Chapter 2 - Leadership Principles 17-37

Chapter 2
Leadership Principles 16 - 36

P - 16.
The greater the consensus there is within the group about the goals, the higher the probably there will be change. It is easier to reach a consensus within a small and/or homogeneous group than within a large organization or a community. In the latter cases, formal votes are likely to be used for defining goals. However, challenges during the process of consensus building if done in a constructive manner can aid in evaluating and strengthening the group's position. If the members of a group seriously examine the arguments against points, they may acquire a better understanding of the issues and how to deal with them.

P - 17.
In situations perceived as crisis, it is easier to develop consensus than in situations in which the need is seen as less urgent. People are willing to set aside at least temporarily, some of their normal concerns about process or even goals, if the situation is perceived as an emergency. The threat of an "outside" force may create an almost instantaneous consensus in a group or a nation. The danger is that no one will step forward to assume leadership or that the group or organization will not be able to reach a consensus on who should be the leader.

P - 18.
Leadership is multidirectional in the flow of influence. Leaders influence supporters and supporters influence leaders. Supporters are active participants during change - not just passive pawns as the term followers might suggest. Usually, the flow of influence is unequal. Leaders influence supporters more than the other direction. But good leaders are very sensitive to the needs and beliefs or supporters.

P - 19.
There are many people (perhaps all of the people some of the time) who do not want to be leaders. People in general want to trust someone else to be their leader. They do not want to take the responsibility of leadership. Leadership can be and often is a burden that becomes heavy with time. Leadership takes time and often requires other sacrifices. Also, the just and unjust criticism that most leaders, especially public leaders, encounter is difficult for many people to handle. They do not want to be exposed to the harsh glare of public scrutiny and criticism. Sometimes the criticisms have no basis and are not related to any issues with which the leaders have any control. The threat of criticism inhibits some individuals from entering the public leadership arena.

P - 20.
The criticisms of leaders have increased especially in the mass media in recent years and decades. This is making it increasing difficult for people to step forward and become public leaders. Very few people are willing to expose themselves to the harsh attention of the media spotlight.

P - 21.
Criticisms of public (and many private) leaders has become very personal. A public leader often has his private and family life closely examined and criticized in the media. The mass media often takes an active role in scrutinizing leaders, especially public leaders, and in criticizing leaders. Many pundits in the media devote most their time to criticizing or discussing the current leaders. Yesterday's leaders can easily become today's public scapegoats. Leaders are given considerable prestige if they are successful, but they receive considerable scorn if unsuccessful. With the intense mass media scrutiny of all details, it is becoming more difficult for a leader to have and maintain a label as being successful - especially in politics where there are always adversaries to point out to the media and the public short comings and flaws of other leaders.

Conversely, public scrutiny by the mass media is an essential "watch dog" feature of modern mass society. As long as criticism is directed towards issues and public actions, it serves as important function. Public publicity about private lives unless invited inhibits good public leadership.

P - 22.
Leadership of a highly visible nature or long duration will almost always draw strong public and private criticism. There are many people who are suspicious of or resent power holders. Some people make a hobby or a career out of criticizing public officials or power holders. These self-appointed "watch dogs" are given considerable public tolerance or support. This suspicion has a long history in the American society going back to the earliest European settlements. While new leaders may be given a brief "honeymoon," criticism normally mounts with the passage of time.

P - 23.
The act of leadership is often hard to define exactly about when it begins and ends. While it is easy to see when an individual enters a position, it is more difficult to define when they actually started to be leaders. Leadership is easier to recognize after the fact by the consequences or results than by the specific actions during the process of leadership itself. Competition, conflicts or delegation of authority often made it difficult to see who are the actual leaders. Review after the event shows that were the most influential leaders.

P - 24.
Leadership is situation specific. Situations create the need or opportunity for different types and kinds of leadership. War and other public crisis create situations in which people have the opportunity to become high profile or visible leaders. Economic crises in private or public organizations often create the need and opportunity for leadership or it may cause a change in leadership. Some people who are good leaders in some situations may not be good leaders or leaders at all in other situations.

P - 25.
Leadership is not a specific style or process. The style or type of leadership that is effective in one situation may very well not work in another. There are literally dozens of effective styles or types of leaders. And no one style that is universally effective. However, as we will discuss later, good communications and presentation skills are necessary in all types of leadership.

P - 26.
The voluntary settings in which leadership generally occurs can be categorized into the following types:

(1.) political/public/governmental,

(2.) business,

(3.) organizational,

(4.) community, and,

(5.) informal groups.

