Leaders Into Tomorrow

The essential tools for guiding today’s leaders into tomorrow. What Every LEADER LEADERShould Know

by Dr. Thomas Gordon of leadership. They feel, “I’ve made previously reacted to you as a peer it.” But in actuality, anyone who gets or friend suddenly have changed their a leadership position has not made it. attitude toward you. You’re “up there” Liz Carter was appointed operations It is just the beginning. and they’re now “below” you; they supervisor at her bank. At about “report to you”; you’re “in charge.” the same time, Wayne Howard was Being the Leader elected president of his service Doesn’t Make You One Even if you were brought in from club. Andrea Martin finally achieved the outside to be made the leader of her lifelong ambition of becoming After you get to be the leader of a your group, be prepared to encounter vice-president of sales at her group, you’re going to have to do a a wide range of unfavorable company. After six years as a first- lot to earn the acceptance of the responses—suspicion, distrust, line supervisor in a manufacturing group members and have an influence hostility, subservience, passive company, Eric Morrison was moved on their behavior. Even more resistance, insecurity. And don’t up to plant manager. Anna Vitale was important, receiving a leadership overlook the possibility that someone voted student body president at her title—supervisor, department head, might even like to see you fall flat on university. president, manager, or just plain your face in your new job! boss—soon brings unexpected Their friends congratulated them and disappointments and uninvited People come naturally to these built- told them how much they deserved problems. Undoubtedly you’ll see in patterns of negative responses; the new position. One phoned her evidence of jealousy on the part they learned them when they were husband and excitedly announced of some of your group members. children. The leader “inherits” each the good news. Another took his Others may show resentment group member’s “inner child of the family out for dinner to celebrate. because they didn’t get your job; in past.” For each of us has a past All felt proud of what they had their eyes you didn’t deserve the history of being a child, intimately achieved. Secretly, they all felt they position, they did. involved in multiple relationships had “arrived”, “made it up the ladder, with a variety of adults: parents, “got to the top.” Becoming a group’s leader almost grandparents, schoolteachers, inevitably brings about significant coaches, scout leaders, piano teachers, These are the universal reactions of changes in your relationships school principals, and of course the people who get appointed to position with group members. People who infamous assistant principal. All these

what every LEADER should know © Gordon Training International adults had power and authority How We Cope with you get much of a chance to earn over us when we were children, and Power and Authority the leadership of your group, in the most of them used it frequently. All eyes of the members you have a new children try out different behaviors Undoubtedly you identity—a potential controller and to cope with will recognize dominator. And even before you these authority most of the coping make any actual use of your authority figures. Some “Being the leader does mechanisms in the or power, group members are already of their coping not make you one because following list, and programmed and ready to cope with mechanisms it, using some combination of the leaders don’t automatically you’ll be tempted to prove effective, above coping mechanisms. get the respect and identify the particular some ineffective. ones you most often acceptance of their group Those that employed as a child, Certainly I don’t intend to discourage work get used member.” as well as those you anyone from aspiring to become a again and again, find yourself still leader. Rather, I want to be quite and so be- using as an adult: realistic about the unique dynamics come habitual that govern the relationship between responses to all other adults who try 1. Resistance, defiance, rebellion, leaders and group members. And to control and dominate them. negativism principally I want to underscore my 2. Resentment, anger, hostility thesis: being the leader does not These coping mechanisms are seldom 3. Aggression, retaliation, striking back, make you one, because leaders don’t discarded when children pass into ridiculing the authority figure automatically get the respect and adolescence or when they enter 4. Lying, hiding feelings acceptance of their group members; adulthood. They remain an integral 5. Blaming others, tattling, cheating so in order to earn the leadership part of the adult personality, to 6. Dominating, bossing, or bullying of their group and have a positive be called upon (or unconsciously those with less power influence on the group members, triggered) whenever s/he enters a 7. Needing to win, hating to lose, leaders must learn some specific skills relationship with someone holding perfectionism and methods. power or authority. So all adults in a 8. Forming alliances, organizing very real sense harbor an “inner child against the authority figure WHAT MAKES A LEADER? of the past” that strongly influences 9. Submission, obedience, compliance, how they react to leaders. subservience “Leaders are born, not made.” 10. Buttering up the authority That’s what most people thought, When thrust into each new figure, currying favor until social scientists began to make relationship with an authority figure, 11. Conformity, fear of trying leadership a legitimate subject for people naturally employ those same something new or creative, requiring intensive investigation, no more than coping mechanisms that were built prior assurance of success, 60 or 70 years ago. Back in the old in by habitual use throughout their dependence on days, when lifetime. This is why a new leader authority figure strong social inherits the inner child of the past of 12. Withdrawing, class barriers each of his or her group members. escaping, “All adults harbor an made it next Their particular coping mechanisms fantasizing, ‘inner child of the past’ to impossible are already present, ready to be regressing that strongly influences for just anyone used—the leader didn’t cause them 13. Getting sick how they react to to become to be there. Nevertheless, because 14. Crying a leader, it group members at first perceive most leaders.” appeared to leaders as probable controllers and Is it now more most people dominators, that’s the way they will clear why, when you that leadership respond to him or her, even though become a leader, you was inherited, the leader may have no intention of haven’t made it? In fact, it might be since leaders emerged so frequently using power and authority. said that you’ve had it! Even before within the same favored families. As

