Watching the news lately I’m noticing a pattern.  So-called ‘leaders’ are not leading.  These people in leadership positions have their self-interests in mind and not the greater good.

There are two types of leaders.  Those that seek power and those that seek to enhance the greater good.

The ‘Leader’ Who Seeks Power

This is the easiest to spot. This person has the loudest voice in the room and you can hear them talking over everyone else. There’s no such thing as a two-sided conversation with this type of leader.

These people keep their power by making ‘jokes’ at the expense of their subordinates.  They point out flaws in others to take the focus off of themselves.

It’s my way or the highway!

Why do these people take leadership positions?  Because being a leader means you have more power, more status and more money.  It’s not about the greater good, it’s about money and power.

They drive fancy cars or brag about their money.  It’s not the cars or the money that show their flaws. There’s nothing wrong with driving a nice car or earning a good living. However, when they brag about their cars or money they think it means they’re better than others. They’ll never get it.

If you work under a ‘leader’ like this what can you can expect?  Opportunities to advance or long hours and thankless tasks?

The Humble Leader

Humble leaders are difficult to spot because they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t want to be the center of attention.  Humble leaders want to advance the goals of the organization and those working with them.

Humble leaders are approachable and want to talk with their peers.  They want to know what’s going on in the organization.  They want to know how they can help.

Humble leaders appear not to be leading because they do it so effortlessly.  They know to praise in public and critique in private.  They never ask someone to do something they wouldn’t.  They seek to train their future replacement.

I’ve witnessed two of the most humble, and powerful, leaders since my son joined the Boy Scouts of America.

While my son was in Cub Scouts the Committee chair was as selfless a person as they get.  He was easy to talk to, ran a well-prepared meeting and was always available if there was a problem.

Now that my son is a Boy Scout the Scoutmaster is also a humble leader.  He’s a soft-spoken man who is very approachable and somehow has his finger on everything going on in the troop.  If you need help with something he knows who to point you towards.

I’m amazed at how well the scoutmaster works the crowd when there’s a meeting.  He talks to everyone in the room like they were friends forever.  It’s a great way to keep abreast of what’s going on in the troop.

Who has more power?

Power seeking leaders raise their voice and make a scene to get their way.  Nothing is ever their fault.

When I was young I confused false confidence for power.  True confidence doesn’t have to yell or make a scene.

Powerful leaders don’t have to raise their voice or make a scene to get their way.  They get their way because those working with them respect them and don’t want to let them down.

Next time your watching the evening news, at a company meeting or visiting a friend’s house think about the type of leader you’re watching.

Do they demean others?  Do they seek to assist their subordinates?  Do they try to show their power with fancy things?

The answers to these questions will tell you a lot about the type of person, and the type of leader, they are.

*** Note, I wrote this post over two years ago. My son is no longer a Boy Scout but the message is timeless and worth sharing.