Alpha Leaders vs. Alpha Males

We need Alpha Leaders, not Alpha Males to run companies. History has shown that Alpha Leaders tend to think big, take bold and decisive actions, which in turn engenders change in the way we work, live and interact with others. Alpha Males lead by using the command and control approach, which is becoming less important in an increasingly service oriented world that depends on innovation and team participation to survive. Alpha Leaders and Alpha Males are not specific to any one gender. Both share many similar character traits. However, there are some characteristics that are unique to an Alpha Leader or Alpha Male. Following is a partial list.

Alpha Leader Practices collaborative leadership. Often values intangibles. Is comfortable with criticism from peers and members of the team. Learns from failure. Understands that experimentation is key to innovation. Expands their leadership teams. Trusts and delegates. Surrounds themselves with talented and independent thinkers. Protects the team. Understands the importance of work-life balance, which tends to brings out enthusiasm and creativity in the team.

Alpha Male Wants the final decision immediately. Is transparent / blunt. Often burns out because they are inherently adversarial. Has no patience for marginal personnel. Enjoys, almost lusts for competition. Doesn’t like surprises. Outworks everyone. Suspects people who are always positive. Determines the mood of every room they enter. Views shyness as weakness. Grows increasingly frustrated by mistakes. Experiences high staff turnover. Often destructs self and the team. Often judges people by externals. Is conscious of the perceptions of others.

What a difference? One is focused on the betterment of the team, the other, self-preservation. It is fair to conclude that people who are confident, secure and experts in their professional field may not want to be led by an Alpha Male. Alpha Leaders, on the other hand, are naturals at bringing the best in any team, from innovators to thinkers to workers by encouraging a participatory style of team dynamics.

Peter Drucker, a well-known professor and management consultant said it well, ""The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say 'I'. And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say 'I'. They don't think 'I'. They think 'we'; they think 'team'. They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but 'we' gets the credit.... This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done."

For a team to function effectively there has to be implicit trust between all members. The leader must be confident that the team has his/her back and vice versa. In many instances we spend a lot of time hunting for keywords on resumes and quizzing prospective candidates on technical issues before making a hire. Trust seems to be completely left out of the hiring equation.

Major General William A, Cohen, an Alpha Leader in his own right, writes, ""My research debunks the myth that many people seem to have . . . that you become a leader by fighting your way to the top. Rather, you become a leader by helping others to the top. Helping your employees is as important, and many times more so, than trying to get the most work out of them."

"The most valuable "currency" of any organization is the initiative and creativity of its members. Every leader has the solemn moral responsibility to develop these to the maximum in all his people. This is the leader's highest priority.", said Dr. W. Edwards Demming.

Dr. Suzanne Zoglio, founder of the Institute of Planning and Development based in Doylestown, PA, says, "as leaders shift their focus to customers and quality, they realize that the old authoritarian leadership style does not work anymore. To achieve quality, service, and rapid response, leaders must utilize all available talent. They must find ways to inspire, involve, and empower employees. They must create a work environment that encourages commitment, innovation, and cooperation. Instead of evaluating, leaders now coach. Instead of doing, they delegate. Instead of telling, they facilitate. No one is expected to boss anyone. Everyone is expected to participate."

Are you an Alpha Male? If you are, then your leadership style is becoming obsolete. It does not build strong teams. It does not inspire people to do their best. If your primary motivations are ego, money and status, you are destroying creativity in your teams. The old command and control leadership style is becoming increasingly irrelevant as innovation, commitment and participatory management are taking over. Gorillas may still need Alpha Males to lead their group, not organizations made up of human beings!

Comments

[Ashley S]

There are many recent studies that have concluded, that the "command and control" dictatorial style of management seldom works. Companies who practice this style of management are left with employees who underperform and produce less than their counterparts. The good ones all leave. Did you read the recent article in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/us/30iht-letter30.html

[Nalina Kumar]

I think the concept of an Alpha Male applies only in Western cultures, where extroverts are rewarded and assertiveness is a desirable character trait. I am a professional woman working in a mutinational company in Bangalore (India). Our performances at work are not rated on assertiveness nor the ability to command and control. It is based on being able to get the entire team working at its highest level in a collegial style environment where introverts (the shy ones) are as important to the team and rewarded on par with the extroverts not just financially, but also when it comes to job promotions.

[Steven S.]

Since World War II, America is the global power she is because of alpha males. Creative and intellectual endeavors may not require alpha males in a leadership role, but there are plenty of situations that do.