The type of leadership required in each of these categories will be different. The informal styles and skills most effective in the informal groups and community categories are unlikely to be successful in business or political/public settings. Organizations will normally rank between these two extremes depending upon the size and formality of the organization. However, all types will require good communications skills and some other characteristics of successful leaders will be similar.

Military, police and other organization or groups, which have strong, top-down power structures, are excluded from this categorization. The exclusion of these types is arbitrary. The leadership of such groups is both voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary leadership does occur in military organizations, but involuntary leadership also occurs. Some businesses and other groups and organizations also have strong, top-down structures.

Families are excluded from this classification because membership is not voluntary for the children. The question of power and leadership within the family, which has strong emotive, moral and traditional aspects, assumes different dimensions than in voluntary organizations.

P - 27.
The ability to work effectively in organizational settings is often an important part of leadership. Knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order and other parliamentary rules is essential for working in more formal organizations. It is recommended that people who aspire to become leaders in organizations develop a basic knowledge of such procedures. An investment in a copy of Robert's Rules is worthwhile. Many organizations have modified such rules to fit their own needs. Congress is an example of an organization, which has modified parliamentary rules into a complex set for their own use. Effective leaders either know or quickly learn the "rules of the game" within the organization.

P - 28.
Much of good public leadership activities occur outside of the public setting. The general population focuses on public activities, but often the public meetings and presentations are only ratifications of behind-the-scene actions. Much of the work of effective public leadership is done behind the scenes in private or small group settings. A good leadership will not wait until the public meeting for events to occur. When people make public statements and take public positions, it is very difficult for them to change. Thus, a good leader does not call for a vote or other public actions until he/she is reasonable sure of what the outcome will be.

P - 29.
Normally, the leader has many similar attitudes, beliefs and other characteristics in common with his/her supporters or at least convinces the group that he/she has characteristics in common. A folk saying "leaders are like their followers - only more so" provide considerable insight into this relationship. Today, political and other leaders often use opinion polls to determine the attitudes of the public. It has been said with some justification that today we have government decision-making by opinion polls.

P - 30.
Once an individual has been successful as a leader, they are more likely to accept or seek other opportunities to become a leader. The self-confidence that comes with success empowers the individual to attempt other actions. And more opportunities are likely to result from a successful reputation.

P - 31.
The titles of "leader" and "true leadership" are not always the same in the public mind. A person may carry the title of "leader" in the community or nation based upon past events and not be an actual leader at the current time. "Leader" is often used in public statements as a descriptive honorific title based upon past service rather than current activities.

P - 32.
The change or legacy of a good leader will last long after the leader has left the role. In fact, the lengths of time the results last are one of the best indicators of the effectiveness of a leader.

P - 33.
Official positions do not necessarily produce leadership. People create leadership; positions do not create leaders. However, there is often confusion in the public over this difference. Many people assume that because some one is in an official position, they are a leader. Former president Jimmy Carter was in the world's most powerful position, but historical accounts suggest that he had relatively little impact as a leader during his presidency. There are many in official positions such as school board members, city council members, legislators, ministers, etc. who are not leaders regularly and some never become leaders. They incorrectly assume that when they achieve a position they automatically become a leader. Some develop into leaders when a crisis arises or the situation otherwise changes. Wars have made leaders out of many generals. And, of course, the suspicion remains that some people aware of this potential encourage the developments of crisis in order to become leaders.

P - 34.
Official positions may provide a "springboard" for leadership. Such positions often enable a person to be heard "above the crowd." President Theodore Roosevelt called the presidency a "bully pulpit." The media provide considerable visibility for people holding some type of official positions by using them as a source in news reports. Many people believe that if they are in an official position, they are a leader and act according. Thus, a person in a public position has a relative easy opportunity to become a functioning leader. Leadership in such situations becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

P - 35.
Time in office and other forms of public exposure may enhance the possibilities of leadership because such tenure creates both images of leadership and opportunities for leadership though seniority and greater knowledge.

P - 36
Many types of leadership, especially long term or political leadership, require the ability to separate personality and issues. People associate issues with personalities. Many people carry grudges against others from past clashes. This interferes with working together in the future. It is often necessary to separate friendship roles from leadership roles. In many positions such as the city council or any other legislative body, you may be working with another member on one issue and opposing them on another issue, perhaps at the same time. This requires that personality and issues not be mixed, but this is most difficult especially for new members. The gaining of such skills because they are not common in most roles require considerable practice. The saying: "don't take the argument out of the room" is very difficult for many people to achieve especially at first.

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