Costs of Leadership
List several downfalls and costs of leaders and leadership.
Costs of Leadership
"Understanding the costs of leadership is important to understanding more
about the context in which you currently lead or will lead in the future.
* Visibility
This is the 'fishbowl' phenomenon. All eyes are on you.
* Public Duties
There are speeches to give and introductions to make. The more one rises in
an organization, the more one takes on public relations responsibilities.
* Separation
The leader is not 'one of the gang' anymore. The former peer group
disappears, replaced by new peers with new toys. It's not that leaders must
be isolated socially but rather that long-lasting, genuinely comfortable
relationships often are lost and aren't easy to replace. There can be a
feeling of 'aloneness' in leadership positions.
* Caretaking and Emotional Strain
Leaders need to take care of others. They play parent-referee-clergy roles
that require time and energy. These roles are often not sought by leaders
but imposed by their employees. There are lots of needy folks out there,
and some days they all show up in your office.
* Stamina
Leadership requires energy, not only for oneself but also to impart to
others. There are long hours, long meetings, and loss of time for family
and recreation. Many people think leadership brings glamour and excitement,
but exhaustion may be a better word.
* Job Insecurity
In certain environments, leadership roles are not secure. Merit is defined
and rewarded more selectively for leadership than for professional roles.
* Less Freedom of Expression
The higher you climb in an organization, the greater the trade-offs and
compromises. Anxieties come from the need to tightly control your feelings,
your words.
* Infrequent Relief and Strains on Family
You must keep an eye on the bigger picture while also narrowing priorities.
There are few breaks.
* Less Supportive Feedback
The higher one moves in an organization, the less useful feedback one
receives.
Choices in careers, choices in leadership, and choices in life bring
trade-offs. There are both costs and benefits. We list the costs here
because we think they are useful in understanding the realities of
leadership (Lee & King, 2001, pp. 26-29)."
Reference: Lee, R. J., & King, S.N., (2001). Discovering the leader in
you: a guide to realizing your personal leadership potential. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
As a leader, what price are you paying?
"Understanding the costs of leadership is important to understanding more
about the context in which you currently lead or will lead in the future.
* Visibility
This is the 'fishbowl' phenomenon. All eyes are on you.
* Public Duties
There are speeches to give and introductions to make. The more one rises in
an organization, the more one takes on public relations responsibilities.
* Separation
The leader is not 'one of the gang' anymore. The former peer group
disappears, replaced by new peers with new toys. It's not that leaders must
be isolated socially but rather that long-lasting, genuinely comfortable
relationships often are lost and aren't easy to replace. There can be a
feeling of 'aloneness' in leadership positions.
* Caretaking and Emotional Strain
Leaders need to take care of others. They play parent-referee-clergy roles
that require time and energy. These roles are often not sought by leaders
but imposed by their employees. There are lots of needy folks out there,
and some days they all show up in your office.
* Stamina
Leadership requires energy, not only for oneself but also to impart to
others. There are long hours, long meetings, and loss of time for family
and recreation. Many people think leadership brings glamour and excitement,
but exhaustion may be a better word.
* Job Insecurity
In certain environments, leadership roles are not secure. Merit is defined
and rewarded more selectively for leadership than for professional roles.
* Less Freedom of Expression
The higher you climb in an organization, the greater the trade-offs and
compromises. Anxieties come from the need to tightly control your feelings,
your words.
* Infrequent Relief and Strains on Family
You must keep an eye on the bigger picture while also narrowing priorities.
There are few breaks.
* Less Supportive Feedback
The higher one moves in an organization, the less useful feedback one
receives.
Choices in careers, choices in leadership, and choices in life bring
trade-offs. There are both costs and benefits. We list the costs here
because we think they are useful in understanding the realities of
leadership (Lee & King, 2001, pp. 26-29)."
Reference: Lee, R. J., & King, S.N., (2001). Discovering the leader in
you: a guide to realizing your personal leadership potential. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
As a leader, what price are you paying?