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In order to lead people, should I be the nice guy or the tough guy?

Home » Leadership » Leadership - The Misconceptions of Leading People » In order to lead people, should I be the nice guy or the tough guy?

Neither. And both. In many circles, it is expected that there are two types of leaders�the nice guys and the tough guys. The leaders who motivate by encouragement and rewards and the leaders who motivate by challenges and threats. This is basically a carrot and stick philosophy. In reality, however, a good leader is both the nice guy and the tough guy. He will be the encourager and the challenger.

A leader must care about those around them and encourage them to do their best. In large part, it is the leader�s job to keep company morale high. People work hard for leaders they enjoy working for. Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne�s �Win one for the Gipper� would have little power if his players didn�t care for him in the least. The best leaders care about the people they are leading.

At the same time, however, a leader has to be tough at times. Sometimes a leader needs to use his authority and needs to discipline. The general who does not discipline his troops will soon have a mutiny on his hands. Sometimes the complacency of a company needs to be challenged and employees need to be woken up. It is the leader�s job to do this.

In many families, the mother plays the role of the tender and supportive parent while Dad provides the tough love and the discipline. A leader, however, attempts to fill both of these roles. Certainly, it will be difficult, but employees and companies need both at times, and a wise leader can discern when (and how) to provide.

Next Page: How should I lead people if I�m not a born leader?

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