In praise of the fragile leader

Leadership is no longer what it used to be. Out of inertia, we are maintaining models of power belonging to the 20^th century in a society and markets that are clamouring for other forms of control.

Until the last century, the power paradigm was defined by promoting the most able in competitive environments into a position of authority. Once in the position of command, the outcomes endorsed the leader who was in charge, so long as these were communicated convincingly to whoever he reported to: shareholders, voters and others.

Throughout this process the aspirant shared spheres of power with others who vied for the same position. Whoever triumphed in this struggle, wielded full power within his sphere of responsibility and among other things, often used it to stay within it: holding onto the position is part of the return to be expected from the heavy investment in ascending.

This model coexists today with new forms of wielding power. As Machiavelli observed well in the Renaissance, times of deep transformation allow various leadership styles to live side by side. In his case, he witnessed monarchs ruling unequivocally (through divine grace) for as long as their reigns lasted hand over to princes who seize power through a combination of traits and aftermaths (the end justifies the means).

The leader who demands the social and business changes that we are facing is profiled by very different criteria from the past. Some qualities of the new leader are surprising, when compared to those of many managers who were schooled in the 20^th century. I have identified 5 key qualities:

1. Expendable. The new leader brings value to the organization (or society) in the measure he conveys his drive and ideas. He is aware that the project is more important than the personal success of whoever is leading at a given moment. The best expression of the quality of his leadership is that after leaving, the improvements achieved are sustainable and do not depend on a single great individual.
2. In a VUCA environment (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) the new leader is aware that organizations need a constant renewal of ideas. He identifies the best moment to take power and the right time to leave it. He cares more about the project than the position. He knows to what extent he delivers value and from which day he merely contributes to the “stability” of continuity.
3. Participation friendly. Civilians are more aware than ever of the key role they aspire to in their social, business and work relations. They do not consider themselves as mere witnesses or executors of decisions made by others. The role of the new leader is more complex than in the past, as without surrendering any responsibility whatsoever by right of his position, he effectively makes space for other voices to participate in his decision making processes.
4. Pact friendly. An interconnected society does not usually resolve its conflicts by imposing the strongest contender. Much more often than not, it is essential to coexist with other forms of power on the same stage. The new leader’s order is no longer: “I dominate over others, therefore I lead”. Now often he must lead while other competitors keep their share of power.
5. Holistic thinking. Until recently, power has been associated with a high level of expertise in many activities which allows for one to stand out in a given area. The complexity of the environment requires a much more systemic view and a better understanding of the relationships existing between various realities: technology, social trends, environmental impact and others.

Indeed it takes a great person to act as a fragile leader.