Practicing Maestro LeadershipOrganizations Need a Conductor, Not a General Launching and building an organization can
push the skills of any leader to the limits. Someone who can master this
leadership challenge can make a critical difference between creating a
hum-drum organization and one that has high potential. Who Are Effective Leaders? What Do They Do? Leaders imagine a desirable future;
communicate that vision to others; commit to action; and invest time, effort,
and other resources to attract team members who can help make their vision
happen. The common belief is that a leader is
close to the This image of a leader as rugged,
ruthless, and macho is WRONG. In fact, it’s not only wrong but
downright dangerous. Let’s look at some traits that are
found in successful leaders.
Leadership in emerging organizations needs
patience, an ability to communicate tangible visions, and the skill to manage
through others. Leaders in this situation are doers as well as visionaries;
they must be able to resolve conflicts, know when to make concessions, and when
to ask for them in order to develop a successful venture. They learn to get
along with many constituencies, often with conflicting aims. Success comes
when the leader is a mediator and negotiator, rather than a dictator. Henry Miller, a well-known actor and
producer, once said that “no one is great enough or wise enough for any
of us to surrender our destiny to. The only way in which anyone can lead us
is to restore to us the belief in our guidance.” An organization does
not have enough golden handcuffs to attract and hold talented people. The
attraction of joining and staying in a new venture are CHALLENGE, SHARED
VISION, and a SENSE OF CONTRIBUTION. “Task-oriented” leadership
is effective in many problem situations, however, it is totally inappropriate
for a leader. Leadership in this context has to be less
macho and more maestro in it’s approach. While macho is meant to
describe a bold, dominant, and telling style, maestro refers to an
interactive leadership style exhibited by symphony conductors. Although not a master of every instrument,
successful maestros must use the talents of each and every musician available
to them. The orchestration of a successful outcome under these circumstances,
with a healthy respect for the talent of the group, is the maestro style of
leadership. Clearly, there are times when a stronger,
more macho manner is necessary and times when a full maestro approach is
best. Knowing when to apply which and maintaining the flexibility to do so is
the essence of good leadership. Chances are, the successful approach often
will be less macho and more maestro. While it is very easy to fall into the
MACHO method, it will be to your benefit to always look at the MAESTRO
method. Leadership in a motorcycle rights organization requires more of a
conductor. If you look around the country at the successful rights groups,
you will find leadership that follows the MAESTRO style. THINK ABOUT IT!!
Continue to
Developing the Aura of Being in Charge… . |
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