Dr. Karina Ochis | Gen Z Expert | Professor Of Leadership and Management | Executive Consultant | Speaker | Author.
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Leaders matter greatly. But in searching so zealously for better leaders, we tend to lose sight of the people these leaders will lead. Without his armies, after all, Napoleon was just a man with grandiose ambition. As a professor to leaders, I'm seeing firsthand the shift in leadership theory. As a consequence, the way we practice leadership also needs to change. But most leaders want to continue to lead by looking to the past rather than the future.
Below, I present four leadership lessons every leader needs to know for the future, which I share with my clients in my executive leadership courses.
1. From Focus On The Leader To The Follower
While leadership has been the focus of extensive theory and practice over the past century, followership has received much less attention.
All of us are followers in several dynamics in our lives. The dual role of a manager as both a leader and follower may be applied to younger generations in the workplace. These younger workers should have the opportunity to lead at times while practicing followership at other times. The opportunity to lead would offer young employees the perception of development which they desire.
An organization that prioritizes leader-followers has the underlying principle that leaders and followers have equal status. The pairing of leaders and followers is united by a common purpose that binds the organization’s mission and vision together.
2. From Masculine And Feminine Leadership Styles To Gender-Neutral
Alice Eagly and Blair Johnson focused their research on comparing models of leadership as they relate to gender. There used to be two perceived models of gender in leadership, namely the masculine and the feminine model. Researchers believed that followers expected their leaders to behave according to their gender. Furthermore, female leaders were thought to "need" to exhibit masculine traits in order to be perceived as effective. Therefore, it appears that the role of gender used to be significant when contemplating leadership positions.
Masculine-style characteristics, as described by Eagly and Johnson in their 1990 paper, "Gender and Leadership Style: A Meta-Analysis":
• Unemotional hierarchical control
• Analytical problem solving
• Competitiveness
• A high level of control for the leader
Feminine-style characteristics:
• Cooperativeness
• Collaboration of managers and subordinates
• Lower control for the leader
• Problem solving based on intuition and empathy as well as rationality
Many people used to believe in these gendered stereotypes about how men and women "should" lead, but this is becoming less prevalent in younger generations. Younger leaders are "genderbending," refusing to define themselves according to gender psychology. This tendency could well result in a decline of feminine and masculine leadership styles. Therefore, a leadership style applicable to the future will have to be gender-neutral.
3. From Charisma To Authenticity
Ideas about charismatic leadership focus on one central thought: that "natural leaders" have charisma that validates and legitimizes its bearer. Charismatic leaders shape social realities and construct meaning through how they communicate.
In contrast, authentic leadership encompasses a combination of qualities, behaviors, styles and abilities that aim to foster ethical and sincere conduct. Consequently, it is believed to provide more favorable and enduring results for leaders, their subordinates and the organizations they manage.
In his book, Authentic Leadership, Bill George popularized this idea, asserting that authentic leaders lead with their hearts and strive to express their values and convictions. According to George, "the five dimensions of authentic leadership include: passion, values, relationships, self-discipline and heart. Rather than completing these characteristics in a sequential process, authentic leaders develop these qualities over the course of their lifetime."
4. From The Great Man Theory To Servant Leadership
The most popular leadership theory in the 19th century was the Great Man Theory. The prevalent question at the time was if leaders were born or made. Thomas Carlyle's Great Man Theory proposed that the world could be understood through the biographies of "Great Men."
Bearing in mind that the earliest research on the Great Man leadership theory analyzed the aristocracy, who had achieved power mainly through birthright, it follows that leadership was viewed as an inherent ability. Carlyle classified Great Men into four categories, namely divinity, kings, priests and intellectuals; simply being in their presence was an invaluable experience for acquiring work ethic, skills and knowledge. Needless to say, this theory has now become obsolete and a newer set of theories emerged—amongst them servant leadership.
Servant leadership states that leaders should prioritize attentiveness toward the issues their followers experience, display empathy towards them and provide an environment that facilitates the development of their whole personal capabilities. In this perspective, the individual follower is valued most, and the act of serving by the leader should be embraced regardless of followers’ response.
Become A Leader For The Future
Human beings as a species will always search for leaders. Nevertheless, to lead is to change with the times; otherwise we risk becoming obsolete. When we as leaders do not change, we risk making our followers redundant and our missions not applicable.
As a leader, stop focusing on yourself and focus on your followers. Renounce gendered styles and aspire to neutral leadership. Moreover, strive for authenticity and not charisma. And of course, serve those who follow you to help them reach their full potential. By following these four leadership modifications, you will become a leader for the future.
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