Trick or Treat: The Costumed Leader

Person in ghost costume waving

Whether you’re familiar with the term or not, you’ve met a costumed leader. You know, the person in executive management role who thinks they are leading but lacks the characteristics or tools to actually be effective in that role. They are disguised by authority, title, and position.

Costumed leaders experience short-term success. They surround themselves with talented people and gain trust and loyalty from employees. Often times, they are so good at wearing their disguise they can develop a “family” culture within the work environment. This often blurs the lines between employee, friend, and actual family. That’s why it’s difficult for costumed leaders to identify the institutional risks resulting from this leadership approach (which almost inevitably culminates in a toxic workplace). Eventually, a problem or crisis arises, and the costume begins to tear, the makeup starts to run, and the wig becomes disheveled.

Costumed leaders truly believe they are good “bosses.” They might even care about their employees, customers, and business, but because they lack leadership abilities, the very things they care about begin to suffer. Any organization which lacks direction and vision will soon be out of business. The costumed leader mistakes caring for leadership. Effective leadership demonstrates caring, but caring never replaces the need for leadership.

There are 4 key differences between a costumed leader and an effective leader:

1. Communication

A costumed leader might speak in absolute, overly harsh terms: “It’s my way or the highway”. Their preoccupation with their title and status prevents empathy for their employees. They focus on their own authority and wellbeing, often to the detriment of their teams and the organization.

An effective leader speaks with candor and compassion. They earn respect by being honest because that honesty is driven by wanting the best for the other person and the organization overall.

2. Self-awareness

A costumed leader thinks they have all the answers. Because of their need to demonstrate infallibility, they don’t ask for insight or suggestions from others. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the costumed leader because they can’t be their authentic self; they must be the all-knowing, answer-having boss. They are unable to fully demonstrate their strengths, because doing so would imply that there are areas of weakness.

An effective leader understands how to listen, identify an issue, and seek a solution in consultation with other team members or colleagues. These leaders are authentic and show their strengths, but, more importantly, show their openness and commitment to utilizing and leading through the strengths of others.

3. Vision

A costumed leader doesn’t get it. Leaders who can’t (or choose not to) engage with the organization’s vision cannot inspire their employees to do the same. Without vision, it becomes difficult for the costumed leader to prioritize, engage in long-term or strategic planning, and uphold organizational values.

An effective leader communicates the “why,” which motivates employees to participate in the organization’s vision. Not every employee buys into an organization’s mission when they are hired, but buy-in can be developed when employees become involved and see the meaning behind their daily tasks. The effective leader consistently and courageously shares this meaning and provides depth of direction to even the most uninterested employee.

4. Acknowledging the dream in dreamers

A costumed leader doesn’t know what to do with dreamers. They present new, crazy ideas that may not fit in with their assigned role and may threaten the status quo. The costumed leader views the dreamer as a challenger to their personal agenda within the organization, often ignoring them or quashing their creativity.

An effective leader identifies and nurtures dreamers. Dreamers are not to be feared but should be embraced. They are the individuals who think about what could be and contribute solutions to achieve these lofty goals. Effective leaders find and enable innovators who embrace change and collaboratively work together to address challenges and remove barriers.

There are, of course, many more differences that could be discussed, but these are perhaps the most easily observable. It’s imperative that leaders are able to analyze the type of leadership style they exhibit. People are capable of achieving the impossible when their dreams are validated, and when they are given room to grow. Because leadership can be learned, there is never a need for a disguise.

What type of leader do you want to be?