This is continuing our series on the HEARTH components of leadership. There have been large debates on whether leadership is an art or a science. I believe that in leadership there can be both; however, I believe it cannot be with the same militaristic flavor that I worked under and supported. As with any Tayloristic-driven-mindset, my team developed an entire scientific model where we calculated the expected time to complete each standard work process, then determined the expected productivity of an employee based on the calculated time it should take to do a unit of work, and finally estimated the number of employees needed for each work area based on workload. What this scientific method did not account for was consideration to the human factors required of engaged leadership. Simply put, people don’t perform as machines or robots.
The Greek word organon means instrument or tool; and is the word we derive the modern word for organization. The truth is people react negatively when being seen as merely an instrument to achieve someone else’s goal, particularly when that goal does not align with an individual goal. Further, people feel uncomfortable in a workspace where they feel manipulated to do things that are not ultimately in the interests of either the common good or truth; with performance measured simply as a productivity marker of expediency for a leader or an organization.
Let’s face it, leadership cannot be a science of equations where two plus two equals four. Sometimes there are things that can definitely be predictive, but in organizations where there is an expectation that team members will perform with robotic outcomes is unrealistic. Adaptability is the key in exploring the possibilities for meeting organizational goals and at the same time adaptability teaches team members resilience when things don’t work out as predicted. Leaders cannot waiver in exemplifying an ability to navigate through adversity showcasing the importance of resilience while maintaining a steadfast commitment to purpose, passions and possibilities even in the midst of trials. The art and science of leadership intersect with mastery of the understanding that “the only thing constant is change.”
My challenge was figuring out ways to support the organization in meeting their goals and at the same time using my own instruments of purpose, passion and possibilities for building a team of leaders who trusted me enough to commit to the arduous process of doing work life differently. I had to incorporate careful intentionality in my approach figuring out when and how I used the three tools. The key components that I needed to incorporate supported the idea of leadership as an art. Before I could be all for someone else, I had to take the time I needed for myself. For more than ten years I started my day with a dance. I arrived in the parking lot of the organization, parked my vehicle in the same spot I had for many years, got out, and danced right there beside my car. On more than one occasion a person saw this and thought I was quite weird. Nonetheless, this was my artistic way of setting the stage for being able to engage in strategic thinking and planning through a lens of play, freedom, and movement.
Like an artist, a Ieader must have their own purpose and vision of how they want the final product of the team environment to feel and look. We cannot deviate from our vision nor can we use our role for our own benefit. Like a parent, we lose our right to be selfish when we accept the role as a leader. Proverbs, a Biblical book known for its practical wisdom, provides further insight into one of the necessities for effective leadership, saying in Proverbs 29:18 that, “Without vision the people perish,” and yet there was an old saying in the government that, “We’ve always done it this way,” because there was no real vision. Executive leaders had become so comfortable with the “march-on-to-victory” mentality that people were perishing. While leaders value the importance of relationships, leaders are encouraged to have a clear vision and direction for their team members to follow; otherwise they are just out taking a stroll with no real path or purpose. Leaders can inspire team members to pursue noble goals and a higher purpose with a vision. A formula I originally used in my Christian Education courses that I adapted for my secular work is:
No vision = total failure
Limited vision = little success
A vision — a plan — action = only a dream
A vision + a plan — action = a haunting dream (guilt)
but a vision + a plan + action = a productive workforce
Leaders must have a creative plan that instills hope and optimism in moving towards a shared vision. Leaders should work to create an environment where team members feel comfortable in working together to create a work space that is emotionally engaging and fulfilling of individual purposes and possibilities as well as the mission of the organization. Leaders should desire that team members be governed by truth and honesty, but also afford them the freedom of imagination and innovation. Leaders will then have a supportive work environment that is flexible and adaptable in moving through rigorous organizational demands.
One key challenge of leadership lies in the understanding of each individual motivation towards organizational goals and then nurturing those passions and aspirations. This must be accomplished while working stride for stride towards an optimal team and organizational engagement strategy. Leaders must exemplify the significance of upholding ethical standards, fearlessly demonstrating trustworthiness, and embracing their own need for accountability. There are no shortcuts in leadership. At a camp in Missouri where I taught, there was a challenge called tree tops. Partners agreed to support each other across several rope challenges high above in a large tree. The rule for everyone was once you had the harness on and touched the tree, you could not retreat. Can you imagine the uncharted fears of trying to balance your own fears and that of the other person while trying to cross those ropes? I can tell you that not everyone even attempted the challenge because it required a commitment of trusting someone else with your success. If it was easy to cross the tree tops everyone would do it. Similarly with leaders, once you’ve taken on that role, you cannot retreat. Leaders must stay the course, learning to trust each other in transitioning across the scary tree top moments of team success and organizational growth.
The creative ways that leaders find to connect with team members as unique individuals deserving of respect and courtesy will enhance their meaning and purpose as a leader. Team members will find freedom in pursuing their passions, and the art of leadership will ultimately prove to be the secret sauce for organizational success! Oftentimes when leaders only focus on organizational goals and not people, they can lose sight of what should have paramount importance. Leaders will find themselves as purely instruments similar to a hammer when everything is not a nail. Leaders can begin to emphasize the wrong priorities of being shrewd as a means of climbing the corporate ladder. Empathy, compassion, trust, and courage are a few attributes that I could associate with the art of leadership. I would compare applying the scientific, absent of the artistic, to trying to travel from the East coast to the West coast with a map of the United States. Mastery of artistic leadership, coupled with an understanding of the scientific, is your turn by turn directions.