The inquiries I receive for possible inclusion in this column usually follow a predictable pattern. Either it is a complaint about a board run amok, or an owner or tenant who will not follow the rules, or who will not or cannot pay their bills. So I guess the questions usually fall into the categories of personal responsibility or leadership.
Last week I attended Leadership Collier's holiday party in Naples. I went through the program, sponsored by the local chamber of commerce, back in 2001. Most Florida counties, including Sarasota and Manatee, have similar programs, and I highly recommend them. It was good to visit with many old friends.
What was odd about it was that the organization chose to have a speaker at what is usually strictly a social event. The topic was, and don't get ahead of me here, "leadership." That certainly makes more sense than "how to cowardly avoid civic duties."
The audience was listening politely but not too intently, as it sounded mostly like a lawyer making a sales pitch for work. Take it from someone who does a fair amount of public speaking: It is a challenge to keep an audience's attention when your topic is about as thrilling as dirt.
The closest analogy I can make to what we were listening to is, having to endure a three-hour sales presentation for a timeshare project in return for a "free" vacation. Not that I have ever actually attended one of those, let alone hosted one.
But when the speaker got to his central theme of "situational leadership," my ears perked up. I had it in my head that only politicians like Charlie Crist would think that was a good thing. I had never heard of this theory, and from the other puzzled faces in the room, I was not alone.
So, me being me, I had to "Wikipedia" it on my iPhone. What I learned is that it is not a poor concept, just one with a poor name, at least in my opinion. People who write motivational books are always looking for new buzzwords. I don't believe you can "manage in a minute" or have a "purpose-driven life" solely by reading a 200-page book.
"Effective" or "adaptive" leadership might make more sense, but perhaps the names for those theories were already taken.
To me, the word "situational" has a negative connotation, even though I recognize that we all have to deal with situations. Take "situational ethics," for example: Doing something one way when you think people are looking, and another way when you think no one (at least no one with any perceived significance) is looking.
I remember reading about studies that allegedly proved that people in public restrooms are much more likely to wash their hands if someone else is present than if they are alone. I suppose this could be called "situational hygiene."
So, I now understand the concept of "situational leadership," at least in my "cocktail party conversation" context. That means that I can speak somewhat intelligently on a given subject for up to two minutes. Just don't delve further, or you may realize that I do not really know what I am talking about. I have used this strategy for years as it applies to current events, especially sports. I am a headline reader.
That said, I would still never use the phrase "situational leadership," although I will give my idea of what it means. To me, effective leadership is realizing that different people bring different skill sets to the table and should be appropriately assigned to tasks that benefit the organization. An effective leader never self-deals, and acts ethically no matter whether someone may observe or find out.
My prep school's motto translated from Latin is "discipline, diligence and integrity." Sounds simple, but it is sometimes really hard to achieve, despite the best of intentions. And, that school is in Tampa, lest you think I was putting on airs.
To me, those three goals define leadership, however you want to label it. They are just goals. I know I have missed the mark sometimes in all three categories, but they are things to strive to achieve. That is true regardless of the situation and regardless of whether you are a board or committee member or any other person with responsibilities to others, which includes all of us.
Must run. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins is on the telephone, and he does not sound at all happy.
Tamela Wiseman is a Florida Bar board-certified real estate attorney with 25 years' experience. The subjects discussed in her columns are not intended as specific legal advice to anyone and are subject to principles that may change. Questions may be modified for clarity or for brevity. Email questions for possible inclusion in a future column to tew@lawbywiseman.com.
