Learning from Our Leadership Preferences

The fifth-grade classes at our local elementary school are focusing on what it means to be a continuous learner. One way to provide the students the opportunity to continually learn is to evaluate where things went wrong on an assignment and make the necessary corrections for the possibility of earning a better grade. Although I was originally skeptical of this approach to instruction, I have come to embrace it, with the larger understanding that we, as adults and leaders, are continuously learning, observing, evaluating, and making decisions. How does this process of continually learning in our interactions with others apply to our own leadership and development?

When we think of those leaders who were the most effective or had the largest impact on our growth as leaders, it helps to understand their leadership style as we refine our own. Let's look at a few specific characteristics to consider which style we might prefer.

Leaders Who Listen versus Leaders Who Speak

When we think of leaders who have had an impact on our lives, do we think fondly of those who listened most or those who were often the first to speak in meetings and at various gatherings or events? Depending on our experiences and what we value from our leaders, the answer may differ from person to person. We may have been inspired by the words of a leader who rallied us and others to a cause. Perhaps we know someone who always seemed to have the right thing to say in any situation. We might hope to aspire to speak with the confidence that is displayed when we see others take command of a room. When we think of approaching those who lead us with a thought, suggestion, or a question, were they open to continuing the conversation? Did they ask for additional details and have a sincerity in their practice of actively listening? Depending on the answer, we may have walked away from the interaction feeling devalued and disappointed or hopeful, inspired, and motivated. Although effective leaders will vary their approach given the situation, which style would we prefer if given the choice?

Leaders Who Practice Empathy versus Leaders Who Practice Indifference

When we think of leaders from whom we continue to learn, do they practice empathy or indifference? For leaders, empathy is the ability to put themselves in the shoes of those for whom their decisions will have an impact, evaluating the needs of others as they work toward informed decisions. Practicing empathy requires a significant time commitment dedicated to understanding the needs of others. This is time that many leaders may believe they don't have in their day-to-day work. Leaders who are more indifferent in their decision-making tend to "do what needs to be done" to move projects or policies forward. The most common example of this would be when a determination has been made that not everyone is going to be happy and a decision must be made to move forward. While both may be required in given situations, which of those do we value more from those who lead us?

Leaders Who Are Persuasive versus Leaders Who Are Concise

Many times, when we think of what an effective leader must be, we think of someone who is decisive, knows how to get results, and moves people in the right direction to get to those results. When we think of the people in our lives who are effective leaders, do we remember those who are concise and demanding or those who tend to be persuasive? Leaders who are concise typically know what they expect and will challenge us to rise to a certain goal or meet a deadline that is fast approaching to satisfy those expectations. They are straightforward, to the point, and results-oriented. Persuasive leaders typically work to gain the buy-in and trust of others. They build their case, take the time to explain the "why," and help others understand the importance of their role to the team or the project. Persuasive leaders will set expectations for others but will then take the extra step and time to invest in the growth of their followers as they rise to meet those expectations. This style will typically require much more time investment in followers as their strengths are identified and cultivated throughout their interactions with the leader.

Leaders Who Focus on the Success of Others versus Personal Success

This comparison might seem to have an obvious preference. Those who focus on their own success can appear to be (and sometimes might in fact be) only out to reach the top of their personal career ladder. Although this might have a negative connotation at first glance, how many times have we celebrated or looked up to a "self-made" person regardless of the pressures that person might have placed on others along the way? Some of these stories can be inspiring to those working on personal career goals, especially when we might know those people personally. On the other side, leaders who focus on the success of others take the time to enhance the skill sets of the team and those around them. These leaders purposefully invest in building others up, learning who they are, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and helping them grow along the way. With this type of leader, the benefit to their own growth is a natural process that leads to their success as others see the potential and the way they are able to build consensus and encourage others to contribute.

So, What about Us?

Although effective leaders can tailor their leadership based on the situation, most leaders will have a dominant style. As we consider our past leaders, our current leaders, or what we might like a future leader to be, if we were to write down the characteristics we most value in our leaders, we might come up with a style we prefer. If we then applied those values to our own leadership style, what would we find? In our own leadership, do we practice what we value of those who lead us? The leadership process works from the bottom up as well as the top down.

Understanding leadership from the bottom up is essential when building effective leader-follower relationships. For years, the terms "servant" and "leader" were mutually exclusive in the understanding of effective leadership. as well as in the research and instruction of leadership styles. However, in 1970, Robert Greenleaf formally introduced the idea of leaders who build their skill sets by their dedication to the service and growth of those whom they lead. Larry Spears, who previously served as the president and CEO of the Robert Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership, has identified and documented ten characteristics of a servant leader:

• Listening
• Empathy
• Healing
• Awareness
• Persuasion
• Conceptualization
• Foresight
• Stewardship
• Commitment to the Growth of People
• Building Community

The comparisons above touch on only a few of these characteristics, but if we find that our leadership preferences consistently align with those of a servant leader, it could be worthwhile to further our understanding of what effective servant leadership looks like and how to apply the style more frequently in our interactions with those around us.

Working in higher education has afforded me the opportunity to apply many of these characteristics as I continue to work on my leadership style. I have heard many times how we are "here for the students" or that "if it weren't for the students, we wouldn't be here," both of which imply that the needs of the students should always come first in our thinking and decision-making. Yet at many conferences, trainings, and other gatherings of higher education professionals, when the conversation turns to students, I often hear grumblings about the management struggles, lack of quality work, lack of reliability, and other issues commonly associated with student employees.

Using the characteristics associated with a servant leader, I have always viewed myself as being in service to the students and even more so to those who find themselves under my employment. Despite numerous responsibilities pulling me in different directions, I would always take the time to personally interview those who wanted to work for my team, providing them valuable interview experience. I have found that the more I pay attention to my employees and what they can do—identifying their strengths, interests, and motivations and mentoring them along the way—the more successful our team is. Having the opportunity to put this into practice with so many student employees will always be one of the most important accomplishments early in my career. There were even those who studied an unrelated subject—and did well—but eventually took a job working in an IT-related field upon graduation due to the skills and lessons they learned under my leadership and guidance. Many stayed in touch after graduation, and a few became good friends. In my current role, I no longer oversee student employees, but I still try to apply the lessons learned from those experiences. I continue to work to identify opportunities for others to build their skills and foster an environment for both personal and professional learning and growth.

While we observe and learn from our leaders, we must keep in mind that there are those who look to us as leaders, no matter where we might be in our careers. What we learn from our interactions with one another can impact who we are, the decisions we make, and how we lead. Misunderstandings and other setbacks can and will occur at some point during our interactions, but when they do, we must work to make the necessary corrections and continue to learn and grow from the experience. There are numerous companies that continually find new ways to evaluate these social interactions by offering personality tests, strength and weakness assessments, and so forth in the interest of determining compatibility with a variety of leadership styles that may differ from our own. These can be helpful in forming a better understanding of how we interact with those around us.

In the end, however, our effectiveness as leaders comes down to this: How are we treating those around us? Do we make the time to mentor others? Do our actions set the example of what an effective leader can be in a way that will encourage others to consider their interaction with us and find that we inspire them to grow and do more?

Are we leading others the way that we would want to be led?

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Isaac Lopp is Associate Director of User Services, Library and Information Services, at Dickinson College.