Management Tip: Leadership by 'Siege'

Leadership by Siege

Tekena Craig Fubara

Siege is typically defined as a military blockade of a fortress or city, with the sole intent of conquering it through assault or attrition. However, the effective leadership technique I am about to espouse is by no means an execution styled after this term, but is an acronym I coined from feedback I received from an esteemed colleague on what he considered to be good leadership. Nevertheless, the core elements of this military tactics in terms of output is very relevant in keeping the followership in awe. As my colleague considered himself a good follower, I listened aptly  to his lecture on who and what he thought a good leader was. I discovered that it is very easy for a leader to fall in the self-deluding trap of practising leadership based on his own understanding, acquired or innate, without getting a view from those whom he leads to establish if his/her techniques are effective. This was one opportunity I salvaged and I owe the basic elements of this piece to this colleague, who allowed me to write around his ideas.

Over the years, I had always been taught to practice 'Leadership by Influence', until I got into a debate with a General who was teaching me a slightly different theory - 'Command and Control'. I see people using the two different styles with various shades of success and failures at various extremities, and nowadays I see a synergy. The central theme about these techniques was that they always focussed on what the leader wanted - the primary objective of its use being to achieve a goal - and how he wanted it. The follower is typically also geared up to to achieve the same objective. Where misalignment arises is in how the leader wants the objective achieved contrasted against how the follower wants it done. And so here is one view from an ardent follower - my colleague - on how wants to be led: A leader needs to Support, Inspire, Engage, Guide, Enable (SIEGE) the follower. For the follower, the leader needs to:

1.) Support: Maintain my performance

One item for a follower is that he needs an effective leader to run the waterworks to support his performance. Where he/she is doing well, someone needs to provide motivation, and where performance is low, someone needs to provide the relevant support to keep the performance high.

2.) Inspire: Make me see over the horizon

The mission can be carried out by the team, but the vision must be set by the leader. The followers don't want to dream, otherwise there will be multiple visions.It is the leaders objective, to not only dream, but be able to sell this dream to his team and ensure they are stirred up to act.

3.) Engage: Make me reflect on what you are saying

Communication - verbal and non-verbal - is a key skill of any leader and he/she must be able to use this to his/her advantage. This art involves quite a lot of listening, listening, and listening. People must feel totally immersed and engaged after every interaction with a good leader.

4.) Guide: Keep me in the right path

A follower is looking for someone out there to keep a track on what he/she is doing, to ensure it is properly tied up to the overall objectives of the team. Where a team member is doing well, the leader needs to support that performance, and where otherwise to bring back to the centre.

5.) Enable: Remove blockers and facilitate open doors
The follower wants to do his specific work, which is tedious enough, and doesn't want to spend time looking at the big picture with all the big hooks. It is the leader's responsibility to do so, removing any stumbling blocks and ensuring things line up for effective execution of the work by the team.

The military tactics of siege holds the enemy in awe, while the leadership technique by SIEGE holds the followers in awe. So next time you lead your team, ask yourself these questions: Have I supported them? Have I inspired them? Have I engaged them? Have I guided them? Have I enabled them? You may have your own answers each time, but I would also recommend that you seek direct or indirect feedback from your team to these questions.