We the observers see elite dressage riders do amazing things with their horses, as has been there for all to see again in the Olympic equestrian events.
To the untrained eye, the riders do very little and yet their mounts trot sideways, backwards and diagonally, in circles and even ‘changing foot’ midway through a trot, all the time maintaining a ‘perfect’ shape and being in control of the rider. To the uninitiated, it all looks so simple – ‘anyone can do that’.
Of course the rider is actually using a myriad of skills to achieve the seamless and artful outcome. These can be a simple as the smallest fingertip pull on a rein, a squeeze with the lower leg, a shift of weight on the saddle, the slightest of leans. The rider does not use force and does not overwhelm his/her mount into submission, but brings out the best in the horse. It require enormous focus and resolve by the rider.
Good leadership is very similar in many respects. Observers may ask of the leader– what does he/she actually do? – because their efforts may not be readily visible. Masterful leadership rarely is ego driven, is not about always being right, and is about making those small adjustments every step of the way to ensure best outcomes, bringing the best out of the leadership team, and working together in unison to achieve a great outcome. Jim Collins in Good to Great calls it Level 5 Leadership – the combination of humility and fierce resolve.