What are you putting on in the morning when you head to work?
I’m talking metaphorical camouflage here, rather than about what you pulled out of your wardrobe.
Perhaps you’re wearing armour, or an invisibility cloak, or even a hi-viz vest?
Or perhaps you’re showing up fully as you. If you are, you’re one of the few that do.
Because many people will show up in some sort of protective, defensive metaphorical outfit to help them to fit in and belong, or to blend with the background so they aren’t noticed, or to stand out loudly to deflect attention from their incompetencies.
And if leaders are turning up this way, they are likely stifling their effectiveness and not leading themselves or others to their full potential.
While defensive leadership can provide protection and stability in certain contexts, there are potential drawbacks to solely relying on a defensive approach.
One issue is that it may lead to a reactive mindset, where leaders are primarily focused on avoiding risks, maintaining the status quo, and protecting themselves and their position, rather than pursuing growth and innovation in alignment with the vision.
Defensive leadership can also breed a culture of fear and resistance to change. When leaders prioritise avoiding mistakes or failures over experimentation and learning, it can discourage individuals from taking calculated risks and can stifle creativity and initiative within the organisation.
Furthermore, excessive defensive measures can hamper agility and flexibility. By being overly cautious, leaders may miss out on potential opportunities and fail to adapt to changing market conditions, which can hinder competitiveness and growth.
Once you lose your competitive position, it can be hard to regain it. If you’ve lost your best talent, lost your confidence and dig into your defensive position, what are you left with?
To strike a balance, leaders should consider adopting a more balanced approach that combines appropriate defensive strategies with proactive and visionary leadership.
This entails recognising and addressing risks while fostering an environment that encourages learning, experimentation, resilience, flexibility and adaptation.
By embracing a more proactive and creative mindset, leaders can effectively position their organisation, and their people, for sustained success in the long run.
If you’re thinking it’s time to reconsider, or get curious about, your metaphorical outfit, get in touch.
With the support of the Leadership Circle Profile™️ 360° Assessment tool, together we can explore the source of your patterns of action and internal assumptions that drive your behaviors and impact your motivation, so that we can connect you to what is working, what isn’t, and why. This will empower you to unleash your most creative and authentic leadership.
