Myths of leadership theories
Extracted from a FB post recently: “Obama retired at 55. Trump started at 70. Sydney is 3 hours ahead of Perth but that doesn’t make Perth slow. Someone graduated at 22 but waited five years before securing a good job. Someone became a CEO at 25 and died at 50. While another became a CEO at 50 and lived for 90 years. Everyone is running their own race in their own time.”
Steve Jobs may have been quoted over a million times in leadership discourses by others. Not to quote his last words, as they are denied by many, the fact remains that he had to depart early leaving behind the wealth accumulated by him which could not offer him a single extra day.
This opens us to the mystery of the Universe that operates beyond human comprehension. Instead, business education embraces role models sometimes forcibly fed into the young executives and undergrads implying that the given traits of leaders need to be followed in spite of some being contradictory like working hard and being smart.
That said, business studies is a multi-billion dollar industry around the world and this point of view tends to get submerged amidst ‘common knowledge’ which in reality keeps changing with the past disappearing from memories with some getting caught up in scandals, etc.
In the case of Medicine, Engineering, Law and other skilled related disciplines, there is something to learn , meaning that one cannot practise without learning, like performing a surgery, fixing a gas line or a water leak.
It goes without saying that learning is necessary in these professions but here again success in terms of material gains depends on other variables, be they internal or external which for instance make some prosperous and others not.
In Sri Lanka, success attributes to creation of Wealth, ROI and Profits. Sometimes achievements are announced in comfort zones of monopoly or cartels, etc for a while until the competition hits from nowhere in the medium to long run.
A WhatsApp message circulated recently stated citing a top level gathering: “Meanwhile, six billionaires get onto the stage and talk about the things they could do for the country, some offering solutions and some just whining about their own problems.’ Weren’t they the advisors to successive Governments on economic matters since the advent of the open economy?”
Forbes.com explains several traits of a leader but this online posting hardly describes realities of life such as circumstances that pave way for organisations to reach success. To be in the right place at the right time is rarely admitted in post leadership theories.
The same website describes the myths of leadership thus making contradictions in their own versions. Most of us know that in the performance of our cricketers, talents are not the sole principles for successful stints.
Similarly, unequal level playing in business, be it political or bureaucratic leverage, is deliberately or otherwise ignored when theorising on a success story of a leader.
In addition, with respect to those who deserve praise, many questions arise how ethical some success stories were, where the beginnings may have had scandalous deals, illegal manipulations and other tainted actions.
Decades later personalities appear as ‘statesmen’ who made things happen for the benefit of humanity! CSR activities also follow ‘that are heavily published’!
Notwithstanding such stories, the subordinates who made immense contribution to the success through creativity and hard work usually fade away. They end up elsewhere grooming others, some of whom are born with silver spoons.
One day, most educational institutes will regret for not spelling out ‘theories of circumstances if not sheer luck’ which the modern world is trying to understand through philosophies such as spirituality.
One business leader speaking about his success some years ago, said: “God has been very kind to me!” I have no intention of bringing a religious connotation, but this statement could well be a starting point to elaborate the surrounding nature rather than the leader’s individuality.
Young executives and undergraduates need to be told the truth if they are to become creative, innovative and entrepreneurs.
Imparting the knowledge of this ‘unknown phenomenon’ which may radically change their fate seems more important instead of being engrossed in post theories, not to mention the level of frustration that they might go through with the question ; why cannot I be like him or her?
(The writer is a former Sri Lankan diplomat)