Windridge eNews
September - October 2007
“Advice is like snow; the softer it falls,
the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.” –
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Quiet Leadership...
Quiet leaders are all around us. Unfortunately many times we are simply
too busy to notice them. These people are willing to make the small,
continual, “behind the scenes” efforts necessary to develop not only our
organizations, but our world. These quiet leaders work tirelessly to do
the right thing in the face of challenging obstacles – with little – to
no recognition.
Quiet Leaders: “They move patiently, carefully and incrementally.
They do what is right – for their organization and for the people around
them, and for themselves – inconspicuously and without causalities.”
– Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr.
Quiet leadership many times is made apparent by an individual’s
communication style. Oftentimes, through tireless steadfast step-by-step
strategic development they help to build strong teams and organizations
that can perform successfully during difficult shifts and/or
transitions. Quiet leaders are the steady hand amidst the white water of
organizational and family life. This work may be done in the background
of others, but make no mistake, there would be no success without these
leaders.
Leadership at this level is not about the glitz and the glam; it is
about helping others accomplish extraordinary things. I remember years
ago when it dawned on me that my job as a leader was to make others look
good, not to show how talented, skilled and amazing I was. I have come
to believe that true leadership is – the strength of character to help
others achieve their full potential – while letting them shine....
The image I previously had of “leadership” consisted of the strong
charismatic leader: In control, knowing every motive and dictating the
moves of everyone around them. Trust was not found in this leadership
vocabulary, however, suspicion and micro-management most definitely was!
In my work with managers around change management, leadership and trust
issues, my goal is to develop management’s leadership skills so that
they are communicating with the people who are directly affected by the
decisions being made. This approach is not weak, indecisive or
pandering, but is an inclusive and pro-active approach.
Gaining employees' opinions and help during a change effort is critical
to the success of the change process. Professors W. Chan Kim and Reneé
Mauborgne in their book Blue Ocean Strategy say that when included in
the change process:
"Individuals feel recognized for their intellectual worth (and) are
willing to share their knowledge; in fact, they feel inspired to impress
and confirm the expectation of their intellectual value, suggesting
active ideas. When individuals are treated with emotional recognition,
they feel emotionally tied to the strategy and inspired to give their
all."
On the other hand, the authors point out that:
“When people are only informed about the new strategy and are treated
as if their knowledge doesn't matter, they feel "intellectual
indignation" and as a result will not share their ideas or expertise and
will hoard their best thinking.”
Quiet leadership involves serving, communicating, trust, and the
willingness to help build others into strong and capable leaders.
When you find yourself in a leadership position take the time to
identify the leadership capabilities of those around you and help them
to step into roles that will stretch and strengthen them. Take the time
necessary to encourage and appreciate those with skills that are
different from your own.
“When we choose to lead everyday, we choose to serve. Leading is not
about what we gain from others but about what others gain from us. This
means that we need to be prepared to sacrifice, to teach, to learn, to
remain open to honest feedback, and to never, ever assume that the
leader can do it alone.” – Kousers and Posner
Enjoy!
Lindsay
Windridge Consulting
425-697-2700