what every LEADeR should know © Gordon Training International class barriers crumbled and it became How Leaders Get them what they need or want. obvious that leaders were coming Followers from all strata of society, common It follows that a leader earns and sense told us that leadership was 1. To survive, every person is retains his or her role as a leader much more complex than being born engaged in a continuous struggle only if in the eyes of the group with the right genes or in the proper to satisfy needs or relieve members “following the leader” holds families. tension. out the promise that they will get their needs met. I have spent most If not the right combination of genes, 2. Some means is required to of my professional life identifying and then perhaps all leaders possess satisfy a need (tools, food, money, describing the critical attitudes, skills, certain traits or characteristics physical strength, knowledge, methods, and procedures required acquired through their upbringing etc.). to make this promise a reality. No or education. This notion started longer is it such a mystery how a search for the universal traits of 3. Most needs of individuals are certain persons become effective in leaders. But then hundreds of studies satisfied in relationships with earning and retaining leadership of showed no trait differences between people or groups, so people their groups and how others do not. leaders and non-leaders, which all but and groups become the means Through research and observation, killed the theory that leadership was we rely on most heavily for the social scientists have identified a product of certain attributes satisfaction of our needs. (We many of the critical requirements of residing within all leaders. do not grow effective leadership. It is my aim to our own food, organize this knowledge so that it is A major make our own more easily understandable to those breakthrough “No longer is it a mystery clothes, get our who aspire to become leaders and came when social how certain persons education by more available for their use. scientists began to become effective in ourselves, etc.). look at leadership THE LEADER’S DILEMMA as an interaction earning and retaining 4. People between leaders leadership of their groups actively seek Acquiring followers through meeting and their followers. and how they do not.” out those the needs of group members does After all, they relationships in not tell the whole story of effective reasoned, it is the which the other leadership. The other side of the coin follower who in the person is seen is that leaders must be successful in last analysis either accepts or rejects as having the means for satisfying getting their own needs satisfied. the influence of the leader. The key their needs. question became: why do followers People seldom seek leadership accept and why do they reject? What 5. People join groups, then, because positions solely to satisfy the needs of goes on in this interaction? they hope that membership group members. Leaders are human, will offer them the means too. And they have the usual human Obviously, you can’t be a leader for satisfying their needs. needs for status, achievement, higher without followers. You won’t for long Conversely, they leave groups pay, recognition, self-esteem, security, be a group leader without having when they no longer get their and acceptance—in fact, usually the group members who accept your needs satisfied. same needs as their group members. influence, guidance, and direction. But If they don’t find ways of satisfying how does a leader acquire followers? 6. Group members accept influence these needs in their leadership The answer to this basic question and direction of a leader only position, they will not want to remain emerges clearly when we understand if they regard him or her as a there very long. Even when leaders the needs all human beings possess person through whose means continue to tolerate a job long after and how they struggle to satisfy those they will get their needs satisfied. they find that many of their needs needs. Somewhat oversimplified, People follow (and permit their are not satisfied, they soon find the following explains how leaders activities to be directed by) a themselves incapable of putting forth acquire followers. leader whom they believe will get all the effort required to do what

