Leadership

There are many styles of leadership. Authoritarian people like to give orders and tell people what to do.  Decisions aren’t shared but dictated. Charismatic leaders appeal to peoples’ emotions and build a following through the force of their personality along with their message. Jimmy Swaggert was a charismatic leader.

Facilitative leaders help others to grow and develop. They give responsibility to people and then expect them to deliver. They value others and include them in the process of leadership. John Kennedy encouraged his cabinet members to give their honest opinions. He didn’t want yea-sayers. He wanted a diversity of opinions before he took responsibility for making a final decision. When the Bay of Pigs failed, he said, “ I take full responsibility for the decision to invade Cuba”. He didn’t pass the buck, though I am sure that before the invasion he had many people telling him it could work.

Facilitative leaders lead by principle. Though pragmatic, such leaders have beliefs and principles that are consistent and predictable. They are easy to work with because their followers understand their positions. Their followers feel trusted and secure. When asked why he stayed so long working for President Kennedy, Pierre Salinger, his press secretary, remarked that working for an exceptional man like Jack Kennedy was a once in a life time opportunity.

Facilitative leaders embrace conflict. They understand its nature, and realize it goes with being a leader. They learn to be patient and develop long-term strategies with which to solve problems. They consult experts and try to understand the backgrounds of the people with whom they are dealing.

Authoritarian leaders don’t like conflict. It threatens them. They like to solve problems through the use of power and intimidation. It is no accident that Mr. Trump has not filled many diplomatic openings thus far. He tries to bully. He is “good” at deals, when he has leverage.

Authoritarian leaders don’t want feedback. They resent criticism and take it personally rather than seeing it as a potential for information to be used in their decision-making. The press, educated people, and opposing parties are often seen as the enemy. Often authoritarian leaders are popular because they don’t require people to think, only to follow. They promise power and superiority for those who jump on their train. The train bans critical thinking, and that is fine for the engineers and the passengers.

Facilitative leaders use non-degrading humor to cope with difficult situations. I remember working at a hospital where there was much dissatisfaction with the food service.  At the end of a cantankerous meeting on the subject, the lead administrator, a psychiatrist, said, “ Well, shall we go to lunch.”

Facilitative leaders are strong people, but they aren’t driven by needs to boost their own egos. They don’t need a lot of press. They know who they are. I went on a house emergency call with the same psychiatrist. A woman had overdosed, and one of the policemen in her home said, “We need to call a doctor”. In a quiet voice from the back of the room, Dr. Carmichael said, “ I’m a doctor.”