I have been asked recently if my approach to selling or leading a sales team has changed due to my recent change in jobs and the new “products” that I am representing. As I thought about the question, I tried to apply it to LeadershipVoices and the following paragraphs are what my feeble mind has produced.

Based on what my collegiate creative writing professor claimed, a static person or character in a story or piece of literature is someone who never changes.  They stay the same. As I consider and compare that to leadership, I wonder if that is a good trait for a leader to have.

When I think of static, I think of rigid, non-wavering, and steadfast in ones beliefs and principals. I can appreciate knowing that a leader will be the same, today, tomorrow and forever, but is that best? I think about some leaders I had in the past and I think that a comfort level was built because of that.  And there was a point in time where I began to make my own decisions based on what “…I knew what their answers would be…” However, I really enjoy all of the writings that are comparing leadership and fatherhood, and I realize that I am not the same father to my 10 and 8 year old that I was to my 4 and 2 year old. So I ask, is flexibility and being the right leader at the right time better than being steadfast?

So having said all of that, in comparison, a dynamic person, is someone that has the ability or changes characteristics towards something or someone. I begin to wonder if this is a good trait to have in a leader. The ability to change as society requires it, or as your followers require it? As much as I need a leader to be steadfast, I think I may appreciate flexibility more. One of the things that I think all salesmen tell prospects is that we can be flexible to conform our product or services to fit their needs.

Is it the responsibility of a leader to conform their leadership to their followers needs? I think subconsciously we alter our leadership to better fit whatever is happening at home, don’t we? Is that a good example for our family? Can we lead different members of our family in different ways? Should we expect our followers to change?

I have decided, it is my responsibility to approach each customer, salesman, and family member with a dynamic style of leadership to make sure it not only conforms to their needs, but is static in the honest framework that is Christ-like.