Men and women lead differently. That’s no new revelation. What IS new, however, is that smart organizations have recognized and capitalized on the attributes and benefits that the female leadership style brings to the table. And it has become crystal clear that men AND women must both build leadership muscles that are characterized as strengths of the other gender. And yes, that IS possible to do. How do I know that? Because each of us was born with a left AND a right side of the brain.
For decades, the business world has rewarded those characteristics traditionally associated with the left side of the brain. Leaders who were known for their visionary and strategic thinking skills were praised, while leaders who were more collaborative and intuitive were viewed as weak. In today’s minute-to-minute global market, collaboration, innovation and intuition take on greater levels of importance. And these are right brain functions.
So, what’s the secret to leading in today’s world? A big part of the answer lies in the ability to tap into BOTH sides of the brain. To achieve this goal, we must all challenge our belief systems and learn some new things.
As an example, when boys are little and they stub their toes, they are told to “suck it up.” They’re encouraged to “be a big boy and don’t cry.” Then they grow up and enter the working world where we ask them to show some emotional intelligence. It is no surprise that when asked to do something that they have learned not to do because of cultural expectations and limitations, they are at a loss. On the flip side, when little girls stub their toes, they are hugged, cuddled and comforted while crying out their hurt. When they then come into the business world and show emotion, they are told that they have their “hair on fire” and that they’re “too emotional.” No wonder we’re in a quandary.
The business world needs leaders who can bring a balanced skill set and perspective.
I call this style of leader a Hybrid Leader. Hybrid because it represents the best of the male and the best of the female leadership styles. And it is precisely what is needed to manage a diverse workforce, to understand a changing and more demanding consumer, to thrive in a global economy and to create a successful future. Today’s leaders must be able to coach, mentor and inspire their employees. In order to do this they must be able to connect with them as humans.
Consider the following principles to help you develop the Hybrid leadership style:
Get educated. Understand the strengths of both sides of the brain. Take an assessment so you understand your strengths and areas needing work. A couple of great resources include: www.brainstyles.com or www.hbdi.com.
Raise your awareness about your default behavior (natural, hard-wired behavior) versus your learned behavior (that which you have developed to survive in the business world).
Expand your learned behavior by gaining respect for use of both sides of the brain.
Engage in reciprocal mentoring with the opposite gender.
Check the biases that have been shaped in you as a result of society expectations/limitations.
Set specific behavioral modification goals to strengthen your leadership effectiveness.
Practice building new capabilities. (Note: Keep repeating the old adage, “Practice makes perfect.”)
Brian Tracy said it best, “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance."
And that same balance applies to a leader – a Hybrid Leader – in 2013 and beyond.
