A633.1.2.RB - Leadership Gap

Leadership and attitudes towards leadership change, or should change, as new theories are validated however this isn’t often the case. Below I am asked a series of questions regarding those changes.

1. Has your own attitude to leader’s changed in your life?

I have grown more distrustful of leaders as a general rule.  To be honest I have had some great managers and some not so great managers. However, the bad leaders tended to have qualities like dishonesty, turf guarding, stubbornness, backstabbing, or plain intellectual dishonesty. Those are tangible traits that the good managers in my life do not have. They have tended to be more transformational leaders or charismatic leaders with transformational (though not fully transformational in and of themselves) qualities.  Once again these are tangible traits. And I’ve had more good managers than bad. So why my attitude change?

When I look at leadership on a national level I get a bit more discouraged. The constant attacks on proven science by people that seem to either ignore or not care what the term scientific theory actually means are some of the most egregious broaches of leadership I can find. In this “Age of Information” confirmation bias is easier than ever. If I want to find information that tells me climate change is a hoax I can certainly find it. Of course, such information is wildly inaccurate, but that’s ok. I’m not looking to learn, I am looking to have my preconceptions validated. This has led me to believe that not opinions are created equally. If an opinion is grounded in ignorance or factually incorrect information than that opinion is not valid and shouldn’t be considered.

Some would call this an arrogant approach to leadership but if we are making choices that affect the lives of millions of people wouldn’t we want those choices based on valid information rather than whatever makes you feel better?  On smaller scales such as an office or small team leadership such concerns are not as important but it does matter that leaders are making choices based on the best evidence available. My attitude has changed because I don’t feel that leaders are making choices based on actual evidence but instead on massive levels of confirmation bias.

2. Is there a changing trend in attitudes towards leaders across generations?

I think this is a harder question to ask. This is pure opinion as for every new generation there are questions about what they either are or aren’t doing in comparison to previous generations. Attitude shifts are internal and people tend to seek out those that have similar attitudes. If I view leadership with a more cynical view than my parents it stands to reason I will find people with similar attitudes and reinforce my perception of leadership. Likewise for someone that doesn’t perceive an attitude shift. You can find evidence of people distrusting politicians ever since politicians were a thing. The same thing can be said for an innate distrust of leadership. Slogans such as “Don’t trust anyone over 30” have been around since the 1960’s or earlier. The 1950’s saw a counterculture form around rock and roll. These are not isolated occurrences.  I think that people like to think that their distrust of leadership is something new but in reality the same wheel has been turning since the first caveman lead a group of cave-people into the wilderness.    

3. Why has this occurred?

This question assumes that there has been a shift in attitudes towards leaders. I’m not convinced there has been a shift. I think the Internet has made it possible for that distrust to have a louder voice. It has allowed countercultures to coalesce and share ideas. It has brought people together that may never have communicated in the past. This may have accelerated attitude shifts but I don’t think it has created attitude shifts.

4. Additionally, while we live in a world with more information about leadership and leadership practices why is it that we have an apparent gap in the quality of our leaders and how do you think we can close this gap?

Once again this question is making an assumption. There are plenty of influential leaders in the modern world that are doing great things. Take for example Pope Francis. I’m not a spiritual person but Pope Francis is turning heads with his compassionate and humble approach to leading the Catholic Church. Not everyone is on board with his changes. He has moved the dial from abortion and gay rights to compassion for the poor and unfortunate. It is a profound shift in thinking when compared to his predecessors and whether or not you agree with the Pope no is saying there is a gap in the quality of his leadership. If anything there is a gap in the quality of some of his followers. And that’s the rub.

Good leaders require good followers and vice/versa. It is a symbiotic relationship, a wheel that turns. There will always be people that distrust leaders and the Internet has given them greater power as it has allowed them to unite. I still don’t see this as a unique shift in attitudes but a unique shift in the power of the followers and that may be more important. I hope that with better and more powerful followers we can produce better leaders.