TL;DR - it's lessons from, not convert into
Leadership in the US is often depicted as steadfast, unwavering, masculine, strong, loud, and confident.
If it was that simplistic, there would be nearly zero books or research about leadership. Every book would be about looking like a successful leader rather than being an effective leader.
Thankfully, there's no singular pattern for how leaders can be effective. People with very different personalities can be successful leading teams and organizations. This is in the context of the wide array of needs placed on leaders and how they're expected to behave.
Many people have expectations of leaders. The various traits we think we need in leaders can seem at odds with each other:
be strong and flexible
take up space, but don't take over space
have answers and ask questions
take charge and delegate
How can a leader fit all of these needs, make decisions, and maintain their sanity?
Take some lessons from the sapling.
A fierce wind or even physical strike might injure the sapling, but unlikely the tree will break. This is due to the flexibility of the tree. A larger, more rigid tree, could break or show significant damage in similar situations. An effective leader has the ability to be flexible while...
Retaining one's roots. Even when subjected to an outside force, the sapling might waver and wiggle, but the root system stays intact. Some trees in warm damp climates might uproot in a strong wind because the root systems are shallow in the ground. An effective leader might have to flex and bend, but not break and not leave their moral, ethical, and fundamental roots.
No one mistakes the sapling for anything other than a tree. It's not a goat. Not a species of grass. Not a pile of clay. Not a snowflake. The sapling is clearly a tree and will become a bigger tree. An effective leader has the humility of knowing they're not everyone's cup of tea, with the confidence of knowing they are where they're meant to be.
This is where the metaphor breaks...
A leader taking lessons from a sapling cannot aspire to be more like the rigid tree. If they do, they risk becoming the type of leader that breaks under pressure even with a very strong appearance. This can be interpreted as "my way or the highway" which might work for a while, but could lead to an exploration of gainful employment in a new and exciting company.
Leaders who retain their ethical roots, demonstrate humility, behave nimbly with crises and decision-making will sustain effective teams and create a positive workplace culture.
Photo by Loïc Fürhoff on Unsplash
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