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June 2015 - Leaders vs. Dictators
- Comparison between leaders and dictators
- Some suggestions for more Leadership and less Dictatorship
- Leadership Quiz
- Resources (links, books, articles, the lighter side)
June
2015 - Leaders vs. Dictators
The United States was founded by people who were fed up with being told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. They left their homelands and set out for an unknown wilderness in order to build a new life and, once there, they created a new form of government: democracy.
Democracy is based on a principle that people should have input to decisions that affect their lives. It sets expectations for leadership behavior. As we all know, democracy is not a perfect model because people and leaders are not perfect.
The theory of democracy works. In practice, it takes work for democratic leadership to be effective. And, the results are far more lasting than the dictator model. Dictators eventually get deposed, often in a violent manner when people have had enough.
Most people today are far more educated and aware than the ancient serfs who needed a king or lord or dictator to tell them what to do. Treating people with respect for their abilities and using those for the collective good is a much stronger model than giving orders to people who can’t think for themselves.
One of the mistakes many business leaders make is that they forget that people in the United States expect democracy to be the model for many business decisions, not just government decisions. When they don’t see that at work in business, they become suspicious of a leader’s motives instead of paying attention to what is being asked of them.
There is a good TED talk on "How great leaders inspire action" by Simon Sinek at http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en. He dwells on the question of "Why" people want to follow a leader not "What" is being offered.
Another big mistake that many business leaders make is that they forget that the people they expect to follow their decisions usually have little insight into how or why decisions were made. When people don’t understand what is behind a decision, they have no motivation to follow it or they follow it with resentment; therefore, they are not completely committed to the results. They are only doing it because they were told to do, not because they believed it was the right thing to do.
Comparison between leaders and dictators
Leaders |
Dictators |
| Make decisions with consideration for the people who are affected by their decisions. | Tell people what to do without regard for what the people care about. |
| Explain their reasons for making decisions and ask for people’s commitment to their goals. | Expect people to follow orders without question. |
| Watch for and are sensitive to signs that people don’t understand what is expected of them. | Punish people who don’t do exactly what they were told to do. |
| Encourage people to share feedback about processes, procedures, products, services and decisions. | Reinforce their position with more orders. Feedback is not appreciated and may be punished. |
| Listen to feedback and make adjustments as needed. | Seek to maintain control of the rightness of their position at all times. |
| Seek to be trusted and respected. | Seek to be feared. |
| Always looking for those better than they are who they can learn from. | Afraid of anyone stronger or better than they are. |
Some suggestions for more Leadership and less Dictatorship:
Leadership Quiz
Internet Resources
- "How great leaders inspire action" Simon Sinek (TED talk) http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en
- Managing Groups and Teams/Dictatorship vs. Leadership http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Managing_Groups_and_Teams/Dictatorship_vs_Leadership
- There Is A Difference Between Leadership and Dictatorship http://www.bigisthenewsmall.com/2014/10/07/there-is-a-difference-between-leadership-and-dictatorship/
- Analysis of the difference between Leaders and Dictators http://newscastmedia.com/blog/2011/05/14/analysis-of-the-difference-between-leaders-and-dictators/
- Leadership Styles : Dictatorship http://leadershiptrainingtutorials.com/index.php?q=Leadership_Style_Dictatorship
- Leadership Styles : The "Almost" Democracy http://leadershiptrainingtutorials.com/index.php?q=Leadership_Style_almost_Democracy
- Six Signs Your Management Style is Toxic http://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/worksite-wellness/six-signs-your-management-style-is-toxic/
- Leadership Styles: Dictatorial, Authoritative, Consultative, Participative https://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/leadership-styles-dictatorial-authoritative-consultative-participative/
- Effective Leadership is not Dictatorship http://danblackonleadership.info/archives/2627
- Conducting Transformation: Leader, not Dictator http://transformationalstrategist.com/conducting-transformation-leader-not-dictator/
Books - Disclosure:
We get a small commission for purchases made via links to Amazon.
- Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Simon Sinek. Portfolio, 2011. ISBN: 978-1591846444
- The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential. John C. Maxwell. Center Street, 2013. ISBN:978-1599953632
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You. John C. Maxwell. Thomas Nelson, 2007. ISBN: 978-0785288374
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Stephen R. Covey. Simon & Schuster; New York NY, 2013 ISBN: 978-1451639612
- The Power Path: The Shaman's Way to Success in Business and Life. Jose Stevens. New World Library, 2002. ISBN: 1577312171
- Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t. Simon Sinek. Portfolio, 2014. ISBN: 978-1591845324
- The Knight in Rusty Armor, Robert Fisher. Wilshire Book Co; (May 1989) ISBN: 978-0879804213
- The Leadership Challenge: How to Get Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations, James Kouzes, Barry Posner. Jossey-Bass, 2012 ISBN: 978-0470651728
- Income Without a Job: Living Well Without a Paycheck. Michael Jay Anthony, Barbara J. Taylor. Lulu.com, 2008 ISBN-13: 978-0-557-00377-8. Website: www.income-without-a-job.com. Tap into your own creativity and use your full potential. Learn how to see opportunities that others miss.
Articles
Related newsletter articles:
November 2001 – The Essence of Leadership
March 2003 - Management /
Leadership Styles (updated)
April 2003 - Management /
Leadership Styles (updated) - continued
October 1996 - Management Styles
November 1996 - Management vs.
Leadership
October 2005 - One Thing: Great
Management and Leadership
February 2002 - Mastering People
Management
September 2001 - 9 Fun Things to do
in Developing Your Leadership
The Lighter Side
The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship, you don't have to waste your time voting. ... Charles Bukowski
The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy; the best weapon of a democracy should be the weapon of openness. ... Niels Bohr
I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of "Admin." The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those, we see its final result. It is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern. ... [From the Preface] C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
About our resource links: We do not endorse or agree with all the beliefs in these links. We do keep an open mind about different viewpoints and respect the ability of our readers to decide for themselves what is useful.
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