Management

Is it better for a leader to be loved or feared?

By: Maria Johnsen

This reminds me of Niccolo Machiavelli who posed the same question long time ago. During all these years “ fear “ was a dominant model in various societies for example at school, home, work environment and so on. In factories, strict rules dictated to workers in order to increase productivity metrics. At offices fearful employees could not put on a good face for customers. In advertising field, there were tight controls which decreased creativity.

The fear from authorities has been a dominated factor even until present day. In developed countries many leaders rely on fear and their employees continue to put up with it! Why you may ask? Because they rationalize the fear model as “just the way things are done around here”. Why some employees put up with it? They feel a sense of pride in toughing it out. Some people would rather to just follow the rules. Some people even believe that with a strong boss, they may be pushed beyond the limits. In some circumstances they still call for fear-based style for leadership where a person wants to discourage risky behavior.

In some countries, leaders are autocratic, rude and insulting. Why? Because they can inspire great respect if they are autocratic and at the same time have genuine care about the people working for them.

You may find such leaders in sport for instance coaches. Some of them are demanding and marked with harshness and intimidating behavior. Despite these facts, such coaches inspire tremendous loyalty and even love! Why? The team are aware of their care and concern.

Should leaders create fear in their working environment? The answer is obviously no. Leading by force and intimidation has its downsides. A violent behavior comes from inability. A dominant style cannot possibly lead a company toward success and productivity. So should a leader take a softer approach? One may answer no again. Because a softer behavior is equally ineffective and inauthentic.

Many industrial companies in Norway have fear from bankruptcy.

One may blame partially the bad management, applying wrong diplomacy and politics at the various work environments. “BAD LEADERSHIP MAY LEAD A COMPANY OR AN ECONOMY SYSTEM TO A DISASTROUS RESULT!”

Why most of the leaders and managers cannot do their job right despite of all those meetings and once awhile courses that their company arrange for them?

The reason is that in Norway most of the millstones and strategies are taken from developed countries. So the question is: is it wrong with those strategies or work policies? Or CEO strategies?

The answer is “yes” and “no”. Why you may ask.

I believe every company in every country should tailor those strategies in order to suit well in their own system.

For example: If a manager at a Norwegian insurance company applies a CEO strategy that belongs to an American management system, s/he is putting the company’s economy system in a major problem and as a result failure!

As I have mentioned in one of my articles, following the same old strategies and keeping a low profile because of having fear from losing their management position, may cause future problem at an organization!

Sitting there, drinking coffee, taking an arrogant approach to most of the new ideas, can lead a company to failure in long term.

Managers and leaders should learn to take a solid, liberal and democratic approach in their management decision in order to succeed. The result will be making their company’s wish come true and their vision comes to reality.

Managers must apply an approach that suits well in their own work environment and culture.

In conclusion it is fair to add that the future of a company relies on their good management system and management strategy. This approach may reduce partially an unemployment and economic problem.

Successful leaders adopt their style accordingly.

It is unimportant for a leader to be feared. The most important factors for a leader are to increase their company’s productivity, decrease their annual spending budget and creating a good work environment.