what every LEADER should know © Gordon Training International they must do to ensure that their how to balance the needs from both B. skills to meet organizational group members’ needs are satisfied. directions, so as to be perceived as needs. effective by both bosses and group The explanation is obvious: people 1. Behavior that motivates productivity will continue to expend energy doing and the achievement of group goals. things that benefit others only if they feel they are receiving “reciprocal “People will continue 2. Behavior that helps members reach benefits.” There is always a limit to to expend energy doing goals: planning, scheduling, coordinating, problem-solving, one-way sharing of benefits in human things that benefit others relationships. You can think of this providing resources. principle in terms of “I’ll scratch your only if they feel they back if you scratch mine.” are receiving ‘reciprocal An effective leader cannot be benefits’.” only a “human relations specialist” The “full cup principle” is also at (meeting members’ needs) or only work here: to be able to continue a “productivity specialist” (meeting giving to others (letting them drink organizational needs). He or she must from my cup), I must have a full cup members. As anyone knows who be both. Even more important, the and find ways of replenishing myself has worked in a formal organization, effective leader must also acquire (keeping my cup relatively full). this is not an easy task, because the flexibility or sensitivity to know The importance of this principle organizational needs are primarily when and where to employ these is well understood by professional for increased productivity and quite diverse skills to achieve mutual helping agents who find their own efficiency, while the group members’ satisfaction of the needs of group helping capabilities seriously reduced needs are for higher pay, recognition, members and the needs of the leader. when they experience troubles achievement, respect, and the like. and need-deprivations in their C. Skills to resolve conflicts own personal lives. This is why so An Effective Leader is so that the needs of both many professional therapists find Both Task-Centered parties are met. it necessary to retain their own and People-Centered therapists to keep their professional Finally, the effective leader must cup relatively full. Numerous studies of leadership in learn skills to resolve the inevitable hierarchical organizations strongly conflicts that arise between these Then, too, one of the strongest needs indicate that effective leaders need two competing sources of needs. of all leaders operating in an organ- one set of skills to meet their own izational setting is to look good in needs (and those of their bosses WHAT PEOPLE NEED the eyes of their own bosses. True, a for productivity and efficiency) and FROM THEIR GROUP leader’s self-esteem is derived largely another set of quite different skills to from inputs and evaluations of his satisfy the needs of group members. Leaders of groups earn their or her bosses. And more important, positions of leadership by doing unless leaders meet the expectations I’ll describe these skills in very things that, in the eyes of the and objectives of their bosses (are general terms: members, make their hopes come perceived as effective in helping the true that their needs will be satisfied. organization reach its goals), they will A. skills to meet group Let me stress again: you can’t be a be under the threat of being demoted members’ needs. leader without having group members. or terminated. And group members will accept your 1. Behavior that increases group direction and influence only if you Consequently, leaders working within members’ self-esteem and personal help them get their needs satisfied. a formal organization are caught in worth. a dilemma—they must meet the It sounds simple enough, but first needs of the organization, as well 2. Behavior that increases group leaders must learn exactly what their as satisfy the needs of their group cohesiveness and team spirit. group members need. Only then can members. The trick lies in learning they decide what to do to satisfy

