8 myths of leadership (by a STEM leader)

elsevier.com/connect/8-myths-of-leadership-by-a-stem-leader

Tips from the author of 'Transforming your STEM Career Through

Leadership and Innovation'

By Pamela McCauley Bush, PhD Posted on 23 April 2013

Dr. Pamela McCauley
Pamela McCauley Bush, PhD
Bush is a nationally
recognized speaker,
author and full professor
in the Department of
Industrial Engineering
and Management
Systems at the University
of Central Florida, where
she leads the Human
Factors in Disaster
Management Research
Team. She is currently
pursuing her research as
a Fulbright Scholar in
New Zealand. These tips
are from her book
Transforming your STEM
Career Through Leadership and Innovation, published this year by Elsevier.
For an article about Dr. Bush and her inspiration for this book, read the article in Elsevier
Connect.

Myth #1: Leadership is a rare skill.

Nothing can be further from the truth as this skill is present and demonstrated in almost
everyone in one environment or another. While great leaders and recognition of
tremendous leadership feats may be rare, everyone has leadership potential. More
importantly, people may be leaders in one organization (i.e., professional societies, social
organizations) and have quite ordinary roles in another (i.e., within one’s work
environment). The truth is that leadership skills are present at varying degrees in almost
everyone. The degrees to which we develop those skills and apply them to the
environments that matter to us determine the degree of leadership that will be realized.

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Myth #2: Leaders are born, not made.
Don’t believe this for a minute. The truth is that major capacities and competencies of
leadership can be learned. We all have the capacity to learn, grow, and improve if the
basic desire to develop is present.

Myth #3: Leaders are charismatic.

Some are, most aren’t. Charisma is a useful tool but, in some cases, it is the result of
effective leadership, not the other way around. When charisma is coupled with character,
those who have it are granted a certain amount of respect and even awe by their
followers, which increases the bond of attraction between them.

Myth #4: Leadership exists only at the top of the organization.

This book, published by Elsevier's

Academic Press in 2013, is designed to
be used by individuals, organizations or
as part of the academic curriculum.

Leadership, leaders, and leadership opportunities, both formal and informal, exist at
every level of the organization. The larger the organization, the more formal leadership
roles it is likely to have in order to address the needs at varying levels and functions of
the organization; however, in smaller organizations there may actually be more
opportunity to experience various types of leadership requirements.

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Myth #5: The leader controls, directs, prods and manipulates.
This is perhaps the most damaging myth of all. Leadership is not about the exercise of
power itself or a demonstration of individual power; rather it is the empowerment of
others. Leaders are able to translate intentions and visions into reality by aligning the
energies in the organization behind an attractive goal. Leaders lead by inspiring rather
than insisting, and by encouraging the team to use their own initiative and experiences
toward the mission.

Myth #6: How you behave outside of work and online does not
affect your ability to lead.
Character is not circumstantial and integrity is not issue based. Whoever you are as a
person will be reflected in your professional and personal life, thus your behavior
outside of work absolutely affects your success as a leader.

Myth #7: Leaders have all the answers.

The best leaders I know surround themselves with bright people and seek input in areas
where they need expertise, fully recognizing there are limits. Great leaders are eager to
gain input and are not afraid to admit when they do not know something.

Myth #8: Your team is there to serve you.

As a leader, you and the team are to serve the “vision” as it relates to the good of the
organization, constituents, shareholders, and all stakeholders. The best leaders set the
example with selfless leadership demonstrated though a servant attitude, thinking about
the vision first, the team second, stakeholders third, and finally themselves. This is
servant leadership.

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