In their extensive study Leadership that Works, Barbara Wheeler her colleagues set out to discover “…the ingredients of executive leadership that make institutions both durable—as in fit for the long haul—and visionary—that is, moving forward in ways the future is likely to require.” Four common character traits were identified that “…create the conditions for institutional stability, productivity, and creativity.” The second of these character traits is humility.
April 2015 marked the 40th anniversary of America’s withdraw from the Vietnam War. There have been thousands of books written about this chapter in American history. Many of us know people who served in the military during Vietnam or, in some other cases, chose not to serve and either resisted or moved to Canada. I was fifteen years when the war ended. I was old enough to remember watching the draft lotteries on television and Walter Cronkite report on the daily body counts, but too young to put it all into perspective. It was a tumultuous time for our country.
Robert McNamara was secretary of defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and served in that capacity until 1968. Prior to becoming defense secretary, McNamara was President of the Ford Motor Company. McNamara was a polarizing figure while he was secretary of defense because he and President Johnson were the chief architects of America’s war strategy. Twenty years after the war, McNamara wrote a book titled In Retrospect: the Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. He noted, “[w]e of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations who participated in the decisions on Vietnam acted according to what we thought were the principles and traditions of this nation. We made our decisions in light of those values. Yet we were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations to explain why.”
Whether I agree with McNamara’s assessment of the war is not the point of this posting. Cynics have suggested that In Retrospect is McNamara’s attempt to set the record straight near the end of his life. That he didn’t die for another fifteen years may also suggest that he was contrite; indeed, the Whiz Kid, as he had been called, may have recognized his own role in the war’s serious mistakes. In either scenario, it takes a certain amount of humility to own our shortcomings, and humility is exactly what is required for Built to Change leaders. This point is made by Wheeler when she asserts “[t]hat some of the most effective presidents are modest and self-effacing contrasts with accounts of failed presidencies…where the president’s downfall is associated with arrogance. Presidents who think that they know it all, or act as if they do, have a hard time leading an educational institution.” Wheeler’s insight strikes me as being spot on.
By his own account, McNamara’s Achilles heal was that he was one of the Whiz Kids who transformed Ford into an efficiently run, high performing organization. His superior intellect, combined with that of his colleagues, helped at that time to organize a corporation as large as the Ford Motor Company into a model of achievement and efficiency. Surely that same skill set was transferable to the Pentagon, or at least that was the rationale behind his selection as secretary of defense. And it was that kind of over confidence and misunderstanding—across the Administration–that eventually led to one of the most difficult chapters in our history.
Humility in leadership does not imply weakness or indecision. To the contrary, humility is a character trait that is grounded in confidence, a confidence in the insights of organizational colleagues and their ability to improve a decision or direction. [bctt tweet=”Humility in leadership does not imply weakness. Humility is a character trait that is grounded in confidence.” via=”no”]
Built to Change leaders understand that their position requires a directional decision. However, they also understand that the best decisions are often strengthened through the insight and analysis of their committed colleagues. Sometimes real leadership requires acknowledging what we don’t know, so that what we do know becomes strengthened through a different set of perspectives. [bctt tweet=”Leadership requires acknowledging what we don’t know so we see through a different set of perspectives.” via=”no”]
In other words, real leadership requires personal strength tempered by humility.
Good one, Jeff.
But the “Old Proof Reader” in me found some grammar/spelling mistakes… which I know are not all that important, but bothers me anyway.
Still, an interesting – thought provoking Blog!
Mom