我不愿意用“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力”一詞來描述我的所思所做，因為我不相信大多數(shù)人認為的“高超的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力”能發(fā)揮作用。很多人認為優(yōu)秀的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者很強勢，能激發(fā)別人的斗志，激勵別人追隨自己，很強調(diào)“追隨”。這種典型的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者通常把疑問、異議看作威脅，寧愿員工做到“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)怎么說就怎么做”。在這種情況下，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者負有決策的義務(wù)。但因為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者并非看起來那樣的全知全能，人們總會覺醒，并感到氣憤。這也是為什么人們既喜歡他們的魅力領(lǐng)袖，同時又渴望將其推翻。

這種傳統(tǒng)意義上的“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者”與“追隨者”的關(guān)系，與我所認為的有效關(guān)系相去甚遠，而發(fā)揮出最大的有效性，則是“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者”最需要做的事。坦承自己的不確定、錯誤和弱點，比試圖掩藏要務(wù)實得多。更重要的是，擁有好的挑戰(zhàn)者勝過擁有好的追隨者。理性的討論和分歧是務(wù)實的，因為這可以對領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者進行壓力測試，讓其重視那些被其忽視的事物。

我認為，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者有一件事不應(yīng)該做，那就是操縱。有時候領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者會操縱員工情緒來促使員工做事，而如果員工明白過來，他一般是不會做的。在創(chuàng)意擇優(yōu)的環(huán)境下，你是在與聰明人打交道，你一定要按理性思維行事，而非基于本能和情緒。

最有效的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者的工作目的在于：（1）開明地尋找最佳答案；（2）帶領(lǐng)他人一道進行尋找。這就實現(xiàn)了一起學(xué)習(xí)、求取共識的局面。一個真正偉大的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者難免會對一些事情拿不準(zhǔn)，但隨時準(zhǔn)備通過開明的探索來應(yīng)對這種不確定性。在其他方面不變的情況下，如果領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者在外形和行為方面更像技藝超群的忍者，就總是能戰(zhàn)勝動作片里孔武有力的英雄。

I don't use the word 'leadership' to describe what I do or what I think is good because I don't believe that what most people think of as 'good leadership' is effective. Most people think a good leader is a strong person who engenders confidence in others and motivates them to follow him/her, with the emphasis on 'follow.' The stereotypical leader often sees questioning and disagreement as threatening and prefers people do what they're told. As an extension of this paradigm, the leader bears the main burden of decision making. But because such leaders are never as all-knowing as they try to appear, disenchantment and even anger tends to set in. That's why people who once loved their charismatic leaders often want to get rid of them.

This traditional relationship between 'leaders' and 'followers' is the opposite of what I believe is needed to be most effective, and being maximally effective is the most important thing a 'leader' must do. It is more practical to be honest about one's uncertainties, mistakes, and weaknesses than to pretend they don't exist. It is also more important to have good challengers than good followers. Thoughtful discussion and disagreement is practical because it stress-tests leaders and brings what they are missing to their attention.

One thing that leaders should not do, in my opinion, is be manipulative. Sometimes leaders will use emotions to motivate people to do things that they would not do after reflecting clearly. When dealing with intelligent people in an idea meritocracy, it is essential that one always appeal to their reason rather than their base emotions.

The most effective leaders work to 1) open-mindedly seek out the best answers and 2) bring others along as part of that discovery process. That is how learning and getting in sync occurs. A truly great leader is appropriately uncertain but well equipped to deal with that uncertainty through open-minded exploration. All else being equal, I think the kind of leader who looks and acts like a skilled ninja will beat the kind of leader who looks and acts like a muscular action hero every time.