What
is more important in a leader: the ability to project authority, or a knack for
earning the trust of one’s cohort?
Surely
both qualities are indispensable. But the latter is a precondition for the
former. Unless they trust you, your team will be unwilling or unable to
recognize your authority as a competent decision-maker. In other words, their
confidence in you is a sine qua non
of your effective leadership.
What
is the source of this confidence?
There
are many possible answers to that question—depending in part on the individual
and the circumstances. However, two important but somewhat counter-intuitive
leadership traits often go overlooked: vulnerability and self-interest.
Before
I elaborate, allow me to define both terms.
Vulnerability in this context refers
not to weakness, but rather to the capacity for empathy, humility, and
accountability. In order to relate to the personal challenges faced by your
employees, accept constructive criticism, and admit your own shortcomings, for
instance, you must first let down your guard and accept that you are merely
human.
Self-interest means the intellectual
and moral steadfastness to pursue your own best interests, and the best
interests of your business and your team, even in the face of
counter-pressures.
Vulnerability
and accountability
Occasionally,
you will encounter people who attempt to mask their own vulnerability,
presumably because they worry that others will try to exploit chinks in their
emotional armour. But this is a false choice. It takes courage to acknowledge
one’s vulnerability; on the other hand, many people associate a refusal to
acknowledge vulnerability with a lack of authenticity, or even a deficiency of
courage. Have you ever known someone who consistently refused to admit her own
defects and attempted to mask problems—either personal or professional? Are you
left with a favourable impression of that person?
Vulnerability
is a prerequisite for developing meaningful personal connections with other
people, including co-workers and employees. One of the most important ways this
manifests itself is in the form of accountability and forgiveness. We all make
mistakes, and the way we respond to them (both our own and those of our peers
and employees) is crucial.
A
rigid, institutional intolerance of error has the effect of deterring even
mundane risk-taking. A manager who refuses to countenance the missteps of her
employees is somewhat like a vehicle without brakes. If we were all obliged to
drive brake-less automobiles, motorists would putter along very slowly, avoid
hills, and approach stop-signs and intersections at a snail’s pace. In other
words, no one would get anywhere very quickly, and our society and economy
would suffer the consequences. In the case of a business enterprise, this is
analogous to reduced productivity and diminished willingness of employees to
venture outside their comfort zone.
Nonetheless,
forgiveness is not exactly the same as tolerance of error. Instead, the goal of
a leader should be to identify miscues and point them out to the responsible
party, allowing reasonable leeway while discouraging repetition of previous
mistakes. Naturally, in order to build credibility for this purpose, leaders
must be prepared to take ownership of their own failings too.
Self-interest
versus selfishness
Through
his magnum opus, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations,
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and political economist Adam Smith
popularized the idea that self-interest on the part of individuals would
ultimately enhance the general welfare of society. One of the examples he cites
is that of a baker, who produces bread for his customers not purely out of
benevolence, but also in order that the baker himself may earn a living.
Centuries
after the publication of that work, debate still rages as to exactly what Smith
had in mind, and about the extent to which “greed is good.” But self-interest
and greed are not necessarily synonyms. Another interpretation of
“self-interest” is “taking care of oneself in order to better one’s chances of
helping others.”
Leaders
nearly always face extraordinary demands on their time. On a personal level, it
is crucial to appreciate the role of time management and the effect of stress
with regard to your own health and well-being. If you aspire to a long and
successful professional career, you need to ensure that you lead a healthy
lifestyle which includes adequate down-time. At times, this will require you to
delegate duties to others. It may also require you to turn some invitations and
opportunities down.
This
concept of self-interest can also apply to your business and your professional
team. In order for your enterprise to thrive, you will need to make choices,
some of which may be difficult. But by putting the rational interests of your
business ahead of competing priorities, you will increase your chances of
success over the long term.
