Machiavelli the Prince: Who are placed at a greater height, are reputed for certain qualities which bring them either praise or blame. Thus one is considered liberal, another miserly; One a free giver, another rapacious; one cruel, another merciful; one a breaker of his word, another trustworthy; one effeminate and pusillanimous, another fierce and high-spirited; one humane, another haughty; one lascivious, another chaste; one frank, another astute; one hard, another easy; one serious, another frivolous; one religious, another an unbeliever, and so on. I know that every one will admit that it would be highly praiseworthy in a prince to possess all the above-named qualities that are reputed good, but as they cannot all be possessed or observed, human conditions not permitting of it.
There are two types of leadership styles: thinkers and enforcers. Thinkers appeal to the creative and enforcers appeal to the fearless. Machiavelli places enforcers at the top; however, it is prudent to have both thinkers and enforcers in management positions.
The combination of good cop, bad cop; god, devil; love, fear is effective. It allows people to choose the type of leader they follow. Thinkers lead through creative solutions and guidance. They show people how to work and live. This is comfortable and motivational to creative, detail-orientated people. It has a good feeling when they respect the boss and the boss respects them.
Enforcers nag, taunt, use rhetoric and threaten people into working. This sounds harsh; however, most people are introverted. Specific types of introverts will not do anything without a strong sense of necessity. The enforcers are great at telling everyone what to do and to do it now. Often perceived as bossy, they are the "management" personality.
If enforcers are the management personality, why do companies need thinkers? Detail-orientated people, especially when they are introverted, freeze when confronted. Too much confrontation completely disables them until they are no longer functional. If in need of creativity, an enforcer will destroy all potential for future growth.
The ratio between thinkers and enforcers varies depending on industry. Obviously a company with a creative bias needs detail-orientated people. If the company is orientated towards fulfilling a need they need fearless people who function better under strain. Even then, there is always a variety of employees. Most companies need all types of employees.
What does this do for employee moral? They chose which figurehead motivates them. Both figureheads are necessary; since leaders are only human and when tested reveal their true personality. Though the management team is equal, employees place their leader on a pedestal, knowing they are a thinker finding alternate ways of handling issues, while an enforcer is taking direct, sudden action. The creative feel safe and the fearless feel threatened.
Though Machiavelli wrote, "A prince should make himself feared in such a way that if he does not gain love, he at any rate avoids hatred; for fear and the absence of hatred may well go together." Both leadership styles produce maximum results. This does not diminish the importance of introverts. Sometimes I reflect on going to work, coming home and hanging out with friends. It was nice and often wondered what made me think about changing everything and do something about a situation. Personalities are an innate part of life and there is nothing wrong with being happy with life.
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