In today’s competitive business landscape, successful leadership is often portrayed as assertive, visionary and highly ambitious. However, an equally powerful but often overlooked archetype is the reluctant leader.
These individuals are not actively seeking a leadership role, but are placed in it because of their expertise, integrity or sense of responsibility. Despite their initial hesitation, reluctant leaders often prove exceptionally suited to complex, people-centered environments, where ethical leadership is highly valued.
A reluctant leader is someone who has stepped into a leadership role not out of ambition or desire for power, but because of a need within the team. These leaders will usually shy away from leadership, preferring to focus on their specific areas of expertise. However, when their environment calls for strong leadership and the absence of a suitable alternative becomes apparent, they feel compelled to take on that role.
I believe that when creating your work environment, you should think about what makes your employees feel supported and part of a team. Unlike more assertive leaders who prefer to dictate direction, reluctant leaders will prefer to work with their team in a way that promotes collaboration, empowering employees to contribute more actively to decision-making. I find that this helps me to lead with an open mind, so that we can find solutions as a team.
I never saw myself as a leader. I also never really thought I would be a business owner, but when you take your business proposal to the bank or stand in front of potential investors, you rarely think about the possibility of having employees you are responsible for. . I started Tiny Box Company because I knew there was a gap in the market for sustainable packaging. A company had to be created that offered smaller companies the opportunity to order without a minimum order quantity. I never thought that seventeen years later, a hundred employees would look to me for direction and answers that, to be honest, I don’t always have.
For some, leadership comes naturally, but for many of us who tend to avoid the spotlight if possible, leadership can sometimes be a struggle, especially in the beginning while you’re still getting your bearings. Becoming a leader requires you to learn a new set of skills, including the ability to have difficult or sometimes uncomfortable conversations with staff members.
I remember one of the first awkward conversations I had to have with an employee. We had an employee who was working overtime, which was quite normal, but we soon discovered that this employee had exaggerated the extra hours worked and had actually joined forces with an employee from a neighboring company who was doing the same thing. This employee had overlooked that we had camera surveillance, so of course I asked for the footage and had to confront the employee about it. For me, this was one of the first awkward conversations I had to have as a manager, and I remember feeling incredibly nervous beforehand and not feeling much better afterwards. In fact, afterwards I felt ill-equipped to handle such conversations. It wasn’t in my nature, although I’ve gotten better over time, and now I remind myself of one of my favorite sayings, “Suck it up, Buttercup” and tell myself it’s part of the gig, so you have to continue with it.
When you are in a leadership role, it is crucial to remember that your behavior ripples through your team. You have to remember that people are watching you, especially as a CEO. I know my senior managers often look to me for guidance in leading their departments or managing their teams, so it’s crucial that I lead by example.
I think one of the hardest things for me has been realizing that your employees aren’t always going to be your friends. You have to be firm but honest and kind, but still be able to have those uncomfortable conversations when necessary. One of your new duties will be keeping your team together and everyone on track for the greater good of the company. Steve Jobs said, “You know who the best managers are. They are the great individual contributors who never want to be a manager.” Sometimes you have to go the extra mile because you know you can get the job done. You may have never seen yourself as a leader, but once you take on the role, you must recognize the responsibility that comes with it. Becoming a leader took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.