ON to my leadership series as part of our continuous re-awakening moving into the 2022 elections. Today we are going to talk about leadership and learning. In a speech that was never delivered on that fateful day in 1963, US President John F. Kennedy was to say that “leadership and learning are indispensable from each other.” There was an initial disconnect on my part when I first heard about this during my fellowship program at the Harvard Kennedy School, primarily because one of the principal traits we look for in a leader is his/her supposed expertise and air of authority in all concerns that affect us as his/her constituency.
We look up to our leaders and depend on their judgement to steer us in the proper direction, especially in times of crisis—just like now in these pandemic times. This authoritative notion of leadership is further strengthened by many aspiring leaders who blurt out their expert opinions on a vast array of subjects to quench their constituents’ thirst for answers. But diving deeper into this statement, you begin to see and appreciate the fact that a true leader is a learning leader. And those undelivered words of JFK resonate beyond his death and should remind us and our leaders about the need to be constantly learning. Why a learning leader?
A learning leader is humble. To begin learning, one needs to be humble enough to admit that he/she does not know everything. Humility of leadership is a very rare commodity nowadays, with most being know-it-alls, arrogantly insisting on their beliefs and programs or the “pretend-to-be humble” ones, especially during the election season. And leaders need to be humble enough not just in their words but in their ways and actions as well. A leader that is caught up in the trappings of power will have less chances of succeeding to learn sincerely.
A learning leader listens. A good part of learning is listening. And true leaders know how to listen. Not listening to themselves or listening to what they want to hear, but rather listening to the inner sentiments of their constituents. And it is only in listening that one knows not just where his/her constituents stand, but equally important is where he/she stands in so far as their sentiments are concerned. Have you ever encountered a leader that truly listens to you?
A learning leader confronts hard questions. A true leader sincerely confronts the hard questions that he would rather not face: Poverty, joblessness, injustice, inequality, corruption, etc. for the simple reason that he/she may not want the answers that would be needed to resolve such questions. Answers such as being hard not just on perceived enemies but also on known allies to resolve the problem of corruption and injustice. Or seeking the unpopular route in order to resolve a major issue, such as poverty. But the hardest questions are the ones that need to be resolved first. And true leaders will confront such questions without fear or delay.
A learning leader values knowledge. And valuing knowledge does not necessarily mean having all the educational accolades. Rather what is important is the desire to learn and the admission of the importance of such knowledge. So even if a leader lacks a college degree, so long as he acknowledges and values the advice of learned advisors, sound decisions can be made. It also goes without saying that it will be better to push for an educated path for his/her constituents, rather than the dispensation of cash and goods. As they say—“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
A learning leader evolves with his constituents. True leadership is not just the superficial interaction with your followers. Leadership is a give and take affair, not a one-way street. And the best way to grow and evolve with your constituents is to have that learning process together with them. A true leader will embrace what he learns on the ground and from the people he commits to serve.
Leadership and learning truly go hand in hand. We rely on a leader who knows what to do to lead us to the Promised Land; but the only way to truly get there is to have a leader who is willing to learn, especially from constituents that he/she pledged to serve.
Thomas “Tim” Orbos is currently a transport policy advisor for an international organization and worked in government on transport and urban development matters. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He can be reached via e-mail—tmo45@georgetown.edu /thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu