Real Leaders Don't Boss (8 page)

Leadership is not a birthright. Real leaders are nurtured and developed.

Real leadership shouldn't be only at the top of an organization; it must pervade all levels.

Today's workspace and marketplace are wired, global, and changing. That means leaders must change, too, or companies risk losing their competitive edge.

Real leadership is not about amassing personal power; it's about the ability to unleash the strengths of others and in turn create a culture of success.

 Chapter 2 
Real Leaders Don't Boss

My definition of leadership is the combination of vision and selfless consensus building.

—Harold Edwards, president and CEO,
Limoneira Company

Bosses certainly are not in short supply; real leaders are the elusive commodity. In the workplace and throughout life, each of us encounters leadership behaviors or organizational policies that we like or admire, and that we may try to adapt to our own business situations and lives. Conversely, we all know of, have seen, or have suffered firsthand from those bosses with not-so-admirable behaviors and policies that often are ineffective, counterproductive, and sometimes offensive. Of those people and their behaviors and policies we think, “Absolutely no way will I ever act that way!”

Follow-through on that statement, however, may be another matter. We are usually taught to boss, not to lead, and in many cases, bosses are the most prevalent role models. Rare today is the individual who inspires others with focus, trust, strategic know-how, and an instinct for knowing what's important,
along with the ability to selflessly rally and mobilize his or her troops.

Unfortunately, many self-professed and corporate-appointed “leaders” are little more than bosses. Some have a few hours of instant leadership training. Others claim they are in the position because of their “natural knack” for the job, and still others simply find themselves saddled with the responsibilities. Sadly, any brief or extended training aside, the end result is still a boss and not a real leader.

Throughout my four-decade-long career in a variety of sectors reporting to all types of decision-makers, I have seen all kinds of chief executives—good and bad—in action. I also have dealt with a few bosses who were philanderers, racists, bullies, and egomaniacs with anger-management problems. Many were intellectually bright, but their behaviors undermined the success their organizations could have achieved with real leadership. For example, one philanderer had an executive assistant who he insisted be promoted despite her incompetence. It turns out she had filed a sexual discrimination suit against him. Another executive took office parties as a license to dance cheek-to-cheek with employees. It seems he also had a reputation of playing around after hours with his staffers.

Consider how the approach and behavior of a real leader differs from that of a boss when it comes to a few key workplace issues:

Corporate success:
A
leader
focuses on long-term results and positions his or her company for ongoing success. A
boss
is too concerned about the next quarter's bottom line to have a big-picture perspective.

Employees:
A
leader
is a champion for his or her employees. A
bos
s
sees employees as a means to an end.

Communication:
A
leader
connects directly with the board, shareholders, customers, suppliers,
and
with the employee base, and takes the time to listen and respond in a thoughtful and humble manner that values all these people. A
boss
pays lip service to employees but is more focused on his or her own well-being.

Respect for others
: A
leader
shows congeniality and respect to everyone regardless of rank. A
boss
is pleasant and charming to executives, while indifferent or demeaning toward those he or she supervises.

Conflict resolution:
A
leader
recognizes that conflict is inevitable at one time or another. He or she deals with it by channeling it to constructive ends. A
boss
often creates conflict but fails to deal with it effectively.