The Iron Fist and The Velvet Glove: Leadership Style (Part 1)

I have been doing a lot of thinking around styles of leadership and in my thoughts I have done some strong research on Walt Disney. For anyone who has read any of my blog post, you know I LOVE Walt Disney as a leader and as a visionary. Walt had a very unique style, he possessed an uncommon natural leadership trait that many want, but requires a high level of self awareness and emotional intelligence to achieve. The capability of knowing when to lead with an iron fist and knowing when to put on a velvet glove. By this we mean, knowing when to be the commanding person in the room, and knowing when that "commanding personality" is not going to achieve that outcome or goals you wish to achieve.

"Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it and work it until it is done right."

-Walt Disney

I recently hosted a conference for United States and Canadian Human Resource and Learning Leaders & Professionals. During the course of this conference, a leader suggested that we have a gentleman by the name of Doug Lipp be our keynote speaker. Doug formerly worked for Disney, and knows very well and understands the importance of leadership and culture within ones organization. Doug was the one who brought to light the need to lead with an iron fist and the need to lead with an a velvet glove on - Depending on ones circumstance. Leading my thoughts to the understanding that the iron fist never really goes away, it is just a more pleasant delivery for lack of better words
P.S. I am in no way associated with Doug Lipp, however, he was a fantastic speaker with great take-aways that I would suggest to anyone or their organization. 

We have all worked for managers and leaders at some point in our careers. Keeping that in mind, we have all had great leaders that we would walk miles over hot coals. And then those "leaders" that we would not work for OR with them again if we were paid an outrageous amount of money. (To be transparent, had to really censor myself on that last sentence...I am all about transparency) The great leaders possess the ability to know when to be the commanding presences in the room and when to soften their approach. If you watch this leader closely you can begin to see this ability shine through in various circumstances throughout all of their interactions with team members, peers, other leaders, ect. Watch them shift and mold their personality, much like a chameleon.

Read on more on my experience with this type of leader in the second part of this blog post.

Be that leader, the one someone never forgets, for the right reasons.
TPG