While VIM Executive Coaching has certainly met executive leaders, who were volatile in their demeanors, volatility in this case, refers to a sense of consistency.
Angry or hostile leaders no longer have their place in organizations. True, we still find them from time to time, but in today’s workplace, they usually don’t stay around for very long. An angry scowl is very unbecoming in a videoconference.
In terms of consistency and the volatility of an executive leader who constantly changes positions, points-of-view, policies and procedures, it is behavior that can be addressed and improved with time.
What was My Opinion?
Volatility in a leader is not only difficult on the team, but on the leader as well. Without openly expressing it (or sometimes, jokingly saying it) we all know leaders who have sometimes stopped themselves in mid-conversation wondering what their opinion on a matter might have been just days before. I’m sure we can all relate to such people.
While “changing our mind upon further study,” is not necessarily a flaw, even that behavior, without reflection and analysis, is a leadership weakness. Teams under an executive leader are often confused, and such volatility frequently causes the executive leader as being weak.
Truth of the matter is that the person we are referring to as being volatile or even unfocused, is not a bad person or incapable of change or as we said above, weak. However, it does suggest the leader lacks mindfulness and authenticity.
The journey of mindfulness is one that every executive leader should take. It is more than a statement of “who am I?” but also pre-supposes that the leader is will to be responsive to a situation and not reactive. Volatility often suggests reactivity. It is the executive leader who will react, off the cuff, to any situation without thinking through all of the ramifications. When we don’t think things through, there are bound to be frequent, and often inconsistent corrections.
But I Don’t Have a Crystal Ball!
It is true, that even the most carefully crafted plans change. Being mindful never guarantees that executive leaders can see far into the future. However, the beauty of being mindful to change is that we can respond, within ourselves, to be open to whatever comes our way. The mindful executive leader is not reactive but within the context of what is going on, can be willing to understand where the situation my lead – without resisting it. It is taking a deep breath and thinking, what is my best course of action, what resources can I muster, who do I need to consult, how will this impact those in the organization?
Intractable leaders won’t change, they’ll react on the spur of the moment. Most often all they manage to accomplish is a disastrous series of changes; a volatility. This leads us to the idea of authenticity.
Authenticity comes out of mindfulness. Authenticity allows the executive leader to be themselves in all situations, whether it is to moderate an employee disagreement or to analyze an extensive project. The authentic leader is the opposite of the volatile leader, and there is no second guessing as to what they said – or didn’t say in a previous meeting. There is a consistency in action.
Mindfulness and authenticity in a responsive leader leads to compassion. We want real people and real leaders in our organizations. Compassion is far too often in short supply. The volatile leader may seem compassionate in the moment but it is often disingenuous “manipulative tool.”
Strive to be a mindful leader and in turn the organization will emerge better.