what every LEADeR should know © Gordon Training International those needs in exchange for the of human needs to an individual: needs are of great importance to members’ performing certain services physiological, safety, acceptance, leaders. or functions for the organization. esteem, and self-actualization. This equitable exchange is the key to 1. Groups and organizations do not leadership. The Level I needs, such as thirst, always provide opportunities for hunger, and warmth, are the their members to satisfy Level What do most important (or IV and Level V needs, especially people need “prepotent”), for they for people at lower levels whose from their must be predominantly jobs are quite rigidly defined group? Early “An effective leader satisfied before a person or routine, whose activities are scientific cannot be only a ‘human will be motivated to almost totally controlled, and management relations specialist’ try to satisfy the needs whose freedom for personal specialists or only a ‘productivity at the next level. The direction, making decisions, and thought that specialist.’ He or she Level II needs (security taking initiative are very limited. individuals and safety) must be worked must be both. predominantly satisfied 2. When leaders exercise arbitrary primarily before a person will power, group members may feel for personal be motivated to seek afraid of censure or continually financial gain. This is the economic satisfaction for the higher-level feel insecure in their jobs. With theory. Later research conclusively needs, and so on up the pyramid. their security and safety needs demonstrated that people need much For example, a primitive man who is not satisfied, they are thus more from their groups—among hungry will be highly motivated to stuck at Level II, unmotivated other things, the acceptance of other stalk a wild animal to obtain food, to achieve and meet their members, a feeling of achievement even risking his life (ignoring safety social needs and their need for and accomplishment, social and security needs). After killing the competence and self-esteem. interaction with other members, and animal and eating what he needs the opportunity to achieve social and now motivated to satisfy his 3. Different group members may status from participating in the group. security needs, he may cure the be operating at different need remaining meat and store it for future levels at the same time or in the It is therefore much more accurate consumption (safety and security same situation. For example, in a to think of socioeconomic theory needs). When plenty is stored away, meeting, one group member may a concept that acknowledges he then might think of asking friends be tired (Level I); another may that leaders have a wide range of to come over and share his food want the group to get something incentives to offer group members to (needs for acceptance and social accomplished (Level IV); still attract them to the group. To retain interaction). When those needs are others may be talking and joking them in the group as productive met, he may decide to experiment with each other (Level III). group members, effective leaders with a new and more flavorful way must satisfy more than simply the of preparing his food (needs for financial needs of their people. achievement, self-esteem). Finally, if those needs are reasonably Self- Satisfaction Maslow’s Theory satisfied he might decide to Actualization About Needs paint pictures of the animals he has killed on the walls Esteem Success A useful way of describing the needs of his cave (need for of people is in the form of a hierarchy self-actualization). Acceptance Social with several different levels. The pioneering psychologist, Abraham The implications Maslow, constructed a five-tiered of Maslow’s Safety Security pyramid that represents the relative theory of importance of five different kinds hierarchical Physiological Survival

