Online Role Model You Respect Might Not Be Suitable Leader for Your Professional Journey
Celebrating great leaders is a common practice, as we read their books, watch their speeches, and absorb their wisdom. However, the leader you adore from afar might not be the one you'd want working alongside you. Online reputations can make it easy to idolize leaders based on their polished public personas. We see their inspiring LinkedIn posts, captivating interviews, and well-crafted success stories. But, the reality of working for these leaders can be quite different.
Steve Jobs is a prime example of this phenomenon. He's widely recognized as a visionary, but former employees have recounted experiences of humiliation and impossible demands. Satya Nadella, on the other hand, has transformed Microsoft's culture. He's praised for his empathetic, collaborative, and innovative approach, which is quite different from Jobs' earlier leadership style.
The question isn't who the best leader is, but whether their reputation matches the experience of working for them. Leadership effectiveness is highly personal. Some people thrive under high-pressure, demanding leaders while others need a more supportive and collaborative environment to excel.
Is Your Leader a Dream or a Nightmare?
Leadership isn't just about the leader; it's about perception. The same boss can be inspiring to one employee and unbearable to another. High-pressure, demanding leaders can drive results for some, while others may feel exhausted by their approach. Conversely, a hands-off leader may be perfect for an employee who thrives on autonomy and innovation, but frustrating for someone who needs structure and clear expectations.
The most important question to ask isn't whether a leader is good or bad, but if they lead in a way that helps you thrive.
Would You Make it Through Working for Steve Jobs?
Steve Jobs was a complex leader, known for his brilliance and volatility. His leadership style was brutal and direct, pushing employees to their limits while inspiring others. But he evolved over time. By the time he returned to Apple, he had learned from his failures, built Pixar into a major success, and had a more refined approach to leadership.
Contrast that with Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, who transformed the company by focusing on empathy, collaboration, and curiosity. His leadership style is the opposite of Job's earlier one, described as thoughtful, empowering, and team-oriented.
Surviving in a Leader's Shadow
If you're working for a high-pressure leader like Jobs, success may come from managing expectations and building resilience. These leaders value results above everything, so proving your competence early, focusing on solutions, and staying direct in communication can help earn their trust. They may not offer much emotional support, so it's crucial to build your own resilience and seek guidance from peers or mentors.
If you're working for a collaborative, reflective leader like Nadella, adaptability is key. These leaders want engagement and drive innovation, but may hesitate before making big decisions. If you thrive under structure and quick decision-making, you may need to step up and take initiative, offering solutions instead of waiting for direction.
Neither leadership style is inherently better, but both require different approaches to be successful under them. Instead of waiting for the perfect boss, the best employees learn how to work effectively within the leadership style they have.
Online Leadership Reputations: Reality vs. Perception
One of the biggest mistakes people make when evaluating leaders online is assuming their public persona matches their leadership style in the workplace. A well-crafted LinkedIn post or TED Talk doesn't reveal how a leader runs a company. The real test is looking at how employees describe them. Patterns in employee reviews, industry commentary, and past decision-making reveal whether their leadership is respected – or just well-branded.
Vision vs. Action: Are They Actually Leading?
Some leaders look great on paper but fail when it comes to execution. Results matter, but so does the path they take to get there. A leader should be able to point to measurable outcomes, not just vision statements or press releases. Leaders who recognize and reward their teams tend to drive stronger long-term success.
The Right Leader for You Isn't Necessarily the Right Leader for Someone Else
Leadership is personal. The same qualities that make a leader effective in one environment could make them a disaster in another. Some leaders drive innovation but push their team to their limits. Others, like Nadella, transform cultures by focusing on curiosity and collaboration. Both are considered successful, but their leadership styles are vastly different. So, before trusting a leader you've never met, ask yourself: would their leadership style bring out the best in you? Because the right leader isn't just successful; they make you successful, too.
- Choosing a boss based solely on their online reputation might lead to misunderstandings, as described by former employees of Steve Jobs, who admired him publicly but experienced humiliation and extreme demands in the workplace.
- Steve Jobs' leadership style was known for its brutal directness, pushing employees to their limits and inspiring some while exhausting others. Conversely, Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft's culture with an empathetic, collaborative, and innovative approach.
- Leadership effectiveness can vary greatly from person to person, depending on individual preferences and working styles. For instance, some individuals thrive under high-pressure leaders like Steve Jobs, while others need a more supportive, collaborative environment to excel, such as the one created by Satya Nadella.
- In assessing potential leaders, it's essential to consider whether their leadership style will foster career growth and management fit, rather than labeling them as "good" or "bad." The underlying question should be if their approach will enable you to thrive.
- Perceptions of leaders can differ significantly within a workplace, with some employees seeing them as inspiring and others as unbearable. As a result, it's vital to analyze the actual experiences of employees, rather than relying solely on online reputations, to determine a leader's true impact on their team.
