In this article, we will look into the current problems facing global leadership and offer up practical solutions and insights. We will show you, the reader how the FIVE LENS Enneagram model can be used as an effective assessment tool in building strong, impactful and efficient leaders.
It was in November 2009 that the United Nations designated the 18th of July ‘International Mandela Day’. It’s on this day each year that the life of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is remembered. In particular, he’s recognised for his lifelong stance on human rights and his role in demolishing the dreadful South African apartheid system. Despite spending 27 years of his life in prison he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994. In the latter part of his life, his influence extended far beyond the borders of South Africa. He became a worldwide icon for peace and freedom.
Mandela has been recognised as one of the world’s truly great leaders. Sadly, his death in 2013 at the age of 95 left a leadership void in South Africa and added to a worldwide dearth of outstanding leadership.
It seems that we’re in a time characterised by an absence of leadership excellence: leaders with vision who can be trusted to contribute positively to our nations, our businesses, and to the lives of the people they lead and serve. Of course, there are exceptions but, I think you’ll probably agree that it has become increasingly difficult to point to contemporary exemplars of great leadership.
This leadership deficit has been highlighted in alarming media headlines, articles and reports; for example:
- “A Global Leadership Vacuum During The COVID-19 Crisis” (harvard.edu, June 2020)
- “20 Years After 9/11 US Global Leadership Is Weaker Than Ever” (foreignpolicy.com, 2021)
- “The Global Leadership Crisis” (wcbe.org, 2022)
Articles like these make grim reading. So what are the problems in the contemporary leadership domain? Where are the gaps? And is there a vision of what great (or even good) leadership looks like?
I’m sure that you’ve heard a lot of anecdotal commentary about perceived leadership failings. I’ve noticed that much of the commentary can be clustered around some familiar themes.
I’ve noted these below and contrasted them with a brief word picture of how it could look if the gaps were closed – ‘a better way to lead’:
- Lacking Integrity:
Evidenced by:
Dishonesty, actions not aligned with words; broken promises; ignoring rules of good governance; and even cheating or acting illegally for self-gain, with no apologies.
A better way to lead?
Behaviours that portray honesty, reliability and integrity; actions aligned with words; striving for high standards; and supporting solid governance principles and best practices.
2. Lacking A People Developmental Focus:
Evidenced by:
A significant lack of action on people development; viewing people as ‘units of production’; minimal support for training, coaching or mentoring; a belief that it’s ‘everyone for themselves’; little practical concern for helping others in need of a helping hand; a selfish orientation.
A better way to lead?
Placing importance on building the knowledge, skills and capabilities of other people and putting energy and resources into this; encouraging and supporting people to fulfil their potential; actively supporting the career advancement of people they lead; words like ‘empowerment’ and ‘upliftment’ would apply in this context.
3. Lacking Authenticity:
Evidenced by:
An over-emphasis on projecting a positive self-image rather than an honest representation of one’s track record. Arrogance. Taking credit for other people’s achievements. Trying to further one’s own career at the expense of others.
A better way to lead?
Behaviour that engenders trust; being honest and clear in one’s beliefs and goals; determining what is realistically possible to achieve; admitting and owning one’s mistakes and failures; applying positive energy, determination and persistence to overcome difficulties in achieving outcomes that are beneficial for all.
4. Lacking Compassion:
Evidenced by:
A lack of compassion; an uncaring approach with little concern for others who may be having difficulty; a lack of emotional support for others sometimes combined with scapegoating or blaming others when things go wrong; appearing cold, clinical and harsh.
A better way to lead?
A genuine care for the plight of others; a profound interest in people and an understanding of the challenges and difficulties they are going through; compassion for others shown in practical, supportive action with the intention of easing or improving things in some way.
5. Lacking Wisdom & Insight:
Evidenced by:
Reactivity and lacking concern or thought for the consequences of one’s own decisions and actions; ‘cutting corners’ and compromising on important values and principles; applying foresight, so as to avoid identifiable problems.
A better way to lead?
