I chuckle every time I read the quote above from Jeff Shaara’s The Glorious Cause, a great piece of historical fiction about the American Revolution.  Mr. Shaara is referencing one of the many lousy generals that Washington had to contend with as he searched for leaders to help breathe life into the fragile revolution.  Challenged by lack of money, munitions and food and clothing, and backed by a Congress powerless to raise and support an army, Washington was plagued by many glory seekers and few genuine leaders.

We all know and have witnessed leaders like the one described in the quote above.  They are visible by how much they feed on the limelight and adulation of their employees.  This leader walks into a room with the silent pronouncement of “I’m here” and energizes as people acknowledge his or her greatness.  He or she is usually quick with a joke and all too happy to grab the podium and ramble on about the great things they are doing for the organization. 

Eventually, many of these leader-pretenders are unmasked, but often after causing considerable damage.  In the case of several of Washington’s early generals, the most egotistical and glory-seeking characters were uncovered by their dramatic failures in strategy and execution as well as a propensity to show the hind-quarters of their horses as they were the first to panic and run for cover.  This fact was not missed by their troops.  The same unmasking takes place in corporate environments where tough times, crises and significant market and competitor challenges help separate the real leaders from the glory-seekers.

The Bottom-Line for Now:

My preference in leaders and my guidance to aspiring leaders is to develop a servant philosophy.  Instead of the “I’m here” approach, I encourage people to develop the persona that says “You’re here!  How can I help?” as they enter a room.  The advice might sound trite, but the philosophical differences and supporting actions are profoundly different in the two cases.  How do you enter a room?