The ‘Complete Leader’ Is a Myth

Computerworld - The “myth of the complete leader” goads some managers into a futile effort to be all things to all people. The result can be damaging to the person and the organization, says Deborah Ancona, professor of management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and faculty director of the MIT Leadership Center. In this month’s Harvard Business Review, Ancona and co-authors Thomas W. Malone, Wanda J. Orlikowski and Peter M. Senge praise the “incomplete leader.” Ancona talked with Kathleen Melymuka about how to make peace with your shortcomings and build balance in your organization.

Why is the complete leader a myth? First of all, no one is omniscient and flawless. No leader can do it all. Furthermore, in this age of very complex problems where information and expertise are very dispersed and change happens very fast, no one can do it alone. You need to rely on other people.

Why is the myth harmful? For several reasons: Trying to do everything can lead to burnout. Trying to live up to some ideal often traps leaders behind a mask of competence, afraid to admit to confusion or to not knowing the answers. But if they don’t get input, they can go off course. It can also be harmful because if everybody thinks the leader has all the answers, people don’t think for themselves and learn to lead.

You see leadership as a framework of four capabilities. The first is “sensemaking.” What’s that? Understanding the context in which you are operating. In the IT world, you need to make sense of cutting-edge technology and also what’s going on in the business units and at the strategic level, because you want to mesh what you’re doing with the business world. You need to understand the culture of the organization in which you are working — what’s going on within and outside.

Can you give me an example of someone who’s good at sensemaking? Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel. He actually wrote a book about really being aware of the external context in which you’re operating. Being aware of strategic inflection points — those times when the external environment was going to change radically. He set up the company to monitor conditions that give you cues about radical change.

The next capability is “relating.” What’s that all about? It’s about building solid relationships within and across organizations. In IT, you need to have good relationships with other parts of IT, with the business units, with people outside so you know the latest trends in technology and what other organizations and the competition are doing.

Who’s good at relating? Former CEO Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines. He once said, “We’re not afraid to tell our people we love them, because we do.” That may sound corny, but they really believe that. It goes on throughout Southwest.

The third capability is “visioning.” Why is that so important? First, it helps to focus an organization’s activity. If you know what you’re moving toward, you also know what you’re not [supposed to be] doing. It also gives people a sense of meaning and excitement about work. It’s the switch that provides light and energy.

Can you name a good visionary? The two most famous would be Steve Jobs, who just knows how to frame what he’s saying: The Macintosh wasn’t about building one more computer but about changing the world. The other is Martin Luther King Jr.: “I have a dream.”

What are some of the keys to successfully creating a vision? Part of it is where you start. You need to start with something that really excites you, because excitement is catching. When you feel passionate, people know it, and it transfers. You also have to tap into the desires and values of others. If you’re too far off the mark — too far from a dominant cultural value — that can get you in trouble. You need to paint a picture or create a phrase that captures what is possible for the future.

The last capability is “inventing.” What’s that? Creating new processes and structures to get to the vision. If you’re going in a new direction, it may be that the way you’re organized is not sufficient, so you need to create a new way.

Who’s good at inventing? Meg Whitman is an example. The invention that went on at eBay is quite astounding. She invented a way around each problem.

I’m not likely to be equally good at all four capabilities, so as an “incomplete leader,” what do I do next? Make sure you know what your strengths are and find out what you can’t do so you can find people to work with who complement your skills. Don’t surround yourself only with people like you. You need to create balance.

Know Your Weaknesses

Adapted from Harvard Business Review You may be weak in sensemaking if you... •  Feel that you are usually right and others are usually wrong. •  Are often blindsided by changes in your organization. •  Resent change. You may be weak in relating if you... •  Feel that others constantly let you down. •  Find many of your interactions unpleasant. •  Think that many colleagues are untrustworthy. You may be weak in visioning if you... •  See work as an endless series of crises. •  Have no sense of larger purpose at work. •  Think what you're doing may not really matter. You may be weak in inventing if you... •  Find your organization's vision abstract. •  Feel that what you are doing doesn't relate to your company's vision. •  Feel that things tend to revert to business as usual.