Leading Toward the Future: Leadership Advice for the Modern World

By Dr. Carol A. Kotlowski

The face of leadership has changed. Fewer organizations now rely on the leadership techniques of the past, and the stereotypical image of old white men in suits seems less connected to the reality of leadership with each passing year. In today’s world, leadership comes in many styles, wears diverse faces, and can emerge from any level of the organizational hierarchy. Navigating this landscape can be tricky—especially when relying on outdated advice.

In Leading Toward the Future, Dr. Carol Kotlowski takes a closer look at the realities of contemporary leadership. This book examines the challenges modern leaders face and the various methods that can be used to overcome them. By drawing on her experience in the military and the private sector, Dr. Kotlowski brings a unique perspective to the question “What makes a good leader?” With its emphasis on increasing diversity and navigating change, Leading Toward the Future is a modern leader’s handbook for success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796069686

Dr. Carol A. Kotlowski

Dr. Carol A. Kotlowski is an author who has conducted research on leadership development. Dr. Kotlowski started her career decades ago as an officer in the U.S. Army and has vast practical experience and knowledge on what it takes to become an effective leader in any organization. Dr. Kotlowski currently lives in the United Kingdom, RAF Lakenheath. In her leisure time, she loves attending church, weightlifting, reading, writing, watching a good movie, and travelling.

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SECTION I

Defining Leadership

A LEADER IS someone who brings his or her subordinates together as a team, motivating that team to accomplish their mission and creating an atmosphere of trust. You’ll notice that nowhere in that definition of leadership does it specify the leader’s title, relative authority, or methods. True leadership can take many forms, and can come from anywhere in an organization’s hierarchy. So how can you identify and define it? The chapters in this section will look at the concept of leadership and some of the most common leadership styles employed today, to give you a better idea of what good leadership means.

CHAPTER 1

What Makes a Leader?

D O YOU BELIEVE in love at first sight? Or do you believe for every person there is one perfect soul mate? If so, you are certainly not alone. Many people idolize these romantic perceptions of relationships just as they do other aspects of life. How we view leaders and the ability to lead is no different. In essence people usually perceive leadership from one of two perspectives. One group perceive leaders as being born with the natural talents and abilities necessary to lead others while others believe anyone can develop the skills needed to become an effective leader. This dichotomy stems from the same arguments between nature and nurture, genetics versus environment. Depending on one’s bias, people tend to choose one view over the other.

However, rarely are the answers to such complex questions straightforward and simple. Typically the answer lies somewhere in between the two extremes, and issues surrounding leadership abilities are no different. While great leaders often do have innate talents and skills that help them succeed in leadership roles, the ability to effectively lead requires further refinement of these skills and an increasing degree of knowledge to be truly successful. Experience, education and training are essential even for those with an abundance of natural talent. At the same time, individuals with limited skills can become great leaders with proper guidance and knowledge. Behaviors and perspectives conducive to strong leadership can clearly be developed in the right situations.

The bottom line is anyone can become an effective leader regardless of their natural abilities. But in order to take a step toward that goal, we must first define exactly what leadership is and what it means in today’s world. Leaders are different from managers and supervisors, and leaders are not simply those who wield the most power in an organization. Certainly these individuals may also be effective leaders; but this is often not the case. In fact, some of the best leaders in an organization may be people in very unassuming roles. Therefore in an effort to establish a basic foundation on which leadership topics can be addressed, a working definition of what leadership is and isn’t will be described.

Defining Leadership Today

I was commissioned into the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant and rising (promoted) to the rank of Major. Having received an education through college and extensive Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), I entered the army in a position of leadership as a result of my rank whether I desired such a position or not. As you are likely aware, the military thrives on a system of rank and file, and superiors must direct subordinates in a direction that benefits the entire organization. But being placed in a position of leadership and actually being a leader are two different things altogether. I had learned a great deal about leadership, but being a leader was something I had yet to experience to any significant degree.

Being immersed in military culture as a 2nd Lieutenant was a new experience for me despite my prior years of officer training. I was surrounded by officers and enlisted personnel with much greater experience, yet as their leader, I was supposed to direct and guide these individuals. Should I take the position of authority granted to me by my rank and simply bark out orders? Or should I defer to those who were older and more experienced to direct the other members of my team? Both choices carried significant risk and could potentially undermine my effectiveness over the long term. These are choices many people face today as they begin to assume leadership roles.

