I have often read and written about the fact that the most effective leaders must be both committed and persistent. However, it is important to understand that being persistent and leading is significantly different than using dogged leadership. While persistent leaders commit to their vision, and their vision motivates them and others to essential action, it is often the case that ineffective people who rise to leadership often behave a certain way because they are stubborn. Dogged leadership is when someone in a leadership position refuses to look at the big picture, doesn’t change or adapt, refuses to expand their comfort zone, and often behaves a certain way because their judgment is tainted by notions. preconceptions, prejudices, biases, limited experience or knowledge, etc. These types of people often believe they know it all and are extremely resistant to advanced training or learning.
1. While a persistent leader does everything in their power to improve their communication skills, stubborn individuals neglect open communication and replace it with limited, protected information.
2. An effective leader must always be open-minded and willing to change and adapt as necessary. Unfortunately, there are many more people in leadership positions who are resistant to change and adaptation, and this stubbornness prevents them from considering alternatives that will allow them to successfully evolve into the future.
3. One of the most obvious differences between the persistent and the stubborn leader is their level of commitment. The persistent leader continually submits and commits to better training, education, and real learning. He realizes that even a well-informed person can and should continue to learn and grow. The stubborn attitude, on the other hand, is tough. You are generally inflexible, resistant to any kind of new or innovative idea, or way of doing something. These stubborn individuals refuse to even consider thinking outside the box, seeming to spend more time and effort resisting alternative thinking and methods than trying to achieve something.
4. Persistent leaders have a positive attitude and are always positive thinkers. They persist even when others resist, because their vision of what can and should be motivates them to take actions they believe are important enough to fight the battle and motivate others to act. Of course, the stubborn individual usually avoids any kind of conflict, simply shutting down to make necessary and important changes.
5. The persistent leader always follows through on conversations, ideas, and alternatives. The modus operandi of dogged leadership is to shy away from following through and put off action for as long as possible.
6. While the persistent person emphasizes planning and details, the stubborn rarely gets involved in making plans, often because they feel they are always right.
After more than three decades of working with leaders, I still hope that people who rise to leadership positions become true leaders, which requires many things, including persistence. There is rarely a poorer model for leadership than stubbornness.