In the six months since the invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin have cropped up repeatedly in my sessions with business leaders. The clash of values makes a comparative discussion irresistible. Which leadership style is more effective in a fast-changing, post-pandemic world?
It doesn't usually take long to conclude that Putin's macho, top-down approach isn't well suited for organizations trying to boost staff engagement, intrinsic motivation, and creative thinking. In contrast, as the underdog, Zelensky must juggle scarce resources, influence multiple stakeholders, and build coalitions. These challenges feel familiar to the managers I coach and help to develop. In this blog, I've distilled four powerful insights gleaned from Zelensky's tactics that organizational leaders can adapt and use for themselves.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Glastonbury Festival
1: Be accessible
Putin embodies a brand of command-and-control, toxic masculinity that underlines his superior intellect and apex-predator position in the hierarchy. His remote, dictatorial style is captured in the almost comical image of him "meeting" with his generals on what may be the longest board table in history. Clearly, he is 100% in charge; they are there merely to answer questions and take notes.
Zelensky, on the other hand, portrays a brand of accessible, human leadership that encourages people to offer ideas and opinions. Commentators have noted that his most potent weapon in the war has been the telephone. For example, during the siege of Mariupol, he was in daily contact with the soldiers on the ground. In an interview with The Economist, he explained: "There are many issues we talk about. …. it was a situation where people just need some support."
2: Influence digitally
As well as the face-to-face violence, the war in Ukraine is being waged virtually through social media and cyber-attacks. The leaders I support are also adjusting to a virtual and face-to-face hybrid working model. Zelensky fires up his troops and the broader global community of "followers" through the immense power of pictures and videos. Remember the social media-friendly video he created at the beginning of the war? This post was a weaponized "selfie": in the dark streets of Kyiv, flanked by his grim-faced team, he growled directly to the world.
More lately, he's used virtual appearances to win hearts and minds. At the Glastonbury music festival in June, he appeared on a giant video screen. He told the crowd: "….We turn to you for support. I ask you to share this video with everyone whose freedom is under attack."
In contrast, Putin appears infrequently at stilted, staged media opportunities. The Russian President inhabits an analog model; Zelensky is a master of peer-to-peer digital persuasion.
3: Tell your story
Zelensky's improbable journey from a comedian who played the President in a TV show to becoming the actual President of his country is out there for all to see. His weird, improbable life story is an asset. He uses regular appearances on the world stage and in the media, such as his recent photo shoot for Time Magazine, to reinforce his story and its values. Meanwhile, myth and mystery shadow Putin's former KGB life. Empathy is triggered in human beings when we engage with a narrative. Zelensky understands that if leaders can tell their own authentic stories, people are more likely to connect with their message.
4: Prove you have skin in the game
Zelensky puts his body on the line. Russian hit squads hunt him. Despite this danger, he regularly travels outside the security of his fortified compound to meet soldiers and civilians face-to-face. He reminds the world of his precarious situation by often wearing his combat fatigues for public communication. In demonstrating how much he has to lose personally, he seeks to role model rather than command. His existence is in sharp contrast to Putin, who appears in a buttoned-up suit and tie, issuing diktats from the relative safety of The Kremlin.
Putin wields power to force compliance. This approach has limited value outside a culture dominated by fear. In organizations hoping to transform to meet the challenges of a disrupted world, Zelensky's ability to generate human connection and commitment is invaluable.
