Early in my career, I had a boss who had definite ideas about leadership. Ideas that were tied closely to authority and image. She was only a year older than me, but exuded an air of command which, I think in her mind, was synonymous with leadership. She dressed for success with her crisp suits adorned with little bowties, treated her employees as minions, and never admitted she was wrong. My boss also never lost her cool—I will say that much for her—but managed to infuriate me enough so that I lost mine. Frustrated and resentful of her domineering style, I followed the path of many development officers and jumped ship just before my 2-year work anniversary.
Should I blame my short tenure entirely on her? Of course not. I take responsibility for contributing to our fraught dynamic. Yet, looking back on our relationship, I am actually grateful to her because she showed me what I didn’t want in a boss. Lessons I could learn from should I someday be in a position to lead.
Now, when I reflect on those days, what strikes me is how we once defined leadership: power, authority, position, invulnerability. Over the decades, our definition has changed, and this Fast Company article offers 5 pillars of leadership, examples of just how far we’ve come. They include:
- Integrity: Past leaders weren’t questioned and didn’t account for their actions. Now, honesty and transparency are leadership essentials. They are necessary for building trust—a requirement for high-performance teams.
- Influence: Good leaders can articulate a clear vision, inspire others, and remove obstacles to succeed. They don’t work in isolation; in fact, they realize their success depends on their team.
- Agility: Gone are the days when employees were expected to bend to the will of their boss. Now, leaders must be open to change and learn how to pivot when necessary.
- Empathy: This is more than just relating to how another person feels. It involves understanding and valuing different perspectives, and being open and willing to try new ideas.
- Active self-awareness: Effective leaders not only understand their strengths but are aware of their blind spots. Great leaders use this insight to improve and continually evolve.
Leadership is changing. Dominance and invincibility have been replaced by compassion and adaptability. Good leaders take the long view and recognize that building trust and respecting others will result in happier workers and a more productive work environment.