(IMOA) Imagine Pacific Original Article
Let's talk about leadership
By SMSgt. Jared Mina, EMT, B.Ed.
Hawaii Air National Guard
12/15/2023
Let’s talk about leadership… What is “leadership?” The simple answer can be found in any Webster’s Dictionary such as… Definition #1 states “the office or position of a leader.” That doesn’t quite work for me. I think a better question would be “What does leadership look like?”
To help illustrate this, I will be talking about “The 5 Types of Leaders”
as discussed by Mack and Ria Story
Type 1: Managerial Leader (Level 1)
A
managerial leader is the least effective of the five types of leaders. They
have the least influence. They see members as tools for their advancement. At
the end of the day, it’s all about “Look at what I did,” regardless of their
actual contributions. They tend to value the position more than the people.
This leader can be appointed or perhaps they happen to be the last person
available with the right credentials for the position (right place, right
time).
Some Traits of the Type 1:
· Character is weak.
· Desire is “to be served” rather than “to serve.”
· Strength comes from power, control, formal authority, and personal results.
· “I follow because I have to…”
Type 2: Relational Leader (Level 2)
This
type of leader is more focused on people. They want to build relationships.
People follow because of who they are rather than what they know (technical
knowledge). Their weakness is not making/taking the time to develop their
craft. Like the level 1 leader, this person can be at the right place at the
right time. What differentiates them from the level 1 leader is the fact that
they have taken an interest in the people and are willing to build
relationships.
Some Traits of the Type 2:
· Character is stronger.
· Desire is to serve.
· Values people more than the position.
· Strength comes from relationships and moral authority.
· “I follow because I like you…”
Type 3: Motivational Leader (Level 3)
A
motivational leader desires what’s best for both the people and the
organization. People want to follow them because of who they are and what they
know. They influence others from the outside. They are process-focused. These
leaders have taken the time to learn/perfect their craft. This is where they
begin to see the importance of building people up to their level (mentorship).
Some Traits of the Type 3:
· Character is strong.
· Desire is to serve.
· Focus is on leading (influencing/releasing) people, managing processes, and getting results.
· “I follow because you have moved me to…”
Type 4: Inspirational Leader (Level 4)
An
inspirational leader inspires managerial and relational leaders to become
motivational leaders. Their focus is on growing themselves to inspire others to
grow. They influence others on the inside. They are people-focused, not
process-focused. These are who we would begin considering our “Subject Matter
Experts (SME’s).” They have achieved a status where they are now mentoring
Level 3 leaders towards becoming Level 4.
Some Traits of the Type 4:
· Competency is highly developed and specialized.
· Focus is on leading and developing Level 3 leaders.
· Values people more than position.
· Strength comes from relationships, moral authority, and the growth of others.
· “I follow because I feel the need to…”
Type 5: Transformational Leader (Level 5)
A
transformational leader’s passion and purpose are to transform others. Their
influence touches people in all industries and across multiple generations.
They have put in the time and effort to better themselves (i.e. PME[1]) with the goal of
bettering the organization. These are your SME’s! Besides making strategic and
tactical decisions, their primary goal is to grow the organization, both in
mission and personnel. More importantly, the Level 5 leader knows that this
isn’t the end journey…it’s the beginning of a new adventure!
Some Traits of the Type 5:
· Competency is highly developed and specialized.
· Focus on leading influencing people and developing Level 3 and leaders.
· Values people more than position.
· Strength comes from relationships, moral authority, growth, and earn respect.
· “I follow because I know I want to…”
So, what does all this mean? Here’s my interpretation utilizing
two things that I truly enjoy, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Star Wars[2] movies!!!
At White Belt (Level 1), we have Jar Jar[3]… he did the minimum to get
his white belt, show up. In the big picture, he took the hardest step in BJJ.
