We chose the wrong leader!

LEADERSHIP, THE CHALLENGE OF THE COLLECTIVE

We expect the leader to be a perfect ideal: decision maker, exemplary, inspiring, strategist and organizer. What if we forget about this leader god who maintains a culture of ego and individualism to tap into the power of the collective?

 

The cult of the perfect leader

Our companies dream of a perfect leader: decision maker, exemplary, inspiring, strategist, organizer. Convinced that a powerful and strong man at the head of the organization is the key to the success of our companies, we have created the Leader with a capital L: a Man or Woman who knows, federates, shows the way. Who has stature and presence. Who moves forward with focus and brio. The disposable era: if our leaders and managers are not Leaders, they are worthless. We replace them because they don’t fit in!

Many leaders have always been driven to be more responsible than others, to feel alone and to rely only on themselves. Beyond these traits, their personal career ambitions and their thirst for power justify attitudes that sometimes serve the individual project more than the common project of the company. These are all trends that we have accentuated through the cult of individualized performance.

Too often, there is more to fear from internal guerrilla warfare and personal ambitions than from the outside world

By trying to turn our managers into gods of leadership, we create only pale icons. We exacerbate their ego. We are disappointed. What do we really expect from them?

A climate enabling the development of the shared project

The manager is the guardian of the company’s purpose, of its project, of the collective energy. It is up to him or her to create the right climate for collective development. The climate that will enable the organization to achieve its ambition. A climate that will place the collective challenge above individual challenges. Strategic and operational challenges require a wide range of skills. Complex work that is anything but individualistic in nature, requiring diverse expertise, cooperation and mutual feedback. The greatest leader in the world is not equipped with the right skills, experience and talents. The power of the collective embodies the Leader of today.

The greatest leader in the world must be plural. Let’s look for solutions in the team rather than in the individual.

 

The balance between the individual need and the collective challenge

The solution lies in changing our relationship to power, which historically belongs to the dominant male. For the collective magic to work, individual and collective challenges must converge: it is only by being well with ourselves and nourished by the collective project that we will succeed in really placing the collective challenge beyond our individual needs. Let’s forget about this leader god who maintains a culture of ego and individualism. Let’s look for solutions in the team rather than in the individual.

By creating the Collective Leader, we move from centralized power, embodied by the strong man, who knows, controls and directs, to plural power, which co-constructs, innovates and rebounds. With underlying values of curiosity, humility, active listening and letting go. By empowering the collective, we open up an incredible field of possibilities for co-creation and execution.

More references and inspirations

Laboratory and experiment
The feeling of belonging, why, for whom?

The feeling of belonging, why, for whom?

SETTING NEW BENCHMARKS

By talking so much about the search for meaning, some people would almost feel abnormal not to have their crisis. In the relationship with the company, the feeling of belonging, the sharing of common values, identification, pride, contribution. Is this a universal need for fulfilling work or a necessity to re-establish shared reference points?

Read More

A storm is blowing at the heart of our companies
A STORM IS BLOWING AT THE HEART OF OUR COMPANIES

A STORM IS BLOWING AT THE HEART OF OUR COMPANIES

BETWEEN RESOURCE AND TALENT: IN SEARCH OF A NEW BALANCE

Within companies, there has never been so much talk about meaning and commitment. It is at the top of the agenda of any organization. Paradoxically, we have never seen so many departures, burn-outs, long-term illnesses and questioning of meaning. Talent is shaking up the agenda, much to the disappointment of companies. The COVID crisis has accelerated the projection of companies into the 21st century and opened new fields of possibility.

Read More

A storm is blowing at the heart of our companies
This VUCA devil

This VUCA devil

WE CALL OURSELVES AGILE? LET’S LIVE AGILE

Like a devil that bursts out of the box where it had been carefully confined, the term VUCA is on everyone's lips. What strategies should we adopt today facing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity? We remain anchored in control to master our environment. Let's cultivate our natural ability to adapt.

Read More