Frequently Asked Questions on Leadership

• What is leadership?
• What is the shape of the "perfect" leader and does he or she exist?
• Does a leader need to be motivated? How can leaders maintain themselves to stay motivated?
• Does every manager need to be a leader?
• Can anyone become a leader? Are there people whose traits make them unfit to be a leader?
• In which ways can new technologies affect leadership and leaders?
• What is the relationship between leaders and followers?
• How has leadership changed over the years?
• Does a leader need power?
• What’s the worst fault a leader can have?
• Can someone be a good leader, but not a good manager? Which is better for a company?
• How can one be a leader in an economy where many people are connected to work by the Internet?

Q: What is leadership?

A: Influencing and inspiring others toward a shared vision and guiding their performance towards the achievement of said vision.

Q: What is the shape of the "perfect" leader and does he or she exist?

A: There is no perfect leader, that is why good leaders are always trying to improve themselves. However, we can be sure of a few things that good leaders possess:

• A vision of the future, of where are we going.
• The ability to encourage followers to fulfill that vision.
• A love of self-improvement for themselves and their followers. This love makes them good coaches and mentors.
• Empowering their followers to get things done.

Q: Does a leader need to be motivated? How can leaders maintain themselves to stay motivated?

A: Followers expect their leaders to be enthusiastic about their work, so a leader definitely has to be motivated. Motivation comes in two forms: extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivators come from the outside. For example, I work because I need a paycheck to survive. Intrinsic motivators come from within. For example, I get a great deal of satisfaction when I accomplish a difficult task.

Good leaders set and achieve goals that allow them to get a healthy balance of both motivators. Although many people believe that intrinsic motivators are the best, that is not necessarily so. Often, the extrinsic motivators lead us into new situations and then our love for doing it (intrinsic) carries us through and on to new heights.

Q: Does every manager need to be a leader?

A: All good managers are leaders to various degrees. They need to carry out their leaders’ visions by creating their own visions that support the larger vision, and then getting their workers to accomplish the vision.

Q: Can anyone become a leader? Are there people whose traits make them unfit to be a leader?

A: Anyone who has the willingness and drive to achieve a goal can become a leader. We all have a few unhealthy traits, but those who are leaders concentrate on, and grow, their desirable traits and work on their weaker traits.

Q: In which ways can new technologies affect leadership and leaders?

A: Good leaders need to make sure they use the right tools to help them achieve their goals.

Q: What is the relationship between leaders and followers?

A: Leaders guide their followers onto new heights, while along the way, they develop and grow their followers. A leader’s two driving goals should be make the organization a success and to prepare her followers for succession.

Q: How has leadership changed over the years?

A: Over the past century, studies such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, have given leaders a better understanding of human behavior. With these insights, leaders have moved along a "leadership continuum" moving ever closer towards the view that management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them release that potential towards common goals.

Q: Does a leader need power?

A: Power is the possession of control, authority, and/or influence over others. The degree of power that a leader requires to achieve a goal is determined by the goals that she must achieve. Some leaders, such as presidents, have all three possessions, while others, such as Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Theresa, might have only one – influence.

Q: What’s the worst fault a leader can have?

A: A failure to see the benefits of diversity. This creates "like-minded people" and one-way thinking throughout the organization. In a world where your customer base can be quite diverse, you need a diverse team to come up with the creative and representative solutions to stay competitive. Bringing the concept of diversity closer to home, if every player in your football team is a quarterback, you can't play or win the game.

Q: Can someone be a good leader, but not a good manager? Which is better for a company?

A: Just as there are many managers who cannot lead, there are many leaders who cannot manage. And neither is good for a company. Both strip the company of a valuable resource – a leader who can get things done or a manager who can lead her employees.

Q: How can one be a leader in an economy where many people are connected to work by the Internet?

A: The majority of people who telecommute are followers (who are just as important as the leaders). These people are some of the best-led workers as they tend to be motivated both extrinsically and intrinsically. Leaders understand that these well-motivated employees are to their advantage. To build on and maintain a sense of inter-connectedness, leaders should have weekly or semi-weekly meetings, whether in-person or via video conferencing, to allow all the employees a chance to meet each other face-to-face on a regular basis.

Notes

Big Dog and Little Dog Performance, Learning, Leadership, & Knowledge: Frequently Asked Questions on Leadership