Poetry, Prose, and Leadership

The stereotype of the effective leader invariably includes two qualities: charismatic and articulate.

This can be as harmful as it is inaccurate. Charismatic leaders often weaken organizations by inadvertently encouraging dependency. The associates may be so taken by their leader's charisma that they suspend or withhold judgment and ideas; choosing instead to defer to the leader's guidance. Some workplaces would fall apart if the "bold leader" were to disappear. The leader may have been very successful in various responsibilities but failed hugely to develop the team.

The idea that leaders must be articulate ignores the impact of other qualities such as character, courage, humility, energy, insight, wisdom, caring, and persistence. These swirl about in various amounts and combinations. A leader who may be very effective in one situation can turn into a fumbler in another and the ability to speak well may or may not be crucial. Furthermore, an inarticulate leader may compensate for the weakness by developing strengths in other areas that would be otherwise neglected if words came easily.

Leadership is poetry, not prose. Two leaders may have the same characteristics, to slightly varying degrees, and that small difference may make all the difference in the world.