Exploring the concept of leadership by default  

Leadership by default is a situation in which a leader emerges in a team or in an organisation by accident. There are occasions when a leader of an organisation or a group leaves the position of leadership suddenly either due to accident or sudden death, or a leader just resigns without normal notice given to the organisation to find a replacement or is asked to proceed on an indefinite leave by the management board due to atrocities committed or due to prolonged inefficiency. Another leader will be selected to lead either in a substantive or interim position. The process of emergence of that new or interim leader is called leadership by default. It is leadership by default because the emerging leader usually does not emerge through diligent process and due process expected of the position. Leadership by default can happen in any leadership position like traditional, political, corporate, academic, religious, club and sport teams.  The challenges usually faced by these leaders stem from the fact that they are not often prepared for the task.

Leaders by default are not expected to be perfect immediately they assume office. They are not measured by the same key performance indices (KPIs) as a selected, coached or groomed leader. They are only expected to do the best they can do with the best information and resources available to them at the time. A leader by default will do well if he can keep the status quo he met on ground, stabilise, and painstakingly improve the situation with time. Starting with the right thing will never be a wrong way to start when one becomes a leader by default. In most cases, the expectations of stakeholders, including board members, employees and shareholders from leaders by default are higher than ‘normal’. Some leaders by default do catch up after acting for some time; some set the ball rolling as soon as they assume office, while some never get their acts together until they are kicked in the butt or kicked out of the position and another leader is engaged.

What leaders by default need to consider to perform are: one, that leadership is not a rocket science – it is partly an art and partly a science; two, that leadership is a skill that can be acquired and not a natural instinct; three, that successful leaders work with people (followers); four, that there is at least a member of the team that holds the ace; and five, that emergency leaders (leaders by default) have the greatest opportunity in that they are usually selected or appointed to douse a critical situation.

They also need to know that the three basic types of leadership are: authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic), and delegative (laissez-faire). Authoritarian leadership is a leadership style where an individual possesses total decision-making power and retains as much authority as possible, often requiring followers to strictly adhere to their directives without much freedom or participation.

Contrasted with other leadership styles, such as participative, transformational, paternalistic, democratic and delegative, authoritarian leadership heavily emphasises a centralised authority where leaders have full decision-making power, emphasising a top-down approach. They make decisions without much input from their team members, focusing on a centralised-power structure where the leader’s word is final. Participative leadership is a leadership style defined by leaders who promote and rely on an inclusive collaborative mindset. These types of leaders engage with their employees and actively include them in the decision-making process. A participative leadership style promotes greater collaboration among a team and discourages assigning blame when something goes wrong. With the increased capacity to work as one, teams begin to build stronger bonds and foster a more positive work environment with time.

Delegative leadership is a style of management in which a leader delegates tasks and responsibilities to their team while enabling autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of the project. Sometimes, it is referred to as laissez-faire leadership. However, there can be subtle differences. Laissez-faire leadership can imply a leader’s complete hands-off approach, while delegative leadership might describe a leader who is more involved but still allows significant autonomy of the employees. Delegative leadership is all about giving team members the power to make decisions and take ownership of tasks assigned to them. Leaders can provide guidance and support, but the ultimate decisions are left to be made by the employees.

The following are the key characteristics that define the delegative leadership style: Trust: Leaders must trust their team members to make decisions and take ownership of tasks; Autonomy: Team members have the freedom to make decisions without interference from the leader; Responsibility: Employees are held responsible for their own decisions and actions; Accountability: Team members are held accountable for their work and results, encouraging them to take ownership and initiative; Comfort with mistakes: Mistakes are seen as a part of learning and growing, so team members are encouraged to take risks and learn from any mistakes they make; Sufficient training and support: Leaders must provide adequate training and support to ensure team members have the skills to make decisions and complete tasks. It is noteworthy to say that efficiency of the type of leadership adopted depends on the type of organisation.

Leaders by default must also be aware of the four A’s of leadership. These are: align, accountable, authentic and aware. Leaders by default must align with the thought-process of the employees. This breeds empathy. They must be accountable for all their actions, be authentic in their dealings and not fake their persons or pretend to be who they are not, and they must be aware of themselves. When corporate leaders align with the way of life of their employees, they gel well with the employees and achieve greater things together. Accountable leaders clearly communicate their goals to their teams to foster alignment and team focus. They accept responsibility when things go wrong and give credit to the team when things go according to plans. Authentic leaders emphasise self-awareness, personal growth and a genuine concern for the well-being and development of others. These lists and others are the only way to success for a leader who “suddenly” assumes the mantle of leadership.

• business a.m. commits to publishing a diversity of views, opinions and comments. It, therefore, welcomes your reaction to this and any of our articles via email: comment@businessamlive.com