Leadership Fundamentals: Superhuman or Super Normal
Photo by Damir Kopezhanov on Unsplash
Superheroes are the embodiment of an ‘ideal type’ - we imagine what perfection would look like and then project that wishful thinking using our imagination (and a little CGI for the big screen) onto a divine like character. It is the psychological process of transference, where our imagined ideals become tangible representations of our hopes and dreams.
However, the folly of the human condition is that we routinely believe in the existence of the very thing we merely conjured abstractly in our mind. We then spend a lifetime searching for the non-existent ideal type, constantly allowing perfection to be the enemy of the good.
In reality, the superhero does not exist outside of the archetype in our minds and in the collective unconscious. It is an amalgam of the best qualities we wish we could coalesce into a functional whole. Expecting one mere mortal to possess all the ingredients for success is unrealistic, worse, it is impractical in an organizational setting.
Just the online noise alone on the subject of “leadership” is enough to make every mere mortal feel just a little more inadequate. That cultivated, curated fear is what sells an infinite number of courses, books, and workshops that essentially offer very little.
An effective organization has a range of skills divided amongst the entire team. No one person is required to possess all of it, but complimentary skill sets move the whole organization forward.
The four key skill areas that must exist across an organization for them to be high functioning are: technical , human , conceptual and cultural. Each of us possess these skills, but in wildly differing proportions. Thus, we build teams to incorporate all the organizational needs into a functional collective.
The technical domain relates to the specific and specialized skills required to perform a given job, function or service. It is built on the classic project management trifecta of time, scope and budget, contributing to the delivery of a unique product or service. This area may also include regulatory, logistical and legislative compliance - critical and highly technical areas that keep the organization operational.
The human domain relates to the less tangible capacity to organize and manage groups of people into a functional and cohesive unit. It take a a unique skill set to keep others motivated, performing and appropriate incentivized to coordinate their efforts towards a common purpose or objective. It shares the time and scope anchor of project management, but adds social capital to build its trifecta. Here we include individual preferences and personality types as well as the interpersonal experience required to connect either individually or with groups of people in order to focus them on common goals.
Conceptual skills reflect big picture, strategic activities. They require a well-rounded and balanced perspective about how the organization comes together as a whole, along with the freedom to innovate without constraint. These skills include the capacity for forecasting, analysis and experimentation. They relate to the ability to read trends on the periphery and recognize long term patterns that allow the organization to steer around constraints and impediments. This trifecta shares the budget and scope anchor of the technical domain, but adds values to the mix. It is what masterminds products and services from an architectural standpoint.
The cultural domain is light and agile, flitting seamlessly as needed and required to sort tactical challenges in the here and now for the organization. There is a style, elegance and creativity here that enables swift resolution to both conflict resolution and immediate problem-solving. This trifecta is built on scope, values and social capital.
And let’s face it: some leadership styles are better suited to certain organizations and certain points in time than others. You wouldn’t want Superman crashing through the ceiling to “save the day” unless you’ve completely screwed up and all else has failed. In an emergency, he’s your guy (that tactical intelligence we just talked about). - But even the superheroes have got a trope. They’re not everything to everybody all the time either (hence Justice LEAGUE etc). But enough of that. What’s a poor CEO to do?
At the very least have a plan. Consult on that plan, take feedback and suggestions from all levels. Be prepared to stand your ground on the resulting decision, deciseively defend it and take the consequences. Paradoxically, always be ready to change the plan. Be emotionally available, pragmatically flexible and cultivate a learner’s mindset.
Even Superman had to learn how to harness and control his strength. He had to break lots of stuff before he stopped breaking stuff.
So it is with us all: our unique strengths are also our weakness.
About the Authors:
Anna Garleff is the Founder of Garleff Coaching and Consulting Group. Her writing focuses on decades of experience as an organizational psychologist and her interactions with clients from around the world. This knowledge translates into informative blog articles, leadership tools, and stories that help frame the world of work. Anna continues to ghostwrite for KPMG, Deloitte and PwC - and for executives who want their ideas woven into communications with impact.
You can contact Anna using the Contact Us page of the website.
Neil Gonsalves is an Indian-born Canadian immigrant who grew up in Dubai, U.A.E. and moved to Canada in 1995. He is an Ontario college educator, a TEDx speaker, an author and columnist, and an advocate for new immigrant integration and viewpoint diversity.