Being a trusted advisor, mentor or counsellor; being seen as the ‘go to’ person when people are in need of wisdom, insight or guidance; looking beyond the obvious and considering the consequences of potential decisions and actions. It’s not about expediency or reactivity, but rather about what is right and best for all concerned.
6. Lacking Trustworthiness:
Evidenced by:
A lack of reliability and sincerity creates uncertainty and fuels doubt and anxiety in others; clamping down aggressively; using positional power and threats to keep people in line and have them comply to the leader’s wishes.
A better way to lead?
Displaying reliability, honesty and calmness under pressure; engendering a feeling of safety in others; able to take calculated risks while doing what one can to avoid endangering self and others; foreseeing hazards and taking necessary precautions; offering ongoing loyal support.
7. Lacking Vision:
Evidenced by:
Followers feeling lost in their current predicament without a clear direction, purpose or positive future state to strive for; creating frustration, negativity, and apathy in others along with a sense of hopelessness and despair with no end in sight; life and work become mundane and meaningless.
A better way to lead?
Communicating a clear picture of the positive future that they are committed to creating; displaying enthusiasm and rallying support for a better future for everyone; generating positive energy and optimism even in difficult times. Such enthusiasm and commitment to changing things for the better is infectious and it draws people to the cause.
8. Lacking Servant Leadership:
Evidenced by:
Being self-focused, concerned with one’s own welfare and ambitions while showing little or no concern for others; displaying a ‘command and control’ autocratic leadership style where positional power and coercion are used to get things done.
A better way to lead?
Actions aimed at putting others first; listening to people and showing genuine care about other people’s welfare and growth; expressing empathy and support when needed and addressing others’ needs when possible.
9. Lacking A Reconciling Approach:
Evidenced by:
Leaders who stir up unrest and conflict unnecessarily, resulting in those people with the loudest voices or the biggest ‘weapons’, ‘winning’. It creates an environment that can feel like a war zone, and unfortunately, in this type of ‘war’ all sides end up losing.
A better way to lead?
Displaying behaviour that has a safe, calming effect on people; helping people resolve negative, destructive conflicts diplomatically; being assertive rather than aggressive; listening to all sides of an argument and working to find common ground, a useful compromise, or better yet, a solution that combines different views in a synergistic way.
You probably noticed that this set of nine leadership gaps relates directly to the nine Enneagram styles!
The Enneagram provides a wonderful summary of the characteristics of leadership at its best and at its worst. We know that all styles at their best can be highly effective as long as leaders can adapt their approach depending on the circumstances at hand. It’s noticeable that when leaders are well integrated they are generally more adaptable and able to operate really well in a wide range of situations. At low levels of integration, they tend to get stuck in the more destructive, unhealthy side of their natural Enneagram style.
Levels of integration can be defined by levels of Personal Mastery and Emotional Resilience, which is why we include these aspects in our FIVE LENS model and methodology.
It’s our view that leadership development interventions should by necessity include these powerful aspects and related tools to help individuals build their leadership capacity.
If we look at the life of Nelson Mandela, I think you’ll agree that it’s possible to see the highly integrated side of all nine Enneagram styles in the way he conducted himself at various times. Yet, it seems to have become increasingly difficult to find these integrated qualities in contemporary leaders whether they are involved in global politics, public service, or private enterprise. That’s not to say that great leaders have disappeared altogether, but we need more of them and where they do exist they desperately need to be heard and encouraged. Technical knowledge and skill are important but how they are used is determined by the fundamental character of leaders, whether it be for destructive self-aggrandisement or truly making a better world for all.
So to come back to the question posed as the title of this newsletter: Can the FIVE LENS contribute to developing excellence in global leadership?
My personal belief is that it certainly can when the tools and processes it contains are applied skilfully, compassionately and with integrity.
- What do you think about all of this?
- How could you make more practical use of the FIVE LENSES in your own development journey – in particular, accessing the Enneagram, Personal Mastery and Emotional Resilience models?
- And how could you apply these models more powerfully in the work you do with leaders and teams?