In today’s environment, people are placed in positions of leadership at earlier ages. It is not uncommon for professionals in their late twenties and thirties to be CEO’s of an organization today. President Obama only recently turned fifty years of age. Likewise, women and minorities are more commonly being placed into leadership roles as well. As a result, traditional perceptions about leaders have evolved. Male figures with advanced seniority are becoming less of a leadership stereotype. Instead today’s leaders are being defined less by their gender and age and more by their skills and abilities. With this in mind, neither an authoritative stance nor a position of deference would have been the best approach for me as a leader.

So what defines a leader? In essence, a leader is one who brings people of an organization together as a team in order to accomplish a common goal and mission. While this certainly provides a basic understanding of a leader’s purpose, it fails to explain how a leader accomplishes this task. Let’s face it, sometimes a leader must take a hard stance and demand specific actions for the good of the group. At other times, effective leaders must respect and appreciate the valuable input other members of the group provide and yield accordingly. Different situations thus call for different styles of leadership, and truly effective leaders become adept at choosing different styles when the occasion requires it.

Because a leader must be a bit of a chameleon, providing an exact definition of leadership is challenging. Good leaders understand that compromise is essential in many instances, but trying to please everyone all the time is often counterproductive. Strong character is important; but if this translates into a dictator style of leadership, members may feel under-appreciated and belittled. As a result, they refrain from contributing as much as they might toward the goals of the organization. Leadership thus involves the ability to not only develop different traits and characteristics but to also wisely choose which ones to exhibit in any given situation.

Leading versus Managing

An important distinction is distinguishing between managers and leaders within an organization. Often these two positions are considered synonymous, but in reality they are quite different. In my experience, managers may or may not be effective leaders. And in some cases, leaders may lead without any significant management responsibilities. As previously noted, anyone can be a leader. While managers have great opportunities to embrace leadership roles, being a manager is not a prerequisite to the position. Great leaders can be found anywhere at any time.

To help distinguish between a manager and a leader, consider the following example. Two teachers are presented with a curriculum to teach their students. The first teacher analyzes the goals of the curriculum, the manner in which it will be tested, the recommended methods of instruction and so forth. Once a complete grasp of this is attained, she implements the steps necessary to achieve the goals for her students. In contrast, the second teacher takes a different approach. Goals, testing and methods of instruction are again assessed, but in addition, the second teacher considers the purpose behind the goals. She considers the benefits the curriculum will award her students. She also considers alternative ways in which the material might be taught. After considering all of these things, the second teacher develops her own innovative way of teaching the curriculum. Which one is a manager, and which one is a leader?

Managers are best described as individuals in a position of authority who are assigned the task of attaining a goal through the control and proper use of a variety of resources. In this respect, managers are more like technicians who simply orchestrate a series of steps to carry out a plan. People follow their instructions because managers are in a position of assigned power and authority, but unless they possess leadership traits, a manager’s ability to get people to follow usually stems from others’ sense of obligation. Such would be the case for the first teacher in getting her students to complete the proposed curriculum.

Leaders, on the other hand, are much more than technicians. Leaders not only direct resources toward a goal but also inspire others in the process. Through innovation, creativity and the ability to envision the future, leaders consider new and different ways to guide others. In addition they provide hope, passion and excitement to those around them. Rather than following out of a sense of obligation, people follow leaders because they believe in them and what they propose. Because leaders focus on the needs of others rather than simply on a means to an end, individuals are more easily motivated to action. In the case of the second teacher, she serves as a leader to her students by inspiring them to attain knowledge for their own benefit instead of simply completing the curriculum because it is required.

Leaders often encourage followers through their actions rather than through words. Individuals who exhibit courage, passion, dedication, servanthood and other inspirational qualities naturally solicit others to follow them. While their speech may also be motivating, their actions and behaviors serve as the most significant influence. Ultimately managers as well as leaders may be able to accomplish their goals, but effective leaders will gain the admiration and dedication of his or her followers without the need for assigned authority. And over time, the accomplishments of an organization will always flourish to a greater extent for those managers who choose to also adopt key leadership abilities.

The Sum of Many Parts

In order to best define leadership, identifying the traits common to effective leaders is necessary. Simply stating that leadership involves getting others to follow in a common direction only scratches the surface unless one considers how a leader accomplishes this task. For example, how do you imagine Walt Disney gained the admiration and trust of those around him to invest in his ultimate visions? What made individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass gain such incredible support during a time when it was easier to look the other way? And how did Susan B. Anthony initiate a movement that led to women’s suffrage rights in a male-dominated society? Attributing such grand acts of leadership to one or even a few attributes falls short of the mark when trying to define leadership skills.

