Conventional wisdom dictates that leadership consists of commanding (attracting the respect and attention of) those people from whom you seek compliance. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that leadership means telling (ordering, directing) the minions what to do and how to do it with no regard for the input or feelings of others.
Hugh McLeod recently and brilliantly wrote, “The thing about conventional wisdom is that it’s often the lowest common denominator.” Why mention that here? While the masses may agree that a commanding leadership style is the hallmark of a powerful leader, the masses have missed the mark.
Parents, generals, and Greek gods likely can get away with a commanding approach on occasion. However, when employed by mere mortals like us, the “do it because I say so” approach ends in passive resistance, rebellion, or exodus. If this seems worth considering, read on here.
*As this post applies to all professionals, substitute the word “professional” for all references to “lawyer” and remove the phrase “in the legal profession.” That should do the trick!