The Case for Real-World Leadership

I see numerous ads on leadership and promoting leadership through uptake of schooling. There are degrees that focus specifically on honing one’s leaderships skills. This begs the natural question of can you build a leader based entirely on theory?

I remember graduating from university and attaining dual degree in accounting and audit having my head filed with theory having no idea how T ledger, the core of the entire accounting, looked or worked? Mind you T ledger is a static concept that represents the position of resources at a point in time. However, leadership preaches on how to influence non static highly sophisticated living species on the planet — humans. Humans come with even more sophisticated “jazz” wrapped in a whole separate science called human behavior.

Most leadership literature focuses on predictable subject lines of team dynamics, conflict management, personality typing, negotiation, and various other corporate takes on psychology and sociology. In unpacking these theories, one finds himself playing a game of chess with predictable set of players and equally pre-set “demographic” to push and nudge across the board presented as “kings” “queen”, “rooks”, “bishops”, “knights”, and “pawns”.

The game is limited to one opponent and does not consider that each member of the chessboard “demographic” comes with its own cultural background, career aspirations, blood pressure, pain tolerance etc.

And you graduate thinking you “nailed” it.

Throw, don’t pitch

Leadership in real life is though far more sophisticated. So much so that Doug Wick’s states in his article “throw, don’t pitch,” meaning practical experience is far more valuable, real and relatable than theory. It seems that MBAs can sometimes steer graduates too far into theoretical frameworks, leaving them detached from the complexities of real-world leadership.

Like Doug Wick, countless articles argue that the 170-year-old MBA model is outdated and ineffective at addressing the challenges of today’s real-world problems nor capable fostering real leadership in touch with reality.

Wick further describes how his own MBA experience at the University of Chicago deeply expanded his horizons, offering rich insights into psychology, team dynamics, and corporate behaviors. However, these same academic learnings often turned leadership into a rigid, formulaic exercise. By over-relying on theories, recent MBA graduates risk turning people into lifeless chess pieces — extroverts, introverts, “storming” teams to be handled with a pre-written strategy rather than genuine understanding.

Indeed, leadership isn’t binary. People are nuanced, and teams are living, dynamic systems. A strong extrovert might deeply enjoy quiet, focused work. A naturally introverted individual may excel at public speaking. No leadership book, however insightful, can fully encapsulate these layers of individuality.

I recall making significant mistakes by relying on the leadership theories I absorbed during my EMBA. It was only when I returned to foundational principles like empathy, instincts honed by real-world interactions, and moral courage that I saw my leadership improve. This means just like me, MBA graduates might need to “unlearn” some of what they’ve acquired in school to succeed.

I like Wick’s compelling sports metaphor to underscore his perspective. In baseball, pitchers are advised to “throw, don’t pitch” when they become overly mechanical, trying too hard to perfect every move instead of trusting their years of experience and muscle memory. Leadership is the same. The best leaders focus on authenticity, drawing from their lived experiences, and honing instincts through countless interactions, not by overthinking with theories.

Ultimately, leadership isn’t mastered in a classroom. It’s forged through trial, error, and the repetitive “throws” of real-world challenges. While MBAs have their merits, the risk of becoming too detached from reality is real. Success lies in blending structured learning with a hefty dose of human intuition and lived experience.

Your thoughts on the matter?

uly Yours,

Narghiza Ergashova