Leadership Philosophy

Leadership Philosophy

Generally, I believe the four essential qualities of a good leader are: Generalist knowledge, Courage, Integrity, and Wisdom. 

In term of particular philosophies, I believe that leadership styles are drastically different depending on the telos or goal of the task, and the situation. The primary distinction is between leadership in creation or leadership in destruction because the art of creation is fundamentally different in nature from the art of destruction. A manager involved in the business of creating values will have different priority and concerns in leadership over a manager involved in the business of destroying values. 

If a society itself is organized primarily for war and destruction, then the best method of organization is coercive top down approach with authoritarian/autocratic leadership, because this style of leadership is most suitable for wholesale destruction. This position and form of leadership is often found in the state and public institution since these are top-down organized and has a monopoly on violence. The filter for public management is firing decision. A good public manager, or leader (in a state institution) is someone who knows whom to fire. Their primary function is in simplifying and streamlining the bureaucracy. 

On the other hand if a society is organized primarily for co-operation and and creation of value, then most of the time, the best method of organization is laissez faire, bottom-up, free market approach. In this environment, people work best if  they are allowed basic liberty and flexibility to create values from the bottom-up. The filter for the manager is in the hiring decision. In a private company, unlike in the public sector, the best manager is someone who knows whom to hire (not fire). Their primary function is to create jobs that add value to the society.  

In term of leadership philosophy, sometimes the pen is more powerful. Sometimes the sword is more powerful. Wise are those who know when to use a sword and when to use a pen. Likewise, I think there is no good leadership philosophy in a vacuum. In the natural world, a good fish and a good monkey don't live by the same philosophy, one's wisdom is another's error.

People can spend their whole life cultivating the use of the sword and people spend their whole life cultivating the use of the pen. But not many spend time contemplate when to use a pen and when to use a sword. Good manager or a good leader is therefore a generalist, someone who possesses the wisdom to correctly discern what the situation calls for and has the courage to follow through with his own conviction despites all fears and external pressures. "If you know yourself and you know your enemy, you can win a hundred battles" - Sun Tzu. 

During my professional career in the business of creating values, I will mostly maintain an open-minded laissez faire, and goal-oriented management approach. As long as my subordinates and co-workers achieve the objectives and get the job done, I do not want to micro-manage or interfere much with the specifics of what they are doing. I will be especially carefully during the screening and hiring phrases to make sure that I don't end up with incompetent workers. That has been said, as civil situation deteriorate and more crimes occur, I will also take necessary precautionary steps to ensure that business operation is optimally run.