Trustworthiness and courageousness are common traits among great leaders, but in addition the ability to serve others, focus on others’ needs and to give generously are also important qualities. The following is a list of leadership attributes common to many great leaders:

• Effective communication

• Charismatic personality

• Trustworthiness and honesty

• Dedication and commitment

• Discernment

• Patience

• Ability to listen

• Action-oriented nature and readiness to take initiative

• Courageousness

• Passion

• Visionary abilities

• Positive attitude

• Problem solving skills

• Self-discipline

• Servanthood

• Thirst to acquire knowledge

• Compassion for others

• Willingness to take responsibility

• Focused and steady

• Competence and intelligence

• Generosity

• Ability to treat others with respect

• Strong ethics and character

At first glance, having all of these traits may seem overwhelming if not impossible. However, none of these characteristics need to be inherited of naturally endowed. Each one can be adopted as a personal attribute if the desire to become an effective leader exists. Each one of us can therefore choose to become a leader within our own sphere of influence.

During my tenure in the army, I had the pleasure of witnessing several wonderful leaders who demonstrated many of these qualities. They remained open to learning new ways of doing things and to embracing innovative ideas. Likewise through respecting others and valuing others’ abilities to contribute, these individuals naturally created an atmosphere of teamwork and unity. Unfortunately I also experienced leaders who refused to change their ideas and ways of doing things. And as expected, their leadership often resulted in isolation of team members and repression of creativity, innovation and change.

Key Assets of Effective Leadership

You can also think of effective leadership as being a result of the assets you provide to your team. This is ultimately talking about the same thing from a different point of view. Cultivating the leadership traits listed above is what allows you to provide your team with effective leadership, while the concepts below are the benefits that a team run by an effective leader receives.

Team building. Every workplace, military troop, classroom, or other group of people that has a leader and followers is made up of a number of individuals. An effective leader is able to instill these individuals with a strong enough sense of camaraderie that they see themselves, not only as separate people, but also as a part of a larger team. The end goal of any leader is to get the members of the team to come together and work toward a common goal. Building a team mentality makes this easier because it gives people something larger than themselves to think about and work toward. An employee who’s only doing work because they’re told to might complete their task competently enough, but they won’t necessarily feel compelled to go above and beyond. If you’ve built a solid team, on the other hand, employees will be more eager to strive for excellence, and more invested in the success of the team as a whole.

The qualities above that will have the most impact on your team building efforts are honesty, compassion, generosity, and an ability to treat others with respect. To make someone feel like a part of the team, you have to make them feel as though their contributions are acknowledged and valued. If your staff sees you as the leader going out of your way to help someone on the team, they’ll be more willing to put in extra time or effort of their own. Similarly, if staff members know their work is acknowledged and appreciated by the team, they’ll often put forth more effort.

Motivation. Building a team is one way to provide extra motivation, but it’s not the only tool in an effective leader’s kit. The ways a leader can motivate his or her subordinates are as varied as their personalities, but there are certain traits on the list above that are especially important. Primary among them is the leader’s dedication and commitment; people will want to work harder for you if they see you working hard yourself. Effective communication is also key. Even a good employee can’t do their best work if they don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing. If your communication with your team isn’t clear, they’re likely to become frustrated and confused. Having a strong personality can be helpful, too, but isn’t necessarily a requirement. Cheerleader-style managers generally do excel at team motivation, but a quieter, more introverted leader can still be effective in this regard if they exhibit traits like passion, vision, and positivity.

Motivating your subordinates is more difficult when they’re facing problems beyond the tasks and descriptions of their job. If they are having problems in their personal life, outside of work, this can sometimes carry over, making them less invested in their work. Interpersonal problems within the workplace can also hinder motivation, especially if the staff member is facing sexism, racism, or another form of discrimination. In these situations, raising their motivation might mean first helping them find a solution for their problem; there’s more advice on these kinds of personnel issues later in the book.

Trust. People won’t follow a leader whom they don’t trust. They may still carry out the leader’s orders out of a sense of obligation to their coworkers (or for the simple practical matter of keeping their jobs) but this is a result of them being a good employee, not of someone being a good leader. If someone is a truly effective leader, on the other hand, their subordinates will be dedicated to their work and their superior, and will do their job better and more willingly than someone who’s just going through the motions.

Trust in a leader comes from two main places. First, from the leader’s ability to lead by example; subordinates will be less likely to question an order or rule when they see that the person giving the orders follows those same procedures. A leader whose standards for themselves are lower than they are for their subordinates seems hypocritical, lazy, and incompetent—none of which are traits that inspire faith in their leadership abilities. Honesty and accountability are also important traits. Your team will obviously lose some trust in you if they catch you in an outright lie, but trust can also be damaged by half-truths and lies by omission, especially ones that have a direct impact on an employee’s work environment. Everybody makes mistakes from time to time; they won’t likely cause your team members to lose their trust in you unless you try to hide your errors, or blame them on someone else.

