Many people speak about things, based on theory. There is the theory of evolution, musical theory, string theory, game theory and type theory. All of these deal with the way things “Should” work, or might work, however all of them run into concerns or roadblocks when it comes to looking at them in the “real world”. In other words when examined outside of the realm of theory, they have trouble standing the test. The same is true for those who practice theoretical leadership. They know how things should work, but when you examine them in the real world, you see that they don’t stand the test.
A theoretical leader is one who has a desire to be a leader, and as a result reads books on leadership, attends seminars on leadership, listens to tapes on leadership, and reads articles on leadership. As a result they know a lot about leadership; how a leader should act, and speak, and lead. However, when you examine their leadership, you realize that it is all theory. What they have heard and read is not lived out in their leadership. They may get on an occasional kick to do something. For instance they read a book that talks about the importance of “Team Building”, and they will get on a team building kick, where getting the team together to share in experiences together is important. They plan retreats and meetings and team building opportunities. But in time, it is no longer as important, and months or years go by without any consideration of team building. But by that time they have read a new book or attended a new conference that told them that a leader must separate himself from the group to maintain respect, and so now they are reclusive. No matter what the newest kick is, in a theoretical leader they are never enduring. The lessons heard, and the lessons read never become lessons learned. The lessons never get internalized; they never become a part of the leader’s core values and leadership philosophy.
Those who lead in theory are difficult to spot. They are so full of leadership principles, ideas and clichés that they can easily hold their own in a theoretical debate. They have the information necessary to converse with the greatest leaders. What they lack is the transformation necessary to walk with them. I knew a kid in college who was a wiz at physics. With a piece of papers and a scientific calculator he could figure out anything physics. He could tell you the force and trajectory required to throw a fifty yard pass. He could tell you how to make a free throw. He could tell you the spin needed to cause a tennis ball to bounce left after a serve. However he couldn’t do any of them. His small stature and less than developed musculature did not permit him to perform all that he knew to do. The same is true for a theoretical leader. They may know all the ins and outs of leadership. They may know all that you are supposed to do. They may even be able to tell others how to do it. But their own underdevelopment as a leader leaves them unable to do what they know to do.
This underdevelopment comes from the failure to internalize the lessons. They read the book, write it in their journal and then teach it to the masses. They never allow it to infect their own mind and heart. They never integrate it into who they are. As they read or as they listen, a phrase or an idea catches their attention, and they make note of it, but instead of meditating on it, and absorbing it, and learning it, and committing to do it, they simply resolve to wait for the next phrase or idea to be presented. They may go back and commit the things written to memory, but it never makes it to their heart. The idea remains theory, rather than becoming reality.
This underdevelopment leads to deceptiveness. The theoretical leader wants to be recognized as a leader, but also knows of the truth behind their leadership. So they cloak their selves behind their leadership rhetoric, and ability to draw from their vast amount of leadership theory, allows them to pretend that they have a firm grasp on the practice of leadership. This can also lead to manipulation by the theoretical leader, as they use their theoretical knowledge of leadership to make others feel small and inadequate. Confrontation is also a byproduct, as the theoretical leader seeks to put away anyone who may blow their cover. Anyone who questions, or points out the inconsistency becomes a target for ridicule and attack. A theoretical leader is all too aware of the fragileness of their masquerade.
How can you determine if you are a theoretical leader? First ask yourself the question, “Am I a leader?” Are you leading others? If so, then do you practice what you teach? Do you say things like, “If I were doing it I would do it like this.” Or can you say, “When I do it, I do it like this.”? When you teach others about serving, do you serve the way you tell them to serve? When you teach about giving, do you give the way you tell them to give? When you teach about communication, do you communicate the way you tell them to communicate? You can then ask, “Do I do it consistently?” Is it something that you have think about, or make yourself do, or is it something that is so ingrained in you that you do it without thinking? Do you lead through manipulation? Do you see trash on the floor and think to yourself, “I ought to pick that up to show others that they should pick up trash.” Or do you just pick it up? Is your motive to build others for the kingdom, or to build others so they can build you? Can you receive criticism from those you lead? In theory every leader would say, “Yes”, but what about in reality? How did you respond the last time someone pointed out an inconsistency in your leadership? Did you win them over, or did you run them through?
The cure for theoretical leadership is a simple one, in theory. All you have to do is take the time to learn the lesson first; internalize it. Make it yours before you attempt to teach it to others. Integrate it into your leadership principles. When you do you will find that you consistently perform the lessons you learn in your leadership. You remove the mask from your leadership, which removes the need for manipulation and confrontation with those that are following. In reality this is a process that takes time. And the more theory you have, the longer it takes. That is because the process is one of applying what you know. It is one of meditating, accepting, learning, strategizing and implementing all the lessons that would otherwise be pure theory.