what every LEADER should know © Gordon Training International 4. Level I and Level II needs are to satisfy their social and Acting as providers of need seldom very potent motivators interactional needs (Level III), satisfaction (“satisfiers”) were: in an affluent society because their needs for self-esteem and group members already status in the organization (Level 1. Achievement are getting most of their IV) and on occasion their needs 2. Recognition physiological needs satisfied for self-actualization and self- 3. The work itself (minimum wage laws) and are development (Level V). 4. Responsibility often free of the insecurity 5. Advancement of being fired (protection of unions). This is why it seldom The absence of the dissatisfiers works when leaders try to “Group members will seldom produced satisfaction—for motivate or control group accept your direction and example, good working conditions members by using warnings or influence only if you help seldom produced feelings of threats of being fired. them get their needs satisfaction. However, poor working conditions did produce feelings of 5. If workers have little opportunity satisfied.” dissatisfaction. But only the presence to satisfy their needs at Levels of the satisfiers (achievement, III, IV and V on the job, they will recognition, etc.) brought feelings of seek opportunities off the job Herzberg’s Theory of satisfaction. to satisfy their needs for social Motivation interaction, achievement and These studies strongly suggest—and self-actualization (through sports, A refinement of Maslow’s concept this is extremely important to hobbies, etc.) This is why many provides leaders with even more leaders—that for group members people put forth only just enough insight into the needs of group to feel motivated toward high energy to keep their jobs and members. It is the two-factor theory productivity and be satisfied in receive their pay; in addition, they of motivation developed from the their jobs, the work itself must be feel alienated from or uninvolved research of Frederick Herzberg. He rewarding. The job must provide in the organization. collected evidence of two relatively opportunity for growth, responsibility, independent factors: (1) certain recognition, and advancement. These 6. To be motivated toward high factors operating in a work group requirements sound very much like achievement and accomplishment situation act as obstacles to need Maslow’s Level III, IV, and V needs, and (Level IV), members need leaders satisfaction and become irritants, so provide further support for my who already have seen to it that or “dissatisfiers,” (2) other factors earlier assertion that the effective (a) they receive a wage that are viewed as providers of need leader needs to learn well the skills seems equitable, (b) they have a satisfaction and become gratifiers of and methods that enable group feeling of job security, and (c) the needs, or “satisfiers.” members to meet their highest- group provides them opportunity level needs—self-esteem from for social interaction, friendship Acting as obstacles to need achievement on the job and from the and a feeling of being understood satisfaction (“dissatisfiers”) were: recognition of that achievement, as and accepted (Levels I, II and III well as self-actualization (the feeling needs are being satisfied). 1. Poor interpersonal relationships with of utilizing one’s potential). superiors. 7. One of the principal benefits to 2. Poor interpersonal relationships with Myers’ Motivation members from having a leader peers. Theory who makes it possible for them 3. Inadequate technical supervision. to participate in group problem- 4. Poor company policies and Comparable findings to those of solving and decision-making is administration. Herzberg were obtained in a six- that such activity gives them 5. Poor working conditions. year study of motivation conducted a great deal of opportunity 6. Problems in workers’ personal lives. by M. Scott Myers, then an industrial psychologist at Texas Instruments.

what every LEADeR should know © Gordon Training International The results were summarized in the group leader as facilitating problem The organization I founded, Gordon Harvard Business Review as follows: solving and conflict resolution. Training International, offers intensive, Groups need a leader to see to it in-depth Leader Effectiveness Training What motivates employees to work that their problems and conflicts (L.E.T.) workshops where leaders can effectively? A challenging job which get solved. One could make the learn these essential skills. allows a feeling of achievement, case that a completely problem-free responsibility, growth, advancement, work group would not even need For further information on L.E.T. and enjoyment of work itself, and a leader—at least not very often. Gordon Training International, please earned recognition. If a group could always function see the next page or check out our efficiently and productively so that its website at www.gordontraining.com What dissatisfies workers? Mostly members always experienced a sense factors which are peripheral to of achievement, group cohesion, high the job-work rules, lighting, coffee self-esteem and personal worth, breaks, titles, seniority rights, wages, obviously there would be little need fringe benefits, and the like. for a supervisor. Only when groups have problems and conflicts do they When do workers become sorely need leaders. That is, when dissatisfied? When opportunities the members are having problems for meaningful achievement are getting their needs met; when the eliminated and they become group is causing the leader a problem sensitized to their environment and because it is failing to attain the goals begin to find fault. of the organization; or there are unresolved interpersonal conflicts Myers, like Herzberg, identified the that interfere with the group’s ability same two kinds of employee needs to work together collaboratively and that supervisors must satisfy, but productively. named them Motivation Needs, which are task-centered, and Maintenance EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP Needs, which are relatively peripheral REQUIRES SPECIFIC to the work itself. RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

Myers’ study offers further validation It is clearly evident that an effective of the point I have been emphasizing leader must be both a “productivity all along, namely: the effective specialist” (meeting the organization’s supervisor must have the skills of a needs) and a “human relations task specialist (skills of planning and specialist” (meeting members’ needs organizing work) as well as the skills and facilitating conflict resolution). of a human relations specialist (skills One without the other does not of identifying and solving sources work. of member dissatisfaction). The effective leader is task-centered and We now know the specific people-centered. Group members communication and conflict want to be on a winning team, but resolution skills that a leader never at the expense of injuries to needs to become an effective their self-worth or self-respect. human relations specialist—one that encourages cooperation, THE LEADER AS A collaboration, collegiality, co- PROBLEM-SOLVER determination.

It has also been helpful to me to think of the principal function of a