misunderstand — good leadership is vitally important. But the best business leaders never become heroes, because their companies never suffer any serious crises. This is owing to the fact that good managers spend their time developing their enterprises and their employees. (Management as Coaching) |
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How do they do it? The simple answer is, good leaders do not believe the hype. They know that quick decisions are not always good decisions. They know they do not have all the details, and are not shy about it. They do not play games or build facades. They use subtle influence instead of coercion. They are patient for results, and they work to develop insight, rather than revert to familiarity. |
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In short — good leaders do not see themselves as heroes. They value their companies more than they value their own appearance. For good leaders, making the company stronger is more important than looking strong for the company. |
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