“Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, sensitive or assertive, but about a set of attributes. First and foremost is character.”

– Warren Bennis

“I don’t have to listen to them – I have final authority.”

As I heard these words recently, my heart sank.  The attitude behind those words, frankly, stunk.

I was aware of the backstory. I knew this leader was driving his organization directly off a cliff. And he wasn’t going alone.

It was a company filled with people who had invested their entire careers and hopes with him.

That is a tragedy. A tragedy fueled by hubris.

The problem with conventional leadership

He is a conventional leader. By conventional, I mean normal or standard. By that, I mean people who view leadership as a position or means to power. And that position or power is used to protect, pad, or prop up the leader.

According to certain standards – he is a clear success.

He has established his track record. He is respected by those who DO NOT work closely with him. (Those who know him well also respect him – but that respect is contaminated by a toxic level of fear.)

He presents himself with confidence. People respond as if the confidence is deserved.

But he is unable to contribute to true organizational success. The success of others. The success of the whole.

He is unwilling to step out of his own way to lift others higher. As a result – he is losing credibility fast. As he loses credibility, so goes influence. Without influence, no one can lead.

The primary difference between conventional leaders and unconventional leaders is this:

Conventional leaders are primarily concerned with advancing and protecting themselves.

Unconventional leaders are primarily concerned with advancing and protecting those they lead.

Leaders who are highly skilled, visionary, and charismatic are still just conventional, dime-a-dozen leaders if they primarily use their abilities to promote themselves.

In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins’ research demonstrates the difference and value of unconventional leadership.  He calls it Level 5 leadership – someone who blends personal humility with intense personal will.

This type of leadership is rare. Not often taught. Seldom demonstrated or mentored. Hence, unconventional.

Conventional Leadership Tendencies

Why is unconventional leadership rare? Because as leaders, we experience tendencies towards:

• Fear and fear-based decision making
• Avoidance of accountability and authenticity
• A misplaced or overblown sense of ownership
• An exaggerated sense of self-importance or self-worth
• A lack of awareness or regard for the impact on others

These tendencies are part of being human. They are normal.

When a leader chooses to allow their behavior and decisions to be driven by normal tendencies – it produces conventional leadership.

Five Unconventional Leadership Characteristics

Unconventional leaders are different. They actively engage and grapple with these tendencies.

They are unique because they can recognize them. They are special because they don’t accept a tendency as fate.

Instead, they cultivate the following five personal characteristics:

Courage: With courage, a leader will make good decisions even if they are personally difficult. Courage is what propels a leader to take an unpopular stand when needed.

Courage is what enables good leaders to make decisions in times of uncertainty and ambiguity. Courage is what allows good leaders to acknowledge and grow from mistakes.

Integrity: This means two things – one is honesty. A willingness to be known authentically. The other is a sense of ‘soundness’ or ‘solidness.’

These leaders tell the truth. They keep their word. They don’t game the system or manipulate rules. They expect the same from others.

You can trust that they’ve thought through their plans. You can rely on that they’ve done their homework. You can expect that they will be prepared.

They lead organizations that demonstrate the same level of integrity in their service and products. How they relate internally and externally.

Humility:  As referred to above, Jim Collins discovered the ‘difference that made the difference’ between consistently high performing organizations, and all the others was the presence of humility in leadership.

Highly successful organizations each had leaders who displayed humility, along with fierce ambition, for the good of their organizations.

This isn’t head drooping, shoulder slumping, milquetoast humility.

This was, essentially, a kind of humility that comes out of a person who says, “I’m working for your success and our success.” As opposed to, “You are working for me.”

This is a humility that recognizes and appreciates the intrinsic value of others and helps cultivate that value. This is opposed to constantly looking for platforms to demonstrate the leader’s value.

Stewardship: If people aren’t impacted by you, then you aren’t leading anything.

The core concept of stewardship is a deep understanding that “I impact people, I’m accountable to someone.”

Whether you own your company, are a partner, were employed as a leader or volunteer:

Your staff invests the forty best hours of their week in your business. They depend on you.

Your customers have invested their trust and dollars in you.

Your vendors rely on you.

You are surrounded by family, neighbors, your community, your industry or profession – all of whom are somehow impacted by you.

Great leaders recognize this sense of stewardship; so, they don’t just do whatever they want.

They are aware of their responsibility to others.

Care for Others: Ultimately, co-workers, staff, customers, clients, and beneficiaries – all want to know that you care about them.

The presence of care allows an environment where people can flourish. The lack of it attracts people who, for lack of choice or unresolved personal issues, are either willing to be abused or enjoy learning how to become abusers.

Strong words – but a work environment where people don’t feel valued or cared for is essentially that. It’s an environment where people are used and feel abused.

Many leaders default to a purely transactional perspective. “I pay them this, they give me that.”

But even in their personal lives, they don’t do business with people they don’t like and trust. Most won’t continue to do business with someone they feel neglects them, disrespects them or takes advantage of them.

The people around you feel the same way.

A Thought Experiment

Reflect on a leader you highly admire and know well:

• How many of the conventional tendencies did they demonstrate?
• How many of the unconventional characteristics?

My guess is this they demonstrated many or all the unconventional character traits. They probably worked to manage and overcome their conventional leadership tendencies.

Now reflect on the leader that frustrated or disappointed you:

I’d be willing to wager that their leadership was characterized by conventional tendencies. I would expect that you aren’t able to see them as people who practiced the characteristics of unconventional leadership.

Character matters in a practical, functional way.

It isn’t just a question of preference. As leaders, we lead out of who we are. We influence out of who we are. The more power or influence we have – the more of ‘who we are’ is magnified.

That’s why it matters, as leaders, that we take seriously the cultivation of our character. Others depend on it.

Take care Christian

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Opportunities

Executive and Leadership Coaching: Unconventional leadership isn’t just good leadership. It is good business sense. Would you like to build an organization you can be proud of? One where you love coming into work? Would you like sustained success? Explore how leadership coaching will transform you and your workplace. Contact me.

Profitable Exit Strategy Workshop: Are you a business owner? Do you plan on selling or handing over ownership of your business within the next 3-5 years? Whether you plan on selling, transferring to family or employees, we need to talk.

Contact me if you’d like answers to the following questions:

• How ready is my business to transfer ownership?
• How attractive is my business to buyers?
• What is the estimated worth of my business right now?
• How can I be sure to protect my legacy?
• What specific actions could I take that would increase the value of my business by 3x-5X?

We’ll arrange a time for an in-depth assessment of your business. You’ll leave with clear answers and direction. Contact me now!