Tweet

Is total control the no 1 must have quality for great leadership?

Written by: Andrew Rondeau

Article Overview: Every person with an opinion on leadership will dispute the number one quality for leadership.

Is total control the no 1 must have quality for great leadership?

Every person with an opinion on leadership will dispute the number one quality for leadership as discussed in this article (and my previous articles - ruthlessness and fiery temperament), and will submit a range of counter suggestions. The reason for this is that leadership is not an exact science. It's at best hit and miss.

A characteristic that might make one leader outstanding could make another person a hated dictator. Bill Gates of Microsoft was considered a great leader, yet he was also renowned for his temper tantrums and outbursts.

Gates kept his finger in every single pie in the company and ruled his staff by constant and fierce interrogations which often led them to reverse their opinions and decisions. Control was basic to Gates's nature and his management style.

He had an obsession with detail and with checking up on his staff. Even getting his right hand man, Steve Ballmer, to have his expenses slip signed off by him was part of his tasks. Bill Gates never treated his staff as equals and needed to control every part of the organisation.

If one were to then look at Microsoft as an example of a successful company, which one would need to agree to, and the leader it had through its extreme growth phases then one would say that every successful company needs a leader in the same mould as Bill Gates.

With that conclusion one would say that the number 1 must have quality for leadership would need to be total control over the organisation. No staff member may do anything but follow the leader's say so. Nobody may make one creative move.

Just in case you might think this is an example of an exceptional company with an extraordinary leader then look at Steve Jobs and Apple.A Harvard study concluded that Steve Jobs is a horrible manager. He believes in the Great Man Theory of Leadership. This is a CEO-centric model of executive power which should be considered outmoded, unsustainable and ineffective.

This is how Steve Jobs rules.

He totally dictates to his staff. He overworks them, underpays them. He shrouds his company in secrecy, treats his employees to tyrannical outbursts and he refuses to listen to customer feedback. His idea of life and business is that regular rules do not apply to him.

Just as an example of Job's hard attitude to his customer he introduced the USB port on the Apple computers well before this technology had many followers. Apple users just had to find external gadgets that had USB connections if they wanted to plug anything into their machine.

Same principle with the hyper thin laptop the Air. No DVD drive anymore. Stop complaining Mr Consumer. It's a beautiful machine, what do you need a DVD drive for. After all everything is now available to download online. There's no doubt that this will happen in the future, but is not a reality as yet.

Here are two dictators. They are inflexible, hard-nosed, lacking in people skills type leaders. Their attitude crosses over into the consumer space. Gates told his consumers they would have to have Internet Explorer and Jobs has been as inflexible in dealing with his customers.

Yet they have built companies from nothing into world leaders becoming extraordinarily wealthy in the process. Yet every leadership manual out there will inform you that these qualities need to be avoided at all cost. They are not what's needed to make an organisation work well.

So what's your view?

What's the number one quality for great leadership?

Related Articles
  How To Avoid Discouragement in Sales
  Eight Essential Qualities of Passionate, Powerful and Proven Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  What Is The Meaning Of Leadership?
  TQM as a long term strategy
  Lessons of Leadership

Article Tags: bill gates, creative move, dictator, exact science, executive power, extreme growth, fiery temperament, great man, harvard study, interrogations, man steve, management style, right hand man, ruthlessness, staff member, steve ballmer, steve jobs, study concluded that, successful company, temper tantrums



Related Forum Posts
Owning a social network software...How is it?? - We are launching our own social networking software very soon. Can anyone tell me what is the best way to market it and attract more number of people. I also have a question where people having very large network would like to spend few $ and own a software like this having total control or rather use it for free with limited access having no control?? Can someone show me the right way to do this?? Any views??
Pitching without getting Poached - Hi Kevin, This is a great question and one I get ALOT! The short answer is a non disclosure agreement with a strict confidentiality clause and non-compete. Sadly, it doesnt always work. I recently hired a copywriter to edit some of my women's leadership work - and now I find out she is speaking on Women's leadership to my own Women's group. Eek! In any case, I'm the expert so I doubt it will go far. You do need to be careful and follow your gut on who to trust and how much information to share. Most people are honourable but you do need to cover your butt. J
Don't give up control - I would never give up control of my company - I'm building it up to be a great business and I am going to take it there - why would someone sell the control of their business?
Should I hire an editor or an agency? - Thanks for the advice. True, I cold just hire writers. That's what I've been doing for last few years. But that is becoming unmanageable. With 4 more writers I'll have to spend half of my day managing them. I'm not qualified to edit their writing and that is affecting quality. Finally, costs I'm incurring with wrong hires, re-training, etc. are soon going to be more than a full time salary for an editor. Ideally, I'd find an agency or an editor/writer that can provide this added level of guidance, quality control and writers management while still not costing an arm and a leg.
Re: New McDonalds McCafe concept... - When it comes to Japanese service and quality control, I tend to take it for granted... until I return to Britain! Mind you, when it comes to cafes... You can't beat a good old British tea shop!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Log On

20 MORE Must-Have Search Engine Marketing Tools

In the Year 2020 . . . Process

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.