Send to KindleAs with all businesses, people find me through several different avenues, and like all businesses should, I try to keep track of them. Of course, one source is internet search engines and I’m always interested in what search terms lead people to my site. Those search terms tell me something other than what people are looking for. They also sometimes give me a clue about what people are thinking. One I saw recently is a great case in point. The search term was “African leadership style.”
Why do I find this significant? Think about it. Is there a European leadership style? Is there an Asian leadership style? Some might say there are leadership styles that tend to correspond to geographical location. In fact, having worked with people from many different countries, I can easily see how such a perception could emerge. But is it valid?
First a little geopolitical commentary. Including the surrounding islands there are 53 countries on the African continent. With the current efforts in Sudan, that is now 54. Depending on where you draw the Europe – Asia line, there are something like 50 countries in Europe and 37 in Asia. Don’t get hung up on the numbers; the point is there are a lot of different nations, with different cultures, and different styles of interpersonal relationships. But they all have something in common.
But, before we discuss that, what are leadership styles? There are several different listings of leadership styles, depending on which researcher you read. But, they all tend to fall into three broad categories: Authoritarian, Directive, and Participatory. Each of these styles has a place, depending on the leader, the follower, and the situation. (That’s Situational Leadership for those who study Hersey and Blanchard) A skilled leader learns to use the correct style with a specific person in the appropriate situation. Someone who responds well to a participatory style in one situation might need a more directive style in another. Or perhaps a situation drives the leader to use a directive style with followers who don’t normally require it. In the worst case, a leader uses an authoritarian style with people who already respond well to a participatory style. But notice that no where does this discussion of styles have a geographical nature. So what about those things everyone has in common?
Every human has needs. People in highly developed and economically prosperous countries may feel they have different needs than those in less developed countries, but in reality, all humans have the same needs even though they may see them differently. A successful leader is one who understands those needs and helps his or her followers meet them. The work of psychologists such as Harlow and Maslow showed that these needs, and the resulting motivations, know no geographical boundaries. Humans are basically the same, though there are sometimes very large cultural influences that make us seem very different. So, what does all this have to do with “African leadership style?”
Just this. People respond to good leadership regardless of where they live. A good leader uses a leadership style that is appropriate to the individual without consideration to where they might live. However, there is often an expectation that a certain leadership style is required for certain groups or nationalities. Frankly I find that idea out dated, and repugnant, but it still exists. If you’re a leader, reject the idea that there is an “African leadership style” and embrace your people as individuals.
What do you think? Leave a comment, I’d really like to know!
