by Capt. Joe Ahlers
97th Air Mobility Wing Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
When you look up a few quotes on leadership, common themes
develop: leaders are visionary. Leaders show the way and guide those underneath
them to success. Leaders take the helm, they steer the ship and they set the
example. For lack of a better word, leaders…lead.
But just as, if not more, important to developing as a
leader is learning to empower subordinates to take on leadership roles of their
own. As impressive as one person’s credentials may be, they cannot alone be the
stone on which a successful organization is built. Successful leaders know this
and they cultivate strong leadership skills among their followers by harnessing
a vital but difficult to master personal skill: deference. Deference means
showing respect or yielding to an idea, person, or organization not of one’s
own. Deference is not easy; leaders must make tough decisions and supporting a
subordinate’s ideas or methods is difficult when the leader knows that they
will bear the responsibility if things go wrong. Yet, a leader who defers to
their subordinates when appropriate will have followers who are more invested
in their work, produce better results, and are more dedicated to the greater
success of the organization.
leadership
Take for example two supervisors, Jack and Susan. Jack dictates
exactly what each person in an office project will work on and how they should
carry out their tasks; he spends significant time re-working memorandums from
his subordinates to conform to his style of writing and carefully scrutinizes
the most minor decisions within his organization. Jack’s employees know they
are merely at work to fulfill Jack’s task listing and do not make efforts to go
above and beyond as doing so has little payoff in Jack’s eyes.
Susan, on the other hand, provides her employees a framework
for office tasks but gives them latitude to explore and develop their own
solutions. Susan ensures work product is accurate and sets general guidelines
but believes it is important that a subordinate’s work carry its own voice and
not simply her style or way of doing things. Susan ultimately makes the final
decision but her employees see that she genuinely considers their viewpoints
and trusts them as professionals. Susan’s subordinates are more confident and
enthusiastic in their daily work and take pride in ensuring they take charge of
their job functions regardless of their prominence.
Deference in leadership is easily applicable in the
military. Even tasks guided by layers of regulation provide opportunities for
leeway in how to accomplish daily tasks. Effective leaders nurture leadership
at every level and encourage subordinates to become the expert and take
responsibility for their work. If a written memorandum is wrong, fix it, but
leave some room for the subordinate to use their own style; supervisors can
ensure work is in the proper form and promote an employee’s confidence by
deferring to their personal style. Provide subordinates a framework for how to
accomplish a task and see what they come up with; you might be surprised to see
a new way of doing things and you’ll drive the employee to work harder to
impress.
In many ways, we are all leaders; we have raised our hands
to guide the defense of the nation in whatever way we’re asked. But in daily
life, leadership is much more than managing a task or directing a project; it’s
about promoting a environment in which those who follow you do so not because
they have to but because they desperately want to impress you and improve your
organization. A true leader knows that empowering the skills and abilities of
those who follow them means promoting the ideas of not just themselves, but all
individuals who make up a successful team.
What kind of leader are you? What’s your leadership style?
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