You Just Never Know Where you are Going to Learn about Leadership….

While waiting for a flight, I was browsing the magazine offerings in departures when I noticed a magazine called Scientific American Mind. This magazine had a number of interesting articles, including an article by Stephen D. Reciher, S. Alexander Haslam and Michael J. Platow entitled The New Psychology of Leadership. Given the incredible depth in which leadership is covered today, it is helpful to have the definition of Leadership that is being referenced. The authors’ reference to leadership is defined as ‘the ability to motivate people to act in concert – something that requires an internalized social identity.’

The authors challenge the notion that charisma, intelligence and other personality traits are the key ingredients to being recognized as an effective leader. The authors suggest that an entirely new framework of leadership exists. This framework is anchored by the notion that effective leaders must strive to comprehend the values and opinions of those that they lead. This approach represents a much greater emphasis on a collaborative/cooperative model rather than the ‘command and control’ leader focus.

This new approach resists the temptation to try and hold out fixed personality traits as an assurance of good leadership. It is the authors’ position that that the traits required will be dictated by the make up of the group(s) that is being led. Rather than relying on matching the perfect leader with the right challenge (or opportunity), the successful leader will be one that has the genuine ability to be recognized as a true team member that shares the same interests as the group they serve.

The article references the concept of the ‘social identity’ (a term that was minted by Henri Tajfel of the University of Bristol in the 1970’s during his work on groups) as an important component of the new psychology of leadership. Tajfel defined social identity as the part of a person’s self that is defined by a group. This allows people to identify and act together as a group. The authors state that leaders and followers must be connected by a shared identity and a plan to utilize that identity as a strategy for action.

Issues such as favoritism and high salaries (examples of things that can set the leaders apart from the group) can quickly derail the effectiveness of the leader. Failing to treat subordinates with respect will undermine the leader’s influence and credibility.

How to Lead
 A new psychology of leadership suggests that effective leaders must understand the values and opinions of their followers – rather than assuming absolute authority – to enable a productive dialogue with team members about what the group stands for and thus how it should act.
 According to this new approach, no fixed set of personality traits can assure good leadership because the most desirable traits depend on the nature of the group being led.

 Leaders who adopt this strategy must try not only to fit in with their group but also to shape the group’s identity in a way that makes their own agenda and policies appear to be an expression of that identity.