Have you ever noticed that many organizations seem to be doing “just fine,” yet they are actually missing the mark?
Even when there is a sense that they are doing well—sometimes even great—they aren’t quite able to reach or maximize their organizational potential. For instance:
- They are not as agile as expected.
- They are less responsive to market needs than they once were.
- New ideas are no longer embraced with ease.
- Opportunities are missed.
- Execution becomes overly complex.
- While these issues may not cause a company to go out of business tomorrow, they lead to symptoms of deceleration. Many of the largest and most well-known organizations have experienced such periods of stagnation.
This is why it is crucial to introduce pragmatic leaders—those who possess the skills to resolve organizational inertia or, conversely, act as a catalyst to drive the organization toward healthy growth.
The ability to be a pragmatic leader is worth considering as a core competency to be built within your organization’s leadership development, enabling it to grow into a healthier and more effective entity.
Business leaders can generally be divided into two distinct groups regarding their strategic mindset: Pragmatics or Idealists.
While it is natural to assume that most people carry both pragmatic and idealistic traits in their leadership style, it is equally common for business leaders to lean predominantly in one direction or the other.
How can we blend the potential of both pragmatic and idealistic mindsets for the advancement of the organization, especially in this digital era?
‘Idealist’ or ‘Pragmatic’ Leader?
In this opening section, let’s align our understanding of idealist versus pragmatic leaders:
- Idealist leaders focus on the visionary and big ideas. They tend to focus more on the end result than the process of getting there. They are sometimes misinterpreted as seeing through a “blurred lens,” when in reality, they are fixated on the ultimate goal and truly believe there is a way to reach it.
- Pragmatic leaders focus on the practical side—the “how do we get it done”—of any task, initiative, or goal. They are often unfairly viewed as negative, when they are simply looking at the whole picture (including potential roadblocks) to achieve the result. This is a linear and practical way of thinking and “doing.”
We will dive deeper into the characteristics of both pragmatic and idealistic leaders. Keep in mind that, in reality, we all possess a blend of both characteristics, albeit in different proportions.
Positioning ourselves as a team that supports our leaders in achieving goals requires an understanding of how we can practice “down-to-earth” pragmatic leadership.
Reflecting on the explanation above, what is the current tendency of your leadership pattern? How can we gain wisdom and lessons from the alternative leadership style?
Expand your perspective through the digital learning program: On Becoming Pragmatic Leader, or bring this training program to your organization to strengthen your leadership team’s capabilities.
Contact Qando Qoaching today and begin your transformation toward leadership that is sharper, more realistic, and more impactful.
