Abstract Summary
The current paper is a summary of McCrimmon’s article, “Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership” and Goleman’s article, “What Makes a Leader?” In the article, “What makes a leader?” Goleman identified emotional intelligence as one of the outstanding characteristics of effective leaders. His study involved an evaluation of nearly 200 companies worldwide, in which the research findings revealed emotional intelligence as an essential component of leadership.
The author identifies five individual elements of emotional intelligence, such as self-awareness, empathy, social skills, self-regulation, and motivation. All these components are important factors in gauging the emotional intelligence of a leader. In his article, “ Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership”, McCrimmon (2005) endeavors to distinguish between thought leadership and positional leadership, in that it involves the championing of revolutionary ideas, something that positional leadership has not been able to achieve.
Thought leadership allows new ideas to be derived from both managers and non-managerial employees at any level in the organization. It shows the difference between distributed leadership in that any person in the organization can implement new innovative ideas, and manage their implementations to process improvements in the organization. McCrimmon (2005) has also explored a number of the basic characteristics of thought leadership, such as the promotion of new ideas whether by logical argument, example, or factual demonstration. Thought leadership changes the thought pattern but may not always lead to action.
Out of the two articles, Goleman’s article appears more convincing mainly because he has provided a more structured leadership theory that can be used universally in any organization, whereas McCrimmon’s theory is best suited for a business that focuses on new innovations. His theory centers around ideas on the types of characteristics a strong effective leader needs in order to be a successful leader in an organization. Goleman’s, the theory of emotional intelligence, not only suggest leaders first get an understanding of their strongest or weakest points, but then, apply those findings to become a more proficient leader. Therefore, the latter may bring about innovation and change in an organization.
Summary: “Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership” by McCrimmon
In his article, “Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership”, McCrimmon (2005) explains the issue of thought leadership and attempts to compare it with distribution leadership. He contends that thought leadership entails the championing of novel ideas, as opposed to assisting a group to attain a goal or managing people (McCrimmon, 2005).
In order to achieve the objective of the study, the author has deemed it necessary to undertake a conceptual comparison to distribute leadership versus informal leadership, that takes charge despite having formal authority. The author further contends that thought leadership is by far more important in comparison with either shared or distributed leadership because it allows more room for innovations. Thought leadership is therefore a purer type of leadership as opposed to distributed or shared leadership.
Characteristics of Thought Leadership
Some of the fundamental characteristics of thought leadership include the promotion of novel ideas whether either through logical argument, for example, inspiring appeal, or factual demonstration (McCrimmon, 2005). Despite the fact that leaders are not in a position to make any decisions; they are the revolutionaries who call for improvement and also “challenge the status quo” (McCrimmon, 2005).
They do not have to get involved in task execution or in managing people in order to demonstrate this kind of leadership. Thus, McCrimmon (2005) defines thought leadership as the power of ideas to change our thinking pattern. Simply put, thought leadership is the championing of novel ideas upwards to superiors or laterally to peers. Although thought leadership is derived from innovation, nonetheless, the two are not actually identical. Whereas there are some thought leaders who are innovative, others lack personal creativity but are, nonetheless, early adopters of novel technology.
Thought Leadership in Action
Some examples of thought leadership can be seen at any level, upwards to superiors, or laterally to peers. For instance, an upward novel idea can be seen when a sales employee at a very busy coffee shop, decides to hand out menus as the customers wait in line. Also, while customers are waiting, (with permission) she uses a hand massager, being promo at the front counter, to massage the customer’s backs.
The manager sees this reduces the customer wait, reduces walkouts, and enhances the sale of promo items. Now, it is something that is implemented on a regular basis for customers waiting in line. Thought leadership can also be lateral to peers. For example, a high-speed sales clerk that gives great customer service, and shows by example how to serve customers better McCrimmon (2005).
However there are situations that do involve managerial approval, but the idea is suggested and implemented by an employee. For example, when working as a manager at Sallys Beauty Supply, I suggested that high–end valued items to be placed on display hooks, with hard to remove stoppers, instead of customers freely removing the items. This would cause the customer to ask for assistance. It was later adopted throughout the district. It significantly reduced shrinkage. It was approved by the district manager and was mandatory for all stores in my district to display items in that manner.
