THE KINDER,GENTLER LEADER

The stereotypical view of a CEO—tough-minded, dominant, and hyper-aggressive—may be

giving way to a more sensitive image. Nowhere is this shifting standard more apparent than at General

Electric. There may be no CEO more revered for his leadership style than former CEO Jack Welch, a“tough

guy”in his own words. Yet his handpicked successor, Jeff Immelt, is remarkable for his very different

leadership style. Whereas Welch was intense, brash, and directive, Immelt was described by Financial

Times as “unshakably polite, self-deprecating and relaxed.”

Of course, Immelt is only one leader, and his success at GE is hardly assured. But he s far from ′

alone in the set of seemingly sensitive CEOs. Colgate-Palmolive CEO Reuben Mark says of his leadership

credo:“I have made it my business to be sure that nothing important or creative at Colgate-Palmolive is

perceived as my idea.”In an interesting contrast to Chryslser CEO Bob Nardelli ,Chrysler President Jim

Press(formerly president of Toyota of America)embraces“servant leadership”and says one of his main

function is to“get out of the way”and support those who work with him.

A recent study of CEOs seems to suggest that this trend is spreading. The

CEOs in its sample scored, on average, 12 points below average on tough-

mindedness. Yes, that s below average. As one observer of the corporate world ′

concludes, “The Jack Welch approach appears to be on the wane.”

You might think a kinder, gentler approach works only for Fortune 500

CEOs, whose very job security might rely on glowing press coverage. In the United

State than the Hanford, Washington, nuclear cleanup site, and there s evidence ′

that the “nice” approach to leadership is taking hold there, too. Jerry Long, VP of

operations for CH2MHILL S cleanup of the Hanford site, argues that a central part ′

of his job is “showing them you care”.

Consider the meteoric rise of Barack Obama-all the way from state senator to

serious presidential contender in just 8 years. While a student at Harvard Law School, Obama

was famous attorney Laurence Tribe s research assistant. Tribe said of Obama′ ，“ I ve ′

known senators, presidents. I ve never known anyone with what seems to me more raw ′

political talent. He just seems to have the surest way of calmly reaching across what are

impenetrable barriers to many people.” Although some have argued that Obama s campaign ′

represents an emphasis of style over substance, it may be that after years of acrimonious

political wars, people consider the how as important as the what. Regardless of whether

Obama makes it to the White House, it seems clear that part of his incredible rise reflects

people s desire for a kinder, gentler leader.′

Do you think the kinder, gentle leader image is just a fad?

No, it is not a fad. More recent generations want to be treated differently in the workplace and with the skills shortages and job changes, companies will need to adjust. The movement away from coercion and control techniques and the application of a servant leadership style is more prevalent today.

Do you think the kinder, gentle leadership approach works better in some situations than others? It is possible that Welch and

Immelt are both effective leaders?

Yes, it may work better in some situations than others. The basic tenet should be Theory Y as it pertains to people. Both Welch and Immelt are both effective leaders. There is no one style that is effective and Welch has even softened his approach over the years.

Do you think the leadership style of people like Immelt and Obama is a result of nature, nurture, or both?

It may be nature, nurture or just evidence of the respective personality. Intelligent leaders will adapt the style necessary to succeed in the respective scenario. Rudy Giuliani showed a softer empathetic style in his leadership after 9/11.