Sustainable Leadership: The Problem with Iconic Leaders

    Work is going great at your company.  Everyone is getting his or her jobs done swiftly and effectively and the boss man has a solid hold on the situation.  Then, boss man gets sick, or wants to retire.  What is a company to do then?  They (board of directors) have not groomed anybody to take boss man’s place, thinking he would last forever.  But forever is impossible.  So what should the company do?
    Many organizations are having problems just like this.  Apple is unsure of Steve Jobs health, and cannot seem to even think of an individual who can replace him.  Their tactic is to ignore the issue in hopes that Jobs will get better.  Becoming an iconic leader takes a lot of hard work and respect.  Jobs is innovative and charismatic.  From what I can gather, he helped sky rocket Apple Corporation into a technology guru.  Apple comes out with many new gadgets first, of which is followed down the line of organizations hoping to cash in on the success.
    From what we have studied in class, iconic leaders are few and far between (granted we did not talk specifically about iconic leaders per se, but we mentioned a few and their impact on the business world).  The article discusses ways that organizations can be prepared for a situation where their main leader, for someone reason, does not return to work.  Edward Lawler, the author, suggests that all companies install a sustainable leadership model.  The best way to describe the model is to say that it puts many responsibilities of the organization in many hands as opposed to putting them in the hands of one.  This way the company is grooming future employees to potentially take over some day.  Edwards makes a good point, noting that, “When leadership is shared, people throughout the organization take advantage of leadership moments to influence the direction of the corporation.”  This shared leadership approach lets other individuals in the organization step up to the plate and take a crack at helping to run an organization.  Examples of successful shared leadership approaches include Bill Gates and Microsoft as well as Herb Kellehe at Southwest Airlines.  Each of these companies has had continued success with their leader turnaround.
    Why is it so difficult to replace an iconic leader?  One could say, that because of what they have done for their company and their success while working at that company is irreplaceable.  However at some point, a replacement or shift does happen.  Looking at what makes a good leader could help with this situation.  However, let it be noted, that each company is different and works differently, so a different minded leader works in different situations. 
The book for class mentions four traits that have been studied that make for a good leader and are what could be a starting point for organizations to look for when trying to find that new iconic leader.  They include; intelligence, personality, self-esteem, and integrity.  One would guess that you would have to be highly intelligent with an open and extraverted personality, have a good self-esteem and have some kind of a moral compass, to be a successful leader.  Okay, yes this is somewhat the case, however there is more to it than that.  Although intelligence is a factor in being successful, the book notes that a paper and pencil IQ test has shown that individuals tend to have weaker IQs then what they portray or are being perceived as.  And though mental abilities are important, sometimes, emotional abilities are just as critical.  The balance between the two is what makes for a solid leader.
When we refer to personality, we are referring to the Big 5 Personality Traits.  They include; openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.  It has been highly studied that extraverted individuals make for the best leaders.  They are sociable and assertive.  To go along with that it has been found that conscientious individuals make for good leaders as well, because they are organized, take initiative and are persistent in their endeavors.  Something to be aware of when hiring for a leadership position is agreeableness.  Those who tend to agree with everything show that they may not have an idea of their own or that they may not care.   These individuals are the ones you may see being used and being pushed over because they are too trusting and kind.  It could be difficult to determine the type of leader an individual will be with just one meeting, but during that meeting looking for these qualities in an individual are important to the well being and future success of an organization.
Lastly we have self-esteem and integrity.  Those individuals who are comfortable with who they are and how they work and believe in their own worth is someone most companies want working for them.  Those with high self-esteem are more confident in their decisions and are more then likely to portray charisma in their leadership approach.  A lot can be said for charisma being a key component for success and employees willingness to follow.  Steve Jobs charisma inspires an organization beyond everyday thought, and his motivation and belief in the organization gets passed down through its employees.  Those individuals, who are honest and work to follow a moral compass, tend to have only the best outlook for an organization.  They work hard to see the company succeed and are not afraid of asking questions. 
When looking for new leaders, as the article suggests, it could be easier to breed them yourselves.  Letting others take over some leadership situations will help to maintain the group dynamic of the organization.  Although this is true, something can be said for bringing in a new person, an outsider with an unbiased look at the organization who may have a slue of ideas.  It’s getting that individual to meld with the rest of the organization that becomes the tricky part.  Everyone who has ever been a leader works in his or her own way.  It’s finding that one individual who can mesh with your company, that makes the hiring process that much more daunting, and although daunting, could make your company that much more successful in the future.

Angela Minichiello

article: http://blogs.forbes.com/edwardlawler/2011/04/18/sustainable-leadership-the-problem-with-iconic-leaders/