Leadership and human needs

Some of us need to assert, differentiate, individuate ourselves.
Others have stronger needs to merge with, depend on, or look up to others.
We all turn for help when stressed and there is a lot of that around today.
The psychology of leadership is basically paternalistic - we are looking for a father figure in our leaders.
What are your basic needs?
If your focus is on differentiating yourself and you are a knowledge worker, you will be most impressed by experts in your field who are excelling - they will lead you and inspire you to surpass them.
You will be less influenced by those who have only a position in a managerial hierarchy - their authority is likely to have little impact on you.
If you like to depend on, or look up to, others, you may admire the traditional leader.
Leaders, like other heroes, are often good role models - they help us learn how to meet our own goals and function independently.
Even the most confident need to benchmark themselves against those who seem better at them at something.
As in sports, no one would really excel if there was no one to beat.
Ideally, we want a balance of independent confidence and role models to learn from.
Too much independence leads to being divorced from reality.
Too much dependence and we can never be leaders ourselves.
When tempted to blame leaders ask yourself: ''What could I have done about it?''
Or, when confused and seeking leadership, try thinking it through for yourself.
When we blame leaders or expect too much of them, we are disempowering ourselves.
What initiative can you take? What suggestions can you offer?
Develop a greater external focus so you can spot opportunities before others.
Stay too internally focused and you will be thinking in a vacuum - no ideas there.
Leadership is often a matter of discovery - but you need to be actively looking to discover anything new.
Next time you are tempted to throw up your hands and say you have no solution, try looking around just a bit harder.
Ask yourself, honestly: ''How strongly do I really need leadership from others?''
Being more confident and empowered does not mean ignoring good leadership when it comes your way. Just try to be less quick to seek leadership the minute you get stuck.
This is not about not talking through issues with people - team work is not the same as depending on a leader to solve all our problems.