A Rational Approach to Leadership and Management
A Rational Approach to Leadership and Management
The thing that separates you from all other animals, is your power to reason. It is your rational mind, that sets you apart from gorillas, monkeys, tigers and tadpoles.
Other animals are driven by two factors, their Instinct and the environment. But humans have an additional factor that allows us to do all the things that are distinctly human. That additional factor is the rational mind. It is the capacity to think rationally, to deduce consequences, to discover causes, and to think logically, that make us more than a mere, Naked Ape.
It is your rational mind that allows you to think about science, politics, economics, art, psychology, history, architecture, ethics, mathematics and technology. Animals can't do any of that, but humans can, because humans are the Rational Animal. Be a rational animal.
The advice I would like to offer is this:
Treat all problems and all people according to the principles of reason
Apply reason to every issue. And treat all people reasonably.
If you don't treat people reasonably, then you are treating them unreasonably, and NOBODY wants to be treated unreasonably. For best results, treat all people and all problems according to the principles of reason. The next question is.... what are "The principles of reason"?
Here are a few to consider.
1. Being a rational person means primarily: operate according to the facts, not your feelings
You know two things about the world around you: You know the facts, and you know how you feel about them.
But sometimes there is a battle between what you know to be the facts, and your feelings. For example:
Factually, you know you should do your homework. But emotionally you don't want to.
If you were a Fact-first kind of person, you would do your homework even if you were not in the mood.
If you were a Feelings-first kind of person, you would NOT do your homework, because you were not in the mood.
The point is this, the world operates according to the objective facts of reality. The world does NOT operate according to your mood. (As you may have noticed!)
So, a rational person complies with the facts; she does what she knows needs to be done, irrespective of whether she likes doing it, or not.
A non-rational, person does only what he wants to do, and he puts off doing things he does not like doing. An irrational person operates according to his mood, not his mind.
2. Being a rational person also means: be honest with yourself about the truth of the situation
Remember, facts are facts, whether you like them or not.
A rational person always looks honestly at the facts. Even facts that represent bad news. Even facts that seem to suggest your opinion was wrong.
A non-rational person engages in selective perception. They ignore the facts, they don't like. They evade evidence that contradicts their existing opinion.
They bend and buckle the facts to suit their assumptions. A non-rational person gets angry or upset when the facts prove him wrong. He fights all efforts to force a change of opinion.
On the other hand, a rational person is empowered to find out that his old thinking is wrong and is very keen to update his thinking and reformulate his theory of how the world works.
3. A rational person thinks first, then acts
Rational Rachel says to herself, "I will figure out what the right thing to do is, and then I will do that. I want to do the logically right thing."
A non-rational person acts firsts, and then, after he has acted, he tries to justify his actions. He acts according to whatever emotion is prevalent in the moment, and then after he has done something naughty, (because he felt like doing it, or eating it, or saying it) he then proceeds to try to justify why it was okay. Irrational Eric says to himself, "I will act according to how I feel. And then because I did it, it must be right."
In summary
Treat all problems and all people according to the principles of reason.
Being a rational person means primarily: operate according to the facts, not your feelings.
A rational person is NOT driven into action by their momentary emotions.
Being a rational person means be honest with yourself about the truth of the situation.
A rational person thinks first then acts.
A rational person does not act on whim.
Treat all problems and all people according to the principles of reason. We call this, Running on Reason.
Quiz: Do You Have Good Leadership Skills?
Try our quick Do You Good Leadership Skills questionnaire to discover where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
Leadership Training - The Effective Leader Manager
As the team leader or manager, you know that, on the technical level, you are very good. In your role as an effective and inspirational leader-manager, you recognise that there may be some gaps. Now you are searching for a method to help you to improve your skills as a team-leader and manager - click here to find out more!
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in Leadership and Management
-
What are the Qualities of a Thought Leader?
Thought leaders bring their expertise to a brand or business to develop new ideas and take it to a higher level. Thought leaders need certain qualities in order to get people on board to deliver the changes needed for a successful outcome.
Read Article > -
What is the Difference Between Leadership and Management?
Good managers aren't necessarily good leaders. Leaders need to have a clear vision, they need to be able to set the necessary goals to achieve that vision, and to inspire others. Managers must be able to organise their teams to fulfil that vision.
Read Article > -
What is the Skill Will Matrix?
The Skill Will Matrix helps managers adjust their management style, to successfully manage the different skills and levels of motivation in their workforce.
Read Article > -
The Language of the leader (Rhetorical communication)
The Language of the Leader (Rhetorical Communication) Communication skills can be split into two broad categories: Logic Rhetoric Logic is the art of trying to convince someone of the truth by means of appealing to: The facts The information The deductions drawn from the facts Reasoning Rhetoric is the art of...
Read Article > -
How to tell Truth from Falsehood
More on how to tell truth from falsehood - Part Two I previously posted a blog where I suggested that the practice of "keeping an open mind" is not a good practice. Since there is only one reality, there is, and there can only be, one true idea about any aspect...
Read Article >
Looking for Leadership and Management Training?
Are you interested in a good management skills course? If so, you may find this Leadership and Management Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 9 days, Online - Teams, places available