Conclusion
Moreover, thought leadership offers both non-managerial and managerial employees the opportunity to express better innovative ways, to make day-to-day tasks easier and more efficient. Unlike shared leadership, thought leadership expresses the value of employee suggestions, and empowers them the right to implement the ideas. These factors create a less stressful environment, which invites the realms of free-flowing creativity.
Thought leadership challenges the status quo because it is mainly concerned with promoting novel ideas. Organizations that rely on constant innovation and continuous innovation for prosperity may want to pursue thought leadership as a fundamental form of distributed leadership (McCrimmon, 2005). There is a need therefore for managers to manage themselves, as opposed to simply empowering employees. Thought leadership captures the constant innovation within an organization that is crucial for its success.
Summary: “What Makes a Leader?” by Goleman
Goleman’s article, ‘What Makes a Leader?’ talks of how effective leaders are characterized by a high degree of emotional intelligence. Goleman (2004) undertook a study that involved almost 200 global companies and in the research findings, it merged that emotional intelligence, as opposed to technical skills and IQ, is an essential component of leadership. In the absence of emotional intelligence, an individual could be blessed with an incisive mind, first-class training as well as a constant flow of noble ideas, but still, he shall not turn out to be a great leader. Goleman (2004) has further expounded on the individual components of emotional intelligence like self-awareness, empathy, self-regulation, social skills, and motivation. In a bid to explore the concept of emotional intelligence, Goleman evaluated competency models from some 188 different companies.
The aim of this work was to verify those personal capabilities that enabled firms to achieve outstanding achievement, as well as their degree of influence. Goleman (2004) categorized capabilities into cognitive abilities purely technical skills and competencies that showed emotional intelligence. Upon analyzing the data, it emerged that emotional intelligence was twice as vital as the other components being analyzed at various levels. The research further indicated that emotional intelligence was vital even at the highest levels within an organization where variations in technical skills are rarely regarded as important.
Goleman (2004) has further expounded on five individual components of emotional intelligence like self- awareness, self-regulation, social skills and motivation. He concludes that these characteristics that make a strong effective leader.
Components of Emotional Intelligence
Self-awareness
According to the author, self- awareness involves the understanding of an individual regarding his or her goals and values. Such people talk candidly about their emotions and how they may affect their work. Self-regulation helps us to control our emotions when faced with difficult situations. People with self-control manage change better, such as new innovation, mergers, and technological changes. Effective leaders are motivated more by external rewards to achieve more than expected. A leader with empathy is able to selflessly consider the feelings of employees and other associated factors when making intelligent decision. With regard to emotional intelligence, social skill is the ability to move people towards the desired direction, such as the adoption of a new market strategy.
Critique
Out of the two articles, the arguments put forth by Goleman are more convincing. To begin with, the author has provided a detailed comparison analysis between emotional intelligence with IQ intelligence. For example, a manager with high intelligence quotinet does not mean that he is a great leader. This is because emotional intelligence plays an integral role in shaping the mannerism, the ability and the way to make decisive decisions in a more effective way.
The article gives the reader a wider view on the issue of leadership from a psychological perspective. In addition, he lists the five psychological characteristics of a great leader. A definition of each of elements/characteristics and offers illustrative examples for easy understanding. Furthermore, the author is able to bring a new view of leadership that great leaders and indeed born than being made. Based on the authors’ analysis, most of the effective leaders are bound to posses the five indentified characteristics.
For example, an effective leader is able to restrain disruptive moods and impulses in the workplace. Simply put an effective leader can self regulate him/herself. Another example is that a leader is able to know not only his emotions but even those of employees. As a result, the working place becomes a better and productive place.
In the current business environment characterized by high levels of competition, the article expounds how more humanistic approaches can be applied to restrain some of the common problems in organizations. In addition, the components described in the article are realistic and practical. For example, if a leader fails to motivate his/her employees is bound to experience poor employees’ performance and low level of productions. Addition a leader with poor social skills cannot communicate with employees hence poor dissemination of information to employees. Lastly, McCrimmon’s theory focuses more in business related to innovations as it is centered more of thought process.
Reference List
Goleman, D. (2004). What makes a leader? Harvard Business Review, 98(76), 93-102.
McCrimmon, M. (2005). Thought leadership: a radical departure from traditional, positional leadership. Management Decision, 43(7/8), 1064-1071.