What it Means to be a Leader
Philosophical musings
I wrote most of this edition on my phone one morning. It’s more philosophical than aiming to provide answers. It’s not the first time I’ve written about this. I’ve been noodling on this subject here, here, and here. This edition adds to that collection.
I use the term leader a lot. You’ve noticed. The term is an imperfect one — descriptive but vague. We think we understand what it means. Upon closer examination, the picture becomes more pixelated. We’re less sure about its meaning. We have more questions than answers.
Does it mean those who have a title? Does it have to be conferred to be true? Is it someone who leads large groups of people? Is it anyone with a great deal of power? Is it the person who rises from the crowd to do the right thing at the right time? Is a manager a leader? In the tech world, where I work we ponder if a chief architect is a leader?
Part of the confusion is the blurred lines between management and leadership. They’re often used interchangeably. We use the word leadership when what we really mean is management. They live in adjacent bubbles that have some overlap. Some leaders manage, but not all. Some managers are leaders but not all.
I get a fair amount of requests to be on panels or give a talk about leadership. There’s always a process of sorting if there’s a fit. Given what we’ve talked about the slippery nature of the definition, I need to ensure we have the same meaning.
Here’s what I say:
Their role requires them to work across organizational lines. Depending on the size of the org, this might be inside their department.
Those with conferred titles or who want them, mostly because the expectations and mechanics differ. Though if you squint it can apply to those without an official title.
It’s not about management, that’s an adjacent but separate topic.
Sometimes folks disagree with my definition of leadership. That’s ok. We probably have different contexts and meanings. Definitions are funny things. They help us ensure we’re all on the same page. At the same time, they’re fuzzy and can mutate in different contexts. Mine isn’t the sole definition, it’s just the way I see my work.
I could solve this definition problem by picking one audience say, CTOs, CEOs VP of Engineering, or VP of Operations or Marketing. I’ve resisted this urge. I work with leaders across a spectrum from every functional part of the organization by design. I’m tired of the traditional ways we talk about leadership. Traditional views on leadership are fine, they’re just narrow. They become stereotypes that get in the way of doing the actual work.
I’m on a mission to shift the way the tech industry talks about leadership, and what skilled leadership looks like. This is connected to my desire for better working orgs. An entity that works well — where leaders are aligned and clicking along like a well-oiled machine — makes for a better environment for everyone. A place where results and humanity live together harmoniously.
I’ve been preparing to give a workshop at LeadDev’s Leading Eng in April which spurred today’s conversation. I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts as I prepare. I’ll share them as they come. I enjoyed allowing my mind to wander around this topic. I hope it also provides fodder for your brain.
Until next time,
Suzan
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