Opinion: Leaders and Leadership

In recent weeks, criticism of leaders in our social and political spheres has intensified. The two terms are not the same thing, because some people are considered leaders but demonstrate no leadership ability. Leaders are neither born nor become leaders if they are not!

The dictionary defines a leader as a person who exerts influence over the behavior, thoughts, or opinions of others. Walt Disney said, "You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world... But you need people to make that dream a reality." Despite everything, leadership is a choice, requiring a strong predisposition, but it's also uncomfortable. The desire to care for people and take the lead requires additional effort, beyond the technical skills and other abilities already acquired throughout any career.

In Portugal, like other countries with a history of authoritarianism and centralization of power (such as the Estado Novo), a certain distrust of authority has developed. This legacy can lead to resistance to leaders, even competent ones, especially in politics. There's an organizational culture that doesn't value leadership or can be excessively hierarchical, hindering the development of leaders. The boss is always the "bad guy."

Many supposed leaders emerge not through merit, but through favors, influence, or inherited status, whether family or political. In many organizations, especially public or family-owned ones, people assume leadership roles without adequate preparation or support, resulting in poor practices that, in turn, reinforce the general discrediting of leadership.

Therefore, being a leader in Portugal can be seen as a risk, as it is often associated with public exposure, constant criticism, and little room for error. Taking responsibility is often penalized and generally unrecognized and unrewarded. In fact, in many contexts, whether in politics, business, or even civil associations, leaders are not widely supported and are sometimes even devalued, disrespected, or attacked, whether by the actions of superiors or the behavior of those they lead.

A recent study of 500 professionals under 40 working in the healthcare sector in Portugal, both public and private, revealed a lack of interest in leadership among the younger generation. Almost half of those surveyed without management positions do not aspire to leadership. This attitude is justified by the excessive responsibility, knowing in advance that responsiveness may be limited and the stress level too high. Hence the preference for individual work, without the responsibility of coordinating others.

But economist and entrepreneur Jorge Paulo Lemann said, "If dreaming big is as much work as dreaming small, why should I dream small?" Transformational leadership is a management style that focuses on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve a common goal, driving significant changes and improvements within the organization. But excessive focus on goals and long-term vision can neglect important tasks and day-to-day details, causing problems with execution. Dependence on the leader can also be a problem.

In contrast, responsible leadership is a broader concept that can overlap with transformational leadership by emphasizing commitment to stakeholders, inclusion, purpose, and accountability for team results, including accepting mistakes. The leader acts as a role model, is constantly with the team, encouraging individual and collective development, and fostering a positive and engaging work environment. A responsible leader considers multiple stakeholders (employees, customers, community) when making decisions.

This topic is so important in developed societies and economies today that many renowned universities offer specific leadership courses and programs, awarding International Leadership Certifications. These are "personal and professional transformation programs that promise to contribute to the improvement of current and future leaders." There is also a Portuguese-language program accredited by the renowned Institute of Leadership in the United Kingdom, and other Brazilian universities offer intensive leadership courses.

From one of these programs, I draw the following conclusion: "Leadership is passion and challenge. It is passion because it allows us to pursue goals that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. It can be a source of progress for the leader, those led, the organization, and the community. It is a challenge because it requires effort and wisdom, love and demand, control and freedom, empathy and distance, courage and prudence, perseverance and the ability to interrupt courses of action, humility and ambition." We need people like that in our country. But it's not for everyone!