In my work with various client organizations and others, a re-occurring question raised (usually by senior leaders or owners) is the ‘difference between effective leaders’. In fact, it is not uncommon for current generation emerging and younger leaders to view older leaders as less effective than expected. We’ve found that is often due to younger leaders’ focus on leadership success versus effectiveness. So what’s the difference and why is it important?
Successful leaders (and people), regardless of age, are those with an impressive ‘win-loss’ record, who achieve their goals, have a significant impact while in their position(s), and focus on the personal consequence of their decisions and actions for themselves first and foremost. Effective leaders, by contrast, amass an impressive ‘win-loss’ record for both themselves and especially those they lead, demonstrate consistent commitment to achieving goals and in ways aligned with achieving their organization’s purpose and principles, focus on the consequences of their decisions and actions for all of their organization’s key stakeholder groups, and have both a significant impact during and after their time in their position(s). Suffice it to say that there are a lot more successful leaders than effective ones, who are a sub-set that succeed in the extraordinary ways just described.
Effective younger leaders who are more effective than older one
Those effective older leaders who are more so than younger generation ones are differentiated by their more refined focus on a select few key priorities, related appropriate resourcing practices, and perspective that puts both problems and opportunities in a more comprehensive context or perspective that is best described as “wisdom”–not just knowledge, skills, intelligence, or drive!s are typically more open to change and improvements, proactive—not limited by past or current practices, patterns, or competencies, and demonstrate an impressive drive characterized by speed, energy, and determined effort for breakthrough advances, including new frontiers for greater business success.
THE question then is whether younger leaders, too, can have (or gain) wisdom? In my experience as well as review of leadership and performance research, I’ve found that while possible, “being wise” at a young age is highly unusual. We are talking about numbers like no more than 5% of all younger leaders. However, the great news is that younger leaders have perhaps never had as much opportunity to develop their effectiveness, including this desirable personal quality of ‘wisdom.’ Here are three common ways that I’ve seen it done that anyone can capitalize on if so motivated: 1) mentoring by those older effective leaders who have this quality, 2) continuously learning from others through collaboration with them, and 3) putting others first in focusing on how we all win (not a me first leadership pattern).
