Since the days of pharaohs and emperors, people have revered a pinnacle type of leadership. We have imagined a commanding voice at the head of the group, a valorised “born leader”. Even now, we often imagine a strong or good leader to be one who displays certain authoritative characteristics. Our government representatives, heads of corporations, community elders and even sports coaches have tended to embody a common persona: a figurehead, able to direct a group of subordinates.
Dr Violeta Schubert, a senior lecturer in development studies at the University of Melbourne, wants us to rethink what makes “good leadership” – and who in the development sector can provide it.
Unlike businesses in the private sector, development organisations are part of a complex network that includes funders, agencies, government, philanthropists and others. These relationships must be managed alongside the key objective of working with marginalised people in responding to evolving needs.
Schubert says solving the issues that these organisations face requires not only a deep understanding of solutions, but also of the development leadership style that will make change possible. A contemporary development leader, she says, does not fit a single archetype, but good development leadership is undoubtedly about flexibility, and the ability to adapt and react as required.
What do effective leaders get right?
1. They understand what leadership means
A valuable development leader is one who recognises the difference between being a leader and leadership, Schubert says.
A “leader” might be defined as someone who takes charge at the head of a group. They might be motivated by their own agenda or focused on individual success. Good leadership, on the other hand, is a continuous process of encouraging contributions, building relationships, mentoring emerging leadership potential and working towards common goals.
2. They reject the idea of a “born leader”
Since the 1960s, situational leadership theory has described different styles of leadership and the need to adapt to situations. With relational theory of leadership has come the appreciation that leadership is about interactions and relationships between people. Even so, Schubert says we still valorise individual leaders.
“Though leadership is understood as being beyond just focusing on the individual, there’s still an enormous tendency to romanticise,” she says. “There’s still a lot of interest in genetics, the character, behaviour, style and personality of ‘the leader’ or ‘the leader we need’.”
In reality, she says, good leadership doesn’t rely on inherent traits, particularly in the development sector. It can be learned, and every individual has the potential to lead, whether it’s in their organisation, their community or even their family.
3. They recognise leadership at every level
“Leaders are just as much followers,” Schubert says. “And followers are just as much leaders.”
Leadership doesn’t only happen from the top. At any point in the organisation or working group, people can contribute their integrity, vision, resilience and encouragement. One team might comprise multiple styles, all working together to get serious about driving change.
Every individual has the potential to lead, whether it’s in their organisation, their community or even their family.
Some institutions are actively teaching emerging leaders to embrace this ideology. The University of Melbourne’s Master of Leadership for Development course, for example, encourages students to better understand and use their individual leadership styles, wherever they sit in an organisation. Its graduates possess a range of competencies to respond effectively and efficiently to leadership challenges across the development sector.
4. They take an agile approach
A good development leader reacts to the challenges of the sector while maintaining clarity around its goals. They respond to the discrete requirements of the specific task at hand and the people involved, acknowledging and incorporating many different working styles, competencies, cultural backgrounds and experiences.
Schubert says leadership is not a fixed end point. A strategy that works well in one organisation isn’t necessarily transferrable to another – and in some ways, it shouldn’t be.
“In our teaching, we’re bringing together different elements with all colleagues to put the curriculum together,” she says. “It was part of getting out of a universalising, rationalist model. If we imagine it can be transferred, we’re still not thinking about the human interaction.”
Success comes from blending clarity with reactiveness, so a leader can moderate and modify the approach as everyone takes the journey together.
5. They focus on building relationships
“Development is a lot to do with relationality – the space in which we allow relationships to occur,” Schubert says. “There are critiques around the fragmentation of work, all the structural constraints and pressures and the extent that people actually spend time with the people. Often, projects are done in such compressed timeframes and treated as though they are discrete.”
A better approach, she says, is to form and build on connections over time. “That means understanding the commitment to one another, why you’re coming together and how you build trust.”
Building connections with other agencies, governments, private industry and beneficiaries leads to the best possible leadership outcomes, now and in the future, Schubert says.
6. They make disruption work for them
“Development is not only understanding these complexities and how we have to navigate them,” Schubert says. “The role that development inherently has to play is in disrupting.”
She says development thrives on challenging the systems and processes in place. A good leader is one who can push against the status quo and use disruption to the advantage of the whole sector.
“Development is a collaborative but also disruptive space,” Schubert says. “Different people have different ideas of what they want and how they want to get there.” Sometimes, she says, the interaction and point of coming together can lead to disruptions and even disagreements. But a good leader doesn’t try to eradicate the discomfort.
“Value the dissent. It leads to change.”
Find out more about the Master of Leadership for Development.
