11 common traits of unconventional leaders

The measure of conventional leaders seems to be their success.

Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Jack Welch — all familiar names. What is the common denominator between these great leaders? The one thing you remember each of them for in their respective industries?

Success. Resounding success.

So what comes to mind when you hear of Colman M.Mockler, Darwin E.Smith, and George Cain?

You may not have heard of these leaders who also enjoyed great success against the odds. But what stood out about these individuals is how they went about their tasks and the unconventional leadership qualities displayed.

Jim Collins described these leaders possessing a “Level 5” quality that very few managers have. It’s more than just being quirky or forward-thinking.

Let’s have a look at some of the key characteristics of unconventional leaders.

Puts others before himself

One of the best attributes of an unconventional leader is hidden from the public eye but makes a big difference to the team. A great leader finds a way to put others before his own needs.

A conventional leader supports his team and encourages everyone to take care of themselves. But an unorthodox leader goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is truly cared for, even to his own detriment.

Even if it seems extreme, it can’t be stated enough how valuable it is to know someone truly has your back and is willing to do whatever it takes for you to be in the best shape do your best work.

Gives credit to others and absorbs blame

Unconventional leaders have a habit of deflecting credit onto others and absorbing all the blame.

It’s what Jim Collins describes as the “Window and Mirror” phenomenon. According to this leadership model, all leaders have a mirror and a window. But it’s how they use them that dictates whether they’re conventional or not. In particular, it’s how blame and credit are assigned. Unconventional leaders will use the mirror and ask herself why did things go wrong; namely, she will receive the blame. On the other hand, the leader will take credit and look out the window, identifying individuals around her so she can pass on due credit.

It’s very common for leaders to take all the credit while distributing the blame across the team. Few people want to work under these types of managers. Yet it’s unsurprising why many in positions of authority choose to use their metaphorical mirrors and windows in self-serving fashion. Successful leaders are seen as people with many accomplishments and few errors. But unconventional leaders look to build their teams.

Pushes beyond boundaries of conventional wisdom

The path to optimal productivity and the most effective leadership styles have been well-documented. There are over dozens of leadership models and conventional wisdom to follow. Yet unconventional leaders aren’t afraid to go beyond the status quo.

In fact, acting against conventional wisdom is a necessary step to innovate. Unconventional leaders have a higher tolerance for the unknown. Part and parcel of not knowing is failing. Great leaders allow you to fail without you feeling like a failure. By taking calculated risks, you have room to explore and innovate.

Listen

Many managers have an open door policy. But unconventional leaders drop everything when they’re with you. If you’re talking, you have his full attention.

There’s a difference between listening with the intent to respond and actually listening with the intent to digest what is being said.

You can tell if someone is fully engaging with you. Phones are out of sight and there is eye contact throughout.

Sounds basic, right? A lot of leaders give you half of their focus since they already have in mind what they want to reply with.

Unconventional leaders take time to listen properly. And you’ll know the difference when you speak to them.

Encourages diversity

It’s human nature to surround yourself with like-minded people.

In a business setting, this looks like “yes people” — folks who are willing to do anything at the drop of a hat, and agree with everything you say. After all, yes people will help the team achieve its goal, right? Unconventional leaders go against the grain by intentionally seeking diversity.

Innovation requires diversity. A team filled with people from different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives are needed for an organization to evolve.

Without different opinions, you risk creating an echo chamber. The idea might sound fantastic (especially if it came from you), but an alternate viewpoint helps to check if there are any flaws or, more importantly, if there’s a better way to achieve a collective goal.

Lifelong learner

The unconventional leader is always open-minded. They approach situations with naivety, almost to a fault.

Conventional leaders are seen as founts of knowledge and wisdom.

Think of the last time you started a new project. It’s likely that you approached it with the same protocol as the previous project. And rightly so, because it works.

While the proof is in the pudding, an unconventional leader is willing to try to change how things are done. You’ll find they are ready to acknowledge they don’t know everything. But to innovate, humility is required.

An unconventional leader is even willing to have reverse mentorship from younger people. After all, a millennial won’t understand things the way someone from generation Z will.

Master of reflection

Having endless stamina and unwavering focus are admirable traits that is bound to impress anyone. But everyone has their threshold. An unconventional leader is well-versed in his or her own limits.

Knowing where to draw the line gives you the chance to recharge. Great leaders fully appreciate the value of recuperating so you’re back to your full best. This often looks like getting away from work to reflect for a period of time. Reflecting on past successes and mistakes gives you a chance to reevaluate your progress and whether your methodology is working.

It’s a highly underrated skill, but one that unconventional leaders are very comfortable with.

Not afraid to take an unpopular stance

No one wants to stick out like a sore thumb. Which is why many employees don’t speak out, even if their manager’s suggestions don’t align with the company’s values.

Unconventional leaders hold themselves to inspired standards. For example, one of the first things George Cain did when he became CEO of family-run Abbott Laboratories was to rebuild the board and executive team.

This ruffled a lot of feathers mainly because many who held senior management positions were family. But he held steadfast to his belief in order to make the company prosper.

It requires a lot of courage and bravery to hold your ground when standing by an opinion that goes against the grain.

Integrity

Bill Gates once shared he hired engineers who were lazy since they were able to find ways to do work quicker and more efficiently. However, it’s tempting to slash and cut corners in the name of cost-saving measures.

Unconventional leaders hold steadfast reputations for their honesty, especially when left to their own devices.

It’s noticeable when you are trustworthy, as your boss will be more confident in entrusting you with increased responsibilities, while your team will be more ready to share their fires and issues.

Knowing they are accountable to several people underpins this honesty. An unconventional realises that having resolute trustworthiness is important to customers, to staff who invest time and energy into growing the business, and to senior management.

Caring for and building others

Ensuring the team is cared for can be mistaken for meekness. However, This is an example of humility, as described by Jim Collins in his famous book, Good-to-Great. It’s what separates Level 4 from Level 5 leaders.

They understand that motivating their team means building up individuals to realise their potential. This involves challenging your opinions and playing devil’s advocate, even if they actually agree with you. This is crucial for providing you with a different perspective you never considered.

A highly unusual trait in unconventional leaders is the desire to find successors. Building the next generation is for the purpose of passing on the torch to people who will continue to grow the company without compromising its values.

The late Lee Iococca, Chevrolet’s CEO until 1992, said: “Management is nothing more than motivating other people.” Conventional leadership models would suggest teams support their leaders as they are more valuable.

Invisible

Jim Collins observes that unconventional leaders have a distinct lack of ego. In fact, they completely neglect their personal brand and focus their efforts in building the company. Any successes are attributed to other people, or luck.

When great leaders are interviewed, their successes (and failures) and normally under the spotlight. It feels natural that the leader talks about how they achieved their success and what their role was.

Yet Level 5 leaders spur the chance and look out the window to credit what an amazing team they have.

They can do this because they know that arrogance will make great headlines and the front page. But humility will get results, while building up the people around them.

Great leaders are often under the spotlight. Their extrovert qualities are unmistakable in playing a huge page towards the organisation’s success. But being unconventional doesn’t just mean doing things different for the sake of it. Many invisible leaders who took their companies from rock bottom to new heights had ambition. But their goal was to serve others before themselves. In today’s business world, are we daring enough to be humble in the face of adversity?