Just stepping on the mat is a big deal. But, like a Level 1, you don’t know
much but you are “higher” than someone that hasn’t stepped on the mat. Like all
martial arts, you should be working towards your next level/belt. The same
should apply to a leader. They shouldn’t just be satisfied by just “being
there.” They should be working towards improving themselves. Some people never
make it past this level.
At Blue Belt (Level 2), we have Wedge Antilles, Rebel X-Wing
pilot, flew missions against both Death Stars. At this level, you’ve earned the
respect of upper leadership but still have some Level 1 tendencies. You don’t
magically become better once you get your BJJ blue belt. You still make some of
the same mistakes you did as a white belt, but now you have some of the tools
to fix them. It will require work and sacrifice, but you do have the potential
to get to the next level. The same goes for a Level 2 leader; you know just
enough to get by, people begin to like you, and if you put in the time and
effort, you can move to Level 3. In BJJ, you know just enough to hurt yourself.
But again, some people don’t make it past this level either.
At Purple Belt (Level 3), we have Han Solo, I’m pretty sure I
don’t need to explain who he is. As I mentioned earlier, the biggest
realization here is that it’s no longer just about you. In BJJ, if you receive
your Purple Belt, you’ve already put in probably four or more years of
training. Like a Level 3 leader, it’s time to start learning how to give back.
For me, this is where I learned to be an instructor. The biggest lesson I
learned here is that it’s not about who shows up to class today; it’s more about
who wants to show up for class tomorrow! As a Level 3 leader, you should be
motivating members to want to come back and continue to improve the
organization not just today but tomorrow and the days following. At this point,
most people are committed and have invested a lot into the art/organization and
will most likely stay for the long haul.
At Brown Belt (Level 4) is Luke Skywalker. He’s best known for
the re-emergence of the Jedi. You can see his growth throughout the movies,
from a young boy on a farm to the leader of the new Jedi order. At this point,
he is almost the SME for all things Jedi. Level 4 leaders are the same. They
have put in lots of time and effort towards learning and perfecting their
craft. This is where you mentor others to get to your level. You are considered
the master who trains the apprentice in a “train the trainer” relationship. In
addition to completing your tasks, you are also responsible for mentoring the
Level 3 leaders towards becoming Level 4’s.
Our Black Belt (Level 5) on this list is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi,
Luke’s mentor. There is no doubt that this character is an SME in the Jedi
arts! Even after “dying,” he was still sharing his knowledge with Luke. Maybe
not quite on that “share after dying” level, but a Level 5 leader is the same
way. You’ve put in countless hours into the mission and organization that you
are the SME! So now it is your responsibility to share that knowledge through
mentorship of those below you as well as those outside the organization. Why
outside? That’s how you expand your mission. That’s how innovation is born.
Growth is a good thing. This is how you set your organization up for success so
it will continue to grow without you.
But wait… there’s more... Why are there still two more belts[4]? Symbolically, they
represent the fact that once you receive your Black Belt, that is not the end.
Every Black Belt I’ve had the opportunity to train with or under has said it’s
not the end…it’s a new beginning. I believe the same goes for leadership. Once
you stop trying to better yourself or the organization you essentially start to
destroy everything you’ve worked for. Just because you have a Black Belt
doesn’t mean you don’t have the ability to display some White Belt tendencies.
It’s climbing a mountain. Yes, you can move up, but you can easily slide down.
The same goes for leadership. A Level 5 can perform like a Level 1, and in some
cases potentially vice versa. Sometimes you make big moves, other times not so
much. Sometimes you’ll need to retrace your steps or find a different path.
Some people will just give up altogether. While others will continue to push no
matter how hard the journey gets. In the end, it’s up to you.
So… What kind of leader do you want to be?
Works Cited
Lucas, G. (Director). (1977). Star Wars
[Motion Picture].
Lucas, G. (Director). (1999). Star Wars: Episode I
- The Phantom Menace. [Motion Picture].
Story, M. &. (2021, March 2). The 5 types of leaders. ATD. Retrieved from https://www.td.org/insights/the-5-types-of-leaders
