The Subtle Art of Inspiring and Influencing People — A reflection about leadership in business
Throughout my professional career, I have come across many types of managers: some were good and others… not so good. In this article, I will speak from my experience, not only as an employee who has directly reported to people but also as a leader of a group when I have had the opportunity, both formally (through a hierarchical position) and informally (as a Scrum Master or Agile Coach).
The first idea I want to present may seem obvious, but not everyone has fully grasped it yet: not everyone who holds a managerial position is necessarily a leader, and not all leaders necessarily hold a formal position of authority. This will be the cornerstone of this article, and we will delve into it further when we analyze the two main types of leaders that exist.
When I talk to colleagues who work in IT or other sectors, I always come to the same conclusion: many of them have had to accept positions of authority such as leads, managers of any kind, and coordinators… just to move up the hierarchical and economic ladder within the company. In my opinion, this stems from the traditional belief that only a highly qualified professional with the necessary knowledge can perform technical work well, whereas anyone can handle project management or team management. I couldn’t disagree more. While it is true that certain qualifications and knowledge are necessary to perform technical work correctly, it is equally true that to be a good manager, we should also have specific training along with suitable personal conditions or “soft skills.” I speak from experience as I have a degree in Labor Relations and Human Resources, and I have been managing teams in the workplace for nearly 10 years now.
As I mentioned, it is quite common to see how some companies promote individuals from technical positions to management positions, and in my opinion, it is a practice that greatly harms them because they often lose a great technician and gain a poor manager. To avoid this paradox, I would recommend these companies create two distinct career paths with equivalent hierarchical ranks and salaries so that someone can reach the highest hierarchical level through the technical path (for example, as an Architect or Principal Engineer if we talk about software engineers) or through the management path (such as Engineering Manager, People Manager, or any other name given to such a role in a specific company).
Having said that, in this article, I would like to provide a brief analysis of situational leadership and its different levels on one hand, and on the other hand, review the skills necessary to become a good leader, according to my opinion.
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP MODEL
There are multiple theories about leadership, but I would like to focus on the situational leadership model by Hersey and Blanchard, which proposes that leadership style should change depending on the maturity of our followers, taking into account indicators of competence (previous performance, professional experience, analytical skills, meeting deadlines, etc.).
Two variables are considered:
- The leader’s level of support vs. directive behaviour
- The followers’ level of competence vs. willingness
These variables give rise to four leadership styles:
1. Directing
2. Coaching
3. Supporting
4. Delegating
I won’t go into depth about this model, but for those interested, there are many free resources available online. In the following matrix, we can clearly see the four styles based on the variables we mentioned:
Please note that the appropriate leadership style depends on the specific situation and the maturity level of the followers. The leader needs to assess and adapt their approach accordingly to effectively support and develop their team members.
IS A LEADER BORN OR MADE?
The question of whether a leader is born or made is a widely debated topic in the field of leadership. There are different perspectives on this matter. Some argue that certain characteristics and personality traits can predispose a person to have innate leadership abilities, implying that leaders are born with these qualities. Others, however, argue that leadership is a set of skills and competencies that can be developed and learned over time, suggesting that leaders are made through experience and learning.
In my opinion, a true leader is both born AND made. Let me explain: in my view, the individual in question must have certain innate characteristics and traits, but they will never become a great leader if they don’t refine and develop them throughout their career. In reality, I’m not saying anything new: excellence in any field is always achieved through the necessary combination of abilities and effort.
In summary, while some people may have certain innate qualities that predispose them to be leaders, leadership can also be developed through learning and experience.
TYPES OF LEADERSHIP
Regardless of the leadership style we follow, we can fundamentally differentiate between two types of leaders: the bureaucratic or hierarchical leader (historically referred to as the “BOSS”), and the charismatic leader or what I consider the authentic leader.
The main difference is that while the boss or bureaucratic leader uses their hierarchical position to impose their ideas and lead in an authoritarian and one-way manner, charismatic leader persuades, influences, inspires, and motivates their followers (not subordinates) to bring out the best in them, without imposing their ideas.
The style of leadership can vary depending on the individual and circumstances, and a successful leader has the ability to adapt and use different approaches to positively influence others.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER
Let’s now discuss some of the soft skills that, in my opinion, should characterize a good charismatic leader:
Communication: Most dysfunctions in work teams stem from poor or non-existent communication. A charismatic leader should have good public speaking skills, eloquence, and the ability to effectively convey ideas.
Emotional intelligence: A good leader is characterized by their ability to read their own and others’ emotions and act accordingly.
Assertiveness: Often, leaders find themselves in a position between operational teams and management. Therefore, they must have a clear understanding of their objectives and know how to execute them. Assertiveness is defined as the ability to be firm in our desires and convictions, and to say “no” when necessary, respecting our own judgment without hurting others.
Empathy: Putting oneself in other’s shoes. To understand why a person behaves in a certain way, we must try to understand that person: their personality, past and current circumstances, motivations, etc.
Humility: There is a saying in Spain that goes: “If you want to truly know someone, give them a position.” A good leader does not consider themselves superior to others; they are aware that they are just another colleague with different responsibilities, neither better nor worse.
Perseverance: If we want people to follow us, we must lead by example. It is not possible to inspire values or attitudes in others if we do not strictly adhere to them ourselves.
Flexibility: Be careful, this should not be confused with anarchy or chaos. Analyzing the environment, individuals, and circumstances, and acting accordingly, is a virtue and is inherent in the situational leadership model we discussed earlier.
Values: We all have different personal and professional principles. However, it seems clear that certain values are perceived as positive in any context. A good leader should embody these values, being consistent with their actions in the long term. Values such as honesty, justice, responsibility, and effort are always inspiring.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. I’m sure that anyone reading this article will have their own list of characteristics of a good leader, which may or may not coincide with the ones I just mentioned. Let’s put it to the test: just think of a person you have encountered in your professional career whom you consider to be a true leader. What characterized them? On the other hand, think of the worst manager you have had. What characteristics did you miss about them?
In conclusion, if you are a hierarchical leader (a boss), I regret to inform you that simply holding a position will not automatically make you a mass leader. The good news is that, like everything in life, leadership can be trained. I hope that in this article, you have found some clues. Now it’s up to you to analyze what type of leader you are and what you aspire to be, identify your shortcomings, and work hard to improve them.
If you are interested in the subject, here is a small list of recommended readings:
- “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
- “Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade” by Robert Cialdini
- “The Leader Who Had No Title” by Robin Sharma
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
- “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman
- “Drive” by Daniel Pink
- “Leadership” by Daniel Goleman
- “Fish!” by Lundin, Paul, and Christensen.
About the Author:
Carlos Sampedro is a Scrum Master here at Version 1.
