On Quiet Leadership

An Excerpt;

Personal reflections on Carlo Ancelotti book: “Quiet Leadership — Winning hearts, minds and matches” — where you can look at the concept of how business and leadership could be mixed up together in sports.

Leadership should not be taken lightly. Costs, both mundane and spiritual, can be very high. Intent is everything. Too much emotion may create a case, so consumed with fury and animosity that a leader action will be considered a discomfort. Too little creates a mindless situation with little more than the ability to follow the simplest of commands dictated.

A calm mind, its thoughts well-organised and its plans well-considered is the most necessary ingredient for a quite leadership.

Experience is necessary, of course, as are many other ingredients listed in those leadership books or courses. Any person can be inspired, regardless of age or his state of mind, but a “quiet way” philosophy is not interesting for those who do not believe in it. A person might be receptive to a peaceful leadership tailored for him and only, rather than to a whole group where ego’s may vary from case to case.

But, as being a quiet leader… use caution. Instead of taking forceful, direct action, you need to work behind the scenes. Use your skills to develop others. You cut difficult obstacles for others. Guide people around you you to do great things by merely understanding their goals and dreams.

A wise stilled leader does not wish to fight for control or his ways with another person seeking a way to input his idea. Even should the leader win the argument, it is a cruel victory, upsetting the other person involved. Ancelotti opinion is that people do best when they are comfortable, and not when they are uncomfortable. Never ask somebody to do something they do not agree. Kindness cultivates more kindness. It opens eyes as opposed to shutting them.

This is how Carlo Ancelotti illustrates it in his book:

Two people each have a horse each and they have to get their animal to jump a fence.

The first owner stands behind the horse and uses a whip to force the horse and the horse jumps the fence.

The second owner stands in front of the fence with carrots in his hand to invite the horse over and his horse jumps over it too.

They both jumped the fence this time, but if you use the whip, sometimes the horse will kick back instead of jumping. That’s the problem.

Offer something in return, something that the other individual aspires too. As a pioneer, you do not motivate your people by asking them to aspire to your ideas, or to the project you lead. As a silent manager you need to adapt.

I regard as the greatest skill that a reticent leader can posses is the adaptability. Always adapt to present situation and help people around you to do the same. Adapt, and not changing mindsets, would seem to have clear benefits for fostering unity in the group, and increase respect towards to your authority.

However, raising the quiet leadership approach in a group or organisation where the concept is not familiar, is ill-advised. There are many supposed paths to quiet leadership, though few haves been tested, and those that have been tried to be quiet leaders have just as often proved to be mere flights of fancy with no real effect besides the social status they grant to the person.

Carol Ancelotti definition of leadership:

“My approach is born of the idea that a leader should not need to rant and rave or rule with an iron fist, but rather that their power should be implicit. It should be crystal clear who is in charge, and their authority must result from respect and trust rather than fear. ”

If you wish to lead, you need to be respected. Where lack of respect is present, leadership does not exist. If you fail to be respected, you can’t guide people to aspire working in your favour.

Leaders are chosen by the group, not manager or the president, and, in the end, character is often more important than skills. Sometimes it can be difficult to see yourself as the leader. If someone has given you the job they believe in you, so trust their judgement no matter how quiet you belive you are.

Today, some leaders are chosen poorly, some of them are feared and abhorred across the length and breadth of a continent. Yet, despite the clear lessons of history, some misguided souls still insist that their actions can be tolerated, even accepted. To those such as you, dear reader, I say: beware. When was the last time your leader respected ?

There are no great coaches or leaders. They are only as great as the talent they seduce and lead and how much permission this talent gives them on a daily basis to deliver their ideas.

Reviewing my notes I can see why is hard to cross paths with a quiet leader. It is a monumental job to master quietness and leadership. If truth be told, I am afraid that I will never meet one.

If you have a recommendation of a book that I have to read or if you have a project in mind about football or sports in general write me at:
hello [at] jeanpopescu.com