In one of my previous articles, I mentioned that leadership is a position, not a person. However, leaders are human beings driven by their motives and, to a certain extent, controlled by their emotions. Researchers have identified three types of leaders: Asserters, Affirmers, and Achievers. These can be considered as three levels or phases of the leadership development process.
Asserters need power, are decisive risk-takers, and tend to be skeptical and slow to trust others.
Affirmers highly value affiliation and prioritise interpersonal relationships over results and outcomes.
Achievers are well-organised, highly appreciate expertise and competence, and are driven by success, improvement, and accomplishment.
All three types mentioned above transform when their leadership shadow is triggered. This concept refers to the transformation of positive traits into negative, dysfunctional, and destructive ones under stress. The shadow is the dark part of each person where rage, lust, anger, greed, jealousy, passion, and creativity are triggered. Leaders, like anyone else, may react with angry denial when someone points out a shadow trait in them, even if it is clearly noticeable. Leaders generally face three fears: the fear of betrayal, the fear of rejection, and the fear of failure, each respectively related to the three types of leaders mentioned above.
When you, as a follower, notice hostile, unjustifiable, unclear, or unusual behaviour from your leader, it is likely that their leadership shadow has been triggered. Engaged followers focus on the goals set and tasks assigned to them. Once you succeed in identifying your leader’s type, it becomes easier for you to help them dismiss their shadow, regain their regular conscious mind, and refocus on business goals.
Followers can play a crucial role in fuelling their leader’s motivation by spreading positive emotions, which increase the leader’s sense of control over pursuing their goals, driving them towards goal completion and overcoming obstacles. Demonstrating extreme passion can directly impact the effort leaders put forth. Similarly, when followers respect internal rules and policies, leaders can focus on developing leadership capacity rather than enforcing policy compliance. Followers should strive to eliminate barriers to motivation, helping to develop leadership and build resiliency in the face of obstacles.
Followers can assist by participating in 360-degree assessments to pinpoint blind spots and potential skill gaps. They can also help identify specific business goals and expectations; channelling efforts based on information collected from the assessment process. Assisting leaders in creating a road-map that details how to pursue the identified goals is also invaluable.
Never underestimate your contribution as a follower in enhancing your leader’s effectiveness, which, in turn, reflects on your performance and that of the team. In the end, companies should stop complaining about the lack of available qualified leaders and recognise the importance of motivational components that fuel long-term development.
Dr. Youssef Lamaa
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