Leadership Metaphors

I recently interviewed seven effective leaders in an attempt to gain some insights into their leadership styles and priorities. The dialogs were rich and the thoughts they generated revealed some interesting perspectives on the process of leadership. The interviews focused on twelve questions although this blog shall explore just one: I asked each leader to describe their approach to leadership in terms of a metaphor. Here are the results:

#1. Mike’s metaphor for an outstanding organizational leader is that of a military general who is also a chaplain and a registered nurse. The military general clearly sees the battle facing the army and provides the best strategy to win the war. The chaplain softens the military stereotype with a compassion for the soul and spirit of the soldiers. The nurse is concerned about the physical well being of each individual carefully providing for the health and welfare of all. The leader must take care of mind, spirit, and body.

# 2. This leader captured his idea of the leader as “the Captain of the team…even better a Player Coach.” The leader, as a member of a team, is no better than any other member, but is there to pull the team together, to motivate them and to participate with them. The player coach is there is inspire the team and help them reach maximum capacity. The Player Coach manifests two distinct roles. First, as a player, he rolls up his sleeves, participates side by side, works up a sweat like every other member of the team, and experiences the thrill of the victory with his colleagues. Second , as a coach, he provides guidance, insights, and direction for the team. His direction is relevant because he lives in the midst of the game.

#3. Mr. P’s metaphor of the organizational leader was a collage of four images. None of them captured the total picture, so pieces of all four need to be pasted together: A Cheerleader (encouraging the troops), a Magician (pulling the rabbit out of a hat of difficult times), a Shepherd (guiding the people – you cannot push like a Cowboy), and a Card Player (one who knows the cards and can plan a strategy for success). Mr. P. sees the need for a strong leader that can give direction to an organization, as opposed to a friend to the employees. I have this image in my mind of a cheerleader dressed in a magician’s cape with a shepherd’s crook in one hand, a deck of cards in the other. I do appreciate this eclectic need to put a number of traits and abilities into the metaphor. Indeed, a leader must wear many different hats and have the ability to switch the hats at a moment’s notice.

#4. This leader’s metaphor flows out of a great appreciation for the beautiful aspen trees that grow in the mountains of Colorado. As this world leader learned about these amazing trees, he saw their connection with leadership networking, collaboration, and interconnectivity. All of the aspen trees are tied to the same root system enabling needed water to be spread to each tree as needed. On the surface each tree appears to be separate and strong, but under the surface, they are all interdependent on each other. Leadership needs to develop this type of unity as each individual realizes and recognizes the need for the team. Those leaders (trees) higher up on the hillside need to enable the water to flow to those on lower levels. Leadership itself can sometimes be a thankless job and so it is important for the water flow to go both directions.

#5 Aaron has not adopted a specific metaphor for the process of leadership, but the idea of a Nurturer would come closest – one that plants and helps something to grow. The growth continues until the Nurtured becomes an entity all its own. The Nurtured doesn’t need the help of the Nurturer anymore. The Nurtured becomes a Nurturer himself. The Nurturer starts a cycle that continues long after he has left it.

#6 DB shared, “I like a military metaphor – the picture of the warrior in battle – like Ephesians 6. The leader is in a battle; in a war. I see him as the general, but not in the traditional sense, but as the inspirational figure, the one to whom the soldiers look to and agree with as they all own the cause together. We all agree to put on our armor together as fight as a unit.”

#7 Don likened the leader to a builder. Not that the leader is trying to build a tribute to himself or a house that glorifies man. The program is not the focus of the building – the focus is the lives of people. The leader builds on the foundation (the truth of God’s word) while providing strength (strong principles) helping to build up the weak. Construction is complicated and needs to be comprehensive if the builder is to be successful.

Leadership is very difficult to define. The role of the leader is almost impossible to capture in a job description. I have heard many say, “I can’t define leadership, but I know it when I see it.” So I enjoy leadership metaphors as they attempt to paint a picture of effective leadership.