Bootstrap Leadership Blog

One of the best consulting firms in the country is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, and you’re the one who will be receiving the gifts.  MDA Leadership opened in 1981, and is dedicated to the concept that "leadership matters."  MDA specializes in leadership development, coaching and team performance, and has a series of great products, tools and resources to help clients improve their leadership skills.

To celebrate its anniversary, MDA is publishing 30 “pearls of wisdom” (pearl is the gift for 30 year anniversaries).  Published and posted once a week on their website (for 30 straight weeks), these pearls of wisdom are really great insights for leaders at all levels.  Check out the first three pearls on their website today - http://www.mdaleadership.com/what-we-think/ - and check back late in the year for the full list.   Don’t miss these leadership pearls of wisdom!

There are many competencies associated with great leadership, and some take a lifetime to master.  However, there is one important trait that every leader should be able to leverage without practice or experience – authenticity. 

Being an authentic leader means being yourself.  Growing up, whenever you faced a new challenge, your parents probably said: “just be yourself”.  Turns out that is really great advice for leaders.  While you may admire many leadership styles, you should adapt the one that fits your personality.  Let your true self come through in how you make decisions, interact with others, etc.  Here’s a real example from my career…

Years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a CEO, who in addition to being very smart and creative, was also a very down-to-earth, fun-loving guy.  He liked nothing more than meeting employees and recognizing their accomplishments.  As a result, he spent a lot of time giving speeches in front of large groups.  Early on, he gave those speeches in a suit and tie, and stuck to the script, not to mention the podium.  The results were pretty bland, and frankly, not very motivating.  After awhile though, he gave up trying to be the CEO he thought others wanted him to be, and he started giving those speeches in logo wear and khakis, walking up and down the stage with great animation, improvising, laughing, and telling stories with passion and energy.  He went back to being himself, and the results were phenomenal – all because his leadership style started to mirror his true personality.  

Being authentic also means being your own person.  In his book, Authentic Leadership (2003), Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, writes of the importance of being autonomous and independent, of finding your own voice as a leader.  Over time, you may have to adapt your style to different situations, but you’ll have a familiar foundation of principles to fall back on, since your style is molded from your core personality.   

There have been many great leaders down through the years, and all have had very different styles.  Create a leadership style that works well for you, one that reflects your personality, character and values.  If you’re being yourself, you never have to worry about “how to behave” as a leader – simply follow your instincts and do what feels comfortable to you.  You’ll find that being an authentic leader is the easiest way for you to be an effective leader.     

Great news!  You know that boss you hate, the one who doesn’t seem to know a thing about leading people?  Guess what – you can learn everything you need to know about leadership if you pay close attention.  Notice everything they do, and then do the opposite.  Remember how well that worked for George on Seinfeld?   Do the opposite, and you’ll be leading effectively in no time.

Seriously – isn’t the bad boss a perfect blueprint for how not to lead?  I’ve had my share of great bosses, and but sadly, I’ve had more than a few duds, too.  And I’ve learned a lot from both styles.  For a moment, let’s examine the bad boss and glean a few leadership lessons.  I’ve known bosses who have never left their offices – memo to self, get out and spend time with your people.  I’ve known bosses who screamed and hollered at people in front of others – hmm, a key takeaway – treat people with respect.  I’ve known bosses who took all the credit when things went well, but were quick to blame others when things went south – gosh, maybe that should be exactly the other way around.

You get the point – if you’re unlucky enough to be stuck right now with a bad boss – take heart, there is a silver lining.  At least there’s no end to your learning curve on leadership; just take note of their style and do the opposite.  George Castanza would be proud of you.