Leader vs. Boss

While boss and leader are often used synonymously, there are key differences which greatly affect the impact they have over their staff. The idea of bosses becoming leaders is a hot button topic and one which we would like to explore further.

As the way we do business shifts, grows and changes; as do the type of leaders we want and need. When assessing leadership and the type of leader you want to be, it is best to consider the unique elements you can offer.

“Leadership is an elusive beast – it is hard to see in plain sight, but when it’s missing it is glaringly obvious”. This is a quote that holds many truths and brings forward a new way to thinking when it comes to leaders. As with any modern concept, nothing would be anything without an acronym, and PELT is the one for modern leadership. PELT stands for Presence, Elevation, Listening and Transparency; four essential ingredients of leadership. However, how you incorporate these elements as a leader will depend on the leadership style which you apply.  

There “are four leadership styles that are emerging in our modern workforce”, which stem from the need to embrace the millennial evolution.

Firstly, adaptive leadership focuses on the rapidly changing environment and the need to adopt to often complex changes, in a manner which develops an environment conducive to problem solving and effective leadership. This has been seen to be popular in the public sector as it is implemented through its focus on the mobilisation of organisations and communities, in order to accept change.

Another, potentially tendentious style is mindful leadership. There has been many a debate regarding the role of empathy in leadership, which is at the centre of this approach. Mindful leadership navigates transformative change using openness and curiosity, while building meaningful connections using empathy, presence and listening.

The concept of building genuine relationships is also echoed in the following two leadership styles. Inclusive leadership focuses on the creation of a respectful workplace where employees feel valued and safe. This style relies on the acknowledgement of a leader’s bias and using this to work collaborative in a culturally intelligent manner. Whereas, servant leadership aims to put employees first by sharing power and removing employers and upper management from the authority pyramid. At the core of this approach is the hope to enrich organisations through building just and empathetic workplaces.         

One common theme between these leadership styles is the focus on people and creating positive work environments. This respect and inclusion of employees and communities is a hallmark of modern work environments. The focus on healthy work habits and safe workplaces is in our opinion, a positive work change and shift in business practices.    

However, your leadership style of choice will depend strongly on the cultural dimensions of a country. With regard for Australia all of these approaches could be highly successful depending on the implementation and company dynamic. Despite having a low long-term orientation score, which indicates a respect for tradition, Australian culture values collaborative business with merit-based hiring practices. This is also in part of the individualistic tendency of Australians, where an “exchange-based world of work” is expected (Hofstede, 2019).

Moreover, Australian culture has a low power distance which indicates that there are often open lines of communication between employees, managers and employees; relying on consultation and an open exchange of ideas in the workplace. To put it simply, the “hierarchy is established for convenience” in many organisations. Similarly, Australian culture has been found to place a high level of importance on the balance between work and life and the significance of leisure time.

These cultural dimensions shape and influence our business practices and leadership methods; however, it is the role of a true leader to listen to their employees and act intuitively to foster work habits which consistently produce the highest standard of work possible. We personally believe that leadership is a continually evolving concept and one which requires sustained attention to adjust to changing organisations, and business landscapes.