Seven uncommon signs of leadership significance
Every organisational leader craves significance. They want to be remembered for being more than the sum of their parts. That is because in leadership, significance extends beyond the headcount of followership, popularity poll lead, size of market share, geographic reach, celebrity or similar metric. If truth be told, each of the above are totems of ‘success’, rather than evidence significance.
When push comes to shove, leadership significance is a measure of lasting impact, relevance and the difference made. In the final analysis, a significant leader is a transformational and transcendent figure.
Before I dig into the detail, a quick note about ‘rules of engagement’. In this blog, I have determined that some signs of significance are absolute qualifiers, whilst others are absolute disqualifiers. As a case in point, the measure of lasting impact must be objectively positive. For that reason, organisational leaders with a tendency to behave like idiots, predators, narcissists or psychopaths will find nothing to comfort or encourage them in this blog.
With the context set, summarised below are the seven uncommon signs of leadership significance.
1. They understand that several is always more important than singular
For any leadership to be considered significant it must live by this simple arithmetical principle: others [several] comes before me [singular]. This is the very essence of selflessness. A significant leader will go out of their way to place others before themselves, when there is danger, even if it costs them everything to do so. The several over singular principle, is an absolute qualifier for significance. No other sign will more easily weed out the narcissists, self-promoters and blowhards that use the leadership platform as a masquerade for their own grift, greed and self-aggrandisement.
2. They retain the capacity for guilt and shame
Guilt and shame are in-built personal and social thermometers. They take the leadership temperature and restrain leaders from excess and delinquency. A significant leader tests their temperature at regular intervals and by so doing, know what lines not to cross and never get close to crossing them. For those leaders in pursuit of ‘success’ over significance, the first logs on the altar of personal ambition are guilt and shame. Both must be sacrificed as they make it easier even desirable, to comprise principles and values. For this reason, the inability to retain the capacity for guilt and shame is an absolute disqualifier.
3. They are always outlived by their ideas
A true leader does not have a survival instinct. In fact, the very idea of survival is anathema to them because survival speaks of self-preservation. For that reason, you will never find a leader of significance using terms like ‘indispensable’. They recognise that the ideas and values of leadership are always greater than those who champion them. Therefore, in the grand scheme of things, they see themselves as stewards and custodians rather than keepers and owners. They are content to accept the judgement of history knowing that their beliefs will ultimately sink or swim on their own merits.
4. They define the moments that would otherwise define them
A ‘defining moment’ is an event that makes the difference, incontrovertibly turns the tide and solidifies the outcome. A significant leader does not wait to be defined by moments, rather they define them. That is because, significance is active not passive posture. It is one that recognises the importance of first mover advantage. As required, it is disruptive, relentless and determined. Significant leaders abandon pastures, long before they become fallow, to cultivate and conquer fertile terrain. In doing so, they create a culture of ambition and aspiration in their wake.
5. They can tell the difference between a lie and the truth
Who knew? Initially, I did not want to include this sign as it seems so obvious. However, lying at the highest levels, has become so pervasive that I could not in all good conscience, exclude it from the list. Here’s the rub, a significant leader does not tell the truth because they know the difference between fact and falsehood, they do so because they understand that without truth there is no standard of accountability. Where there is no accountability, there is no way to arbiter between right and wrong. Worst of all, when you cannot tell the difference between right and wrong, every kind of evil is not just permissible and tolerable, it is desirable.
6. They eat leftovers
The idea of eating leftover is a largely alien concept within the corporate c-suite culture. In both real and figurative terms, those in leadership roles are often first to enjoy the trappings associated with the positions they occupy. What could possibly be wrong with that? Well, the point here is that ‘eating leftovers’ is symptomatic of a culture and pattern of behaviour where leaders actively look to privilege others over themselves. This is important because it ensures that leaders do not become intoxicated by their positions and see leadership as lordship.
7. They don’t perform for the camera
Over time, significance becomes a life you live and not a role that you perform. One of the easiest ways to know exactly who stands for what is when commitment and endurance are required, or discipline is called for. Everyone claims to be trustworthy until the requirements of trustworthiness are put to the test and the fault-lines of character are brutally exposed. So too it is with consistency, because significant leaders are not there for appearances or flashbulbs. You won’t find them doing things just when it is convenient, you will also find them doing them when it is not.
In closing, significance is not a euphemism for perfection. There are many leaders that I have worked with over the years, that I would happily describe as significant. However, none of them are perfect. Therefore, the intention of this blog is not to establish an unachievable high bar for those occupying leadership roles. Rather, it is to clearly define significance as that which transcends the ordinary and serves a purpose greater than itself. Doubtless others will define significance using other measures. That would be an interesting conversation to have. I am here for that.