Trust is also important to the effective team building mentioned above. Everyone within a team has to not only trust their leader but also trust each other. While there is often no preventing interpersonal drama from occasionally cropping up within a team of any size, an effective leader sniffs out and eliminates dishonesty among their subordinates. Depending on your workplace and team members, this can range from simple gossip to more serious issues, like theft. A culture of mutual respect is the best way to promote trust within the entire team.

Leading by example

This phrase has come up multiple times in this chapter already, and it’s a concept that certainly bears repetition. Many of the other specific examples and pieces of advice that will be given throughout this book can be boiled down to this core idea. The basic rule of thumb is that, if you expect your subordinates to be disciplined, honest, dedicated, and motivated, you must first exhibit those qualities yourself.

The leader is often the most competent member of the team, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. There might be people under your authority who are better at certain job tasks than you are, or even who have skills you don’t possess, depending on the nature of your team. Leading by example doesn’t have to mean you do every single small task. It’s more an attitude of competence, doing the things you do well, and never acting as though a given job is beneath you if it’s something you’re asking your subordinates to do.

John F. Kennedy once stated that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. George C. Patton suggested that a leader should never tell people how to do things but instead tell them what to do and as a result they would often surprise you with their ingenuity. These two remarks epitomize my experiences with leadership to the extent that true leaders never cease to expand their skills and abilities and to remain open to new ideas. Everyone has something valuable to offer an organization, and great leaders are keenly aware of this fact. They understand they are not all-knowing, and they recognize more than one path towards success often exists. And while they may not possess all the traits on the previous list, they do continuously strive to better themselves in that direction. Perhaps more than anything, this desire toward self-improvement best defines the potential for any of us to become an effective leader.

CHAPTER 2

Leadership Styles

W HEN CHILDREN ARE small, they require a great deal of instruction. Perhaps you recall the first time your son or daughter tried to ride a bicycle. In attempting to teach them, you would try an array of styles hoping that one would allow them to eventually learn the new skill. You might have demonstrated how to ride a bike. You might have explained in detail the best process to keep one’s balance. You may have facilitated the learning process by holding onto the bicycle until your child no longer needed the assistance. In all likelihood, you probably tried all of these at different times as the situation demanded it. Without knowing it, you were actually exhibiting different styles of effective leadership.

We all have opportunities to lead just as we all share leadership talents and abilities. But as you may imagine, no single style of leadership applies to every situation. Different styles must be used at different times. Some situations require specific instructions in order to provide direction and efficiency while others may require more of an observatory role. In comparing leadership to parenting for example, an authoritative style of parenting may work well for a toddler but may result in increasing defiance and emotional distance for an adolescent. As a result, effective leaders must not only appreciate different leadership styles but also become adept at selecting which style may be most effective in a given circumstance.

In this chapter, an overview of classic leadership styles will be given in addition to important leadership concepts. Subsequent chapters will then elaborate on these styles in order to provide a more in-depth understanding of their advantages and disadvantages. By having knowledge of various styles of leadership, informed decisions can then be made on which style best serves you in terms of your personality and circumstance. No single leadership style is always effective because individuals being led and the leadership environment is constantly changing. As a result, we have to develop an array of styles that we can use to achieve the best results.

The Spectrum of Leadership Styles

Throughout our education and schooling, all of us have experienced different types of teachers. Some teachers are sticklers for detail. They give precise instructions and expect students to follow them. And when students fail to perform accordingly, they are punished with a lower grade as a result. Other teachers are more interactive. Their style of teaching involves greater student participation and opportunities for creativity. Their style is more open and relaxed. In this situation, students may fail if they choose not to participate and refuse to be involved in the educational process. But which one is a better style of teaching?

The answer to this question is impossible without knowing additional information. What is the subject matter of the curriculum? What is the educational and experience level of the students? Depending on this information, either one of these teaching styles may be effective. The same can be said of leadership. Leadership styles range from one who is completely hands-off to one who meticulously oversees every detail of an operation. Appreciating this spectrum of styles and their benefits allows leaders to invoke different styles at different times. The following are the four basic styles of leadership most commonly adopted in various situations.

Hands-Off Leaders. At first glance, you might think this style of leadership would be undesirable in most circumstances. After all, who wants a leader who is hands-off? By nature, leaders are expected to be the captain of the ship. Their involvement and direction is necessary to effectively lead a group or an organization, right? Well, not necessarily. Believe it or not, there are circumstances where less is more. Sometimes being too involved can actually be a detriment to the organization.

Hands-off leaders (also known as laissez-faire leaders) are actually beneficial in situations where those being led have high levels