Why the lone ranger makes a lousy leader

I reckon there is a simple trick if business managers want to be more effective and fulfilled in our leadership work - and it is this: be yourself.

It would be simple, that is, except for the fact that, in my experience, many senior leaders are trying hard to be some stereotype instead; or don't trust ourselves, anyway - or, have lost touch with our true selves in the hurly-burly of the job.

Indeed, I have found working with hundreds, if not thousands, of senior managers that in those areas where we are not as effective and fulfilled as we wish to be with our leadership work, there is, regularly, an identity issue with our leadership. It has a big impact on the level of effectiveness and fulfilment of the people around us, too. And, it is my experience that the most egotistical among us often have the smallest view of the self – ego can be full of bluster and bludgeon but it can also be very needy.

One CEO of a very successful company tells me how he sat down with two other successful CEOs over a bottle or two of wine, and all three of them sheepishly admitted to each other they felt like frauds in the role of CEO. They are running as fast as they can, compensating as much as they can, and becoming ever more arrogant as their doubts linger; and hoping nobody notices the mistake.

A deputy vice-chancellor of a major university confesses the reason he has no "work-life balance” is because he can't afford not to be the last person to turn the lights out at work, in case his colleagues discover he is not really needed. A chief financial officer (CFO) admits she can't afford to delegate more, or build more collaboration in her management team, because in her world she needs to be in complete control at all times.

In my own case, I was very enamoured by the Lone Ranger show when I was growing up, and I have tried to do leadership that way. You must remember him: he rode into town on his beautiful horse, Silver, shot his guns in the air a few times - single-handedly - saved the day, while all the time, being invulnerable and unknowable behind his mask. He rode off into the sunset, with the townsfolk cheering and hat-throwing, and left it to Tonto, his assistant, to clean up all the mess. It was great TV but a lousy leadership model!

I reckon, an important part of leadership work is to understand how our view of ourselves has been conditioned and constructed through our life and work experiences. Similarly, it is important for us to understand how our view of who we are shapes how we operate as leaders, how we relate to others, and how much that view can undermine our attempts to exercise leadership effectively, and bring about beneficial change.

Often, the negative consequences only become obvious to some of us, when we blow some high pressure, stressful challenge, and usually, it is at the peak of our career. Yet, I am also amazed at what I discover when the masks are dropped, and when senior managers let go of some of this identity stuff – most of us turn out to have a high level of creativity and intuitiveness - to have a deep and inspiring purpose that sits behind the everyday work we do, and to be fundamentally decent human beings.

Richard Searle is the Program Director at Mt Eliza Executive Education. He facilitates the Senior Leadership program and co-facilitates the Strategic Leadership - Transformational Process program, and the Mindful Leadership program. Richard developed Mt Eliza's portfolio of negotiation programs, including the Advanced Negotiation and Influence Strategies program and the Negotiating and Influencing Skills program.