There’s so much said about leadership but have you ever asked yourself what’s the point of it?
I know, you’re probably thinking it’s obvious, but is it?
I’ve been involved in over 10 organisations across 35 years and I can’t recall a decent discussion on this.
So let’s wind back the clock and think about us as humans.
It’s in our DNA that we need and want to be lead. Just think about this based on your own experiences and also let’s think about human evolution.
It’s as deep in our DNA as the fight or flight reflex that we all have and demonstrate.
Go back to ancient times, near the start of humanity and leadership was essential for survival…so was the ability to run and make weapons to hunt and defend ourselves.
I’m not a student of evolution or the humanities but I’ve done some reading and learning throughout my life. I think it’s true to say that at the root cause of the need for leadership is the need to survive. To survive, grow and prosper.
Anywhere in the world and through any time in the human existence leaders emerge. Again, this isn’t my field of expertise but there’s a instinctive link between the need to survive and the need for leadership to enable survival.
Pausing on us as humans, we’ve got the animal kingdom right next to us showing similar traits. Whether is’s a heard, a flock, a mob who’s at the front?
Who set’s the tone, presides over the local lands and imposes a hierarchy with them at the top…it’s the leader. In the animal kingdom leadership is at times physically challenged, event to the death of the incumbent or the challenger.
The ‘Hondros-Hundred’.
There’s so much said about leadership but have you ever asked yourself what’s the point of it?
I know, you’re probably thinking it’s obvious, but is it?
I’ve been involved in over 10 organisations across 35 years and I can’t recall a decent discussion on this.
So let’s wind back the clock and think about us as humans.
It’s in our DNA that we need and want to be lead. Just think about this based on your own experiences and also let’s think about human evolution.
It’s as deep in our DNA as the fight or flight reflex that we all have and demonstrate.
Go back to ancient times, near the start of humanity and leadership was essential for survival…so was the ability to run and make weapons to hunt and defend ourselves.
I’m not a student of evolution or the humanities but I’ve done some reading and learning throughout my life. I think it’s true to say that at the root cause of the need for leadership is the need to survive. To survive, grow and prosper.
Anywhere in the world and through any time in the human existence leaders emerge. Again, this isn’t my field of expertise but there’s a instinctive link between the need to survive and the need for leadership to enable survival.
Pausing on us as humans, we’ve got the animal kingdom right next to us showing similar traits. Whether is’s a heard, a flock, a mob who’s at the front?
Who set’s the tone, presides over the local lands and imposes a hierarchy with them at the top…it’s the leader. In the animal kingdom leadership is at times physically challenged, event to the death of the incumbent or the challenger.
The leader is usually the strongest, the fastest, the smartest which is how they ascend to the role…it’s natural.
I think over human history this was also often the case. The strongest, fastest, smartest warrior or member of the local tribe ascended to leadership. I think this is where we get our natural inclination that the leader has all the answers…”they” know best and we’ll wait for “them” to make a decision.
Now come back to today and things have changed. The ancient notion that the leader has all the answers and that we depend on them for our very survival has changed…or has it?
I think you could argue there is still the notion we do depend on leadership for our survival in times of crisis and wars are an example of this. Arguably so is the recent global Covid-19 pandemic and there’s certainly other examples.
However, in the modern world I feel it’s a mistake to think that the leaders have all the answers…based on my experience they certainly do not and I’d put myself in that category. Modern or contemporary leadership is all about enabling the team, business or organisation to be a part of the solution. To be engaged in the opportunity or challenge and help to maximise the outcome…and there is the key point.
For me leadership, the point of leadership, is about maximising the outcome. It’s about leading an organisation to fulfil its true potential and creating an engaging, supportive and positive environment that also means that the colleagues, team members and everyone involved has the opportunity to do they same.
