Does Action Leadership Always Begin with Thought Leadership?

Thank you for posing this question. Let's first clarify the terms I am using in this discussion:

Leadership means you have followers.

Action Leadership refers to the incitement of action in your followers.

Thought Leadership, on the other hand, involves inducing thinking and reflection in your followers, which may eventually lead to action.

I believe in the concept of Situational Leadership, rather than the classical model. Now, let's consider a scenario to illustrate these concepts.

A Scenario: A Major Leading His Group Through a Forest

Imagine an army major leading a group through a thick forest. Suddenly, firing begins from everywhere around them. In this situation:

The Major will first protect his group, assess the situation, and determine whether to attack or retreat based on threat perception and assessment.

Following that, he will guide his group out of the threatened situation and to the next course of action as per their mission.

Although this scenario sounds like a lot of thinking, the major’s decisions are based on combat training, and his instructions will be quickly followed by the group he leads.

Was Action Leadership driven by thought leadership? No, it was driven by training that led to the development of skills necessary for the particular situation. Did the training involve thought leadership? Definitely.

Thought Leadership in Sedate Environments

Consider a more sedate situation, such as a sales manager rallying his team for the next quarter’s sales. An inspirational manager may use a mix of logic and emotion to motivate the team to meet a stretch target.

Was there thought leadership before the action? To some degree, yes, it would involve the manager’s emotional intelligence and situational leadership, which aids in understanding what would motivate the team.

The Role of Thought Leadership in Action

There are definitely instances where thought leadership precedes action leadership. A classic example is the Bhagavad Geeta discourse within the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic.

In the middle of a battle, Arjuna, the chief warrior, loses his nerves and becomes hysterical. He wants to flee the battleground and take up a hermit’s life. Krishna, his charioteer, over 18 chapters and 100s of verses, provides thought leadership whose core message is “Do your Duty.”

The Conclusion

Considering the situation, place, condition of the followers, mission or objective, organizational structure, and purpose, it is clear that thought leadership does not always precede action leadership.

When Does Thought Leadership Precede Action Leadership?

Thought leadership precedes action leadership when there is a deliberate effort to instill knowledge, values, and ethical guidance in followers before they engage in action. Situational leadership, emotional intelligence, and training can all contribute to this process, especially in times of crisis or when complex decisions need to be made.

Wrapping Up

In summary, while thought leadership can precede action leadership, it is not always the case. The situational context, clarity of purpose, and the nature of the mission or objective play crucial roles in determining the sequence of leadership approaches.