Are we in a period of extraordinary leadership or amiss in a leadership abyss? It all depends on what you expect of your leaders and how you measure their effectiveness.
Does a leader need to be bold and assertive to be in command? By most measures, yes. Not necessarily the authority figure of a swaggering army general, but in control in a measured way. Someone you can rely on in difficult times and capable of making difficult decisions.
When leaders are selected, are they are chosen for their vision, or do they rise because they can articulate a vision effectively? Consider historical figures or politicians; there are commonalities amongst the capable. Having a vision with no subscription achieves nothing, but rallying with authority and respect can change a culture.
A commitment and drive to achieve the unachievable is necessary, and the inspiration of others to believe in this vision is the measure of a leader.
Business is moving at remarkable speeds, leaders must be effective and quick to make courageous and decisive decisions. The Harvard Business Review recently completed a review of 360 evaluations of over 50,000 leaders. The clear outcome was that leaders must be fast and good, according to 95 per cent of respondents.
A business person that embodies much of what aspiring future leaders might strive for is Elon Musk. Musk is a technology pioneer, self-made affluent, the inspiration for current movie Ironman’s’ Tony Stark, international citizen born by a Canadian mother and philanthropist.
His wealth was primarily generated from his success with PayPal, where he earned $165 million through this company’s sale to eBay. He has since directed his entrepreneurial efforts at entering the private space exploration industry through Space X.
He chairs North America’s only new automotive car company in half a century, electric car manufacturer Tesla. He co-founded Solar City and is developing a new transportation system known as the Hyperloop.
Musk has vision and has proven he can execute on that vision. He is committed to eliminating reliance on fossil fuels, he believes the human race must look at colonizing other planets and, along with luminaries such as Stephen Hawking, he is fearful of the increasing development of artificial intelligence.
He might be deemed an eccentric if he was not succeeding to launch reusable rockets into space, fundamentally disrupt traditional automotive distribution methods, introduce a highly demanded (but yet unprofitable) electric automobile and accelerate the adoption of solar energy. But he is succeeding on executing his vision and capturing the imagination of generations of investors, media and those who aspire to impact the civilization. He is a new kind of leader and using his skills to the benefit of humanity.
To measure his success; Space X has been awarded a $1.6 billion commitment from NASA. He has over 20,000 people who have paid upwards of $5,000 to buy a car they have never driven and not even really seen, and this week Google has invested its largest renewable investment ever in Solar City, $300 million.
Musk’s vision, unwavering commitment to societal betterment combined with his ability to execute on his plans embody him as a leader for today that all should strive to embody. Something to consider when selecting a leader.
Blake Doyle is The Guardian's small business columnist. He can be reached at [email protected].
