Is your leadership style a barrier to your growth or a source of leverage?

Is your leadership style a barrier to your growth or a source of leverage?

"Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people from their experiences, stupid people already have all the answers." - Socrates

When we apply this famous quote attributed to the father of philosophy, Socrates, to the modern business world, we encounter three distinct executive profiles:

1. The "I Already Know" Trap (The Leader Closed to Growth)

Socrates’ harshest criticism is reserved for those who believe they possess all the answers. In leadership, we call this the "Expert Trap." We frequently encounter this in professionals who have been promoted from specialist roles to management positions. They believe their way is the only way and force their team to follow the same path. In today's VUCA world, they try to manage tomorrow’s challenges with yesterday’s truths. They remain indifferent to diverse voices within the team and view opposing ideas not as opportunities for growth, but as threats to their authority.

2. Learning Only from Experience (The Reactive Leader)

The second group, the "average people," learn from their own experiences. While this is necessary, it is not sufficient. If you only learn from what happens directly to you, your learning curve will be dangerously slow. In business, time is the most valuable resource. Learning every lesson by making the mistake yourself is a very expensive method for both your career and your company. Instead of anticipating the future, you remain a leader who analyzes past crises and trails behind events.

3. Creating Leverage (The Smart Leader)

Finally, we have the "Smart Leader" profile. These individuals possess a Growth Mindset. They are not satisfied with just their own experience. They benefit from the experiences of others, value the ideas of their youngest team members, and learn lessons from their competitors' failures. We call this the "Leverage Effect." These leaders possess the humility of "Level 5 Leaders" as defined by Jim Collins in his book Good to Great; they admit what they do not know and constantly ask: "How can we do this better?"

If you want to elevate your leadership from "average" to "smart," start applying these three steps today:

• Be the Asker, Not the Answerer: Instead of being the person who talks the most in meetings, be the one who asks the most powerful questions.

  
  

• Truly Listen: Do not just listen to those who agree with you; listen to those who challenge you. Remember the principle: "Smart people learn from everyone."

  
  

• Don't Fear Vulnerability: Saying "I don't know, what is your opinion?" does not shake your authority. On the contrary, it builds trust and enhances the collective intelligence of your team.

Leadership is not a destination; it is a journey. The moment you believe you have 'arrived' is the moment you begin to decline. The best leaders, regardless of their titles, are those who view themselves as perpetual students.