Leadership at the Middle Level

If we take a sample of teenagers and ask them about their preferred professional future, how many teenagers would say: "When I grow up, I want to become a vice president of a country, a deputy head of a department, a deputy head of a unit...?" Likely, none! If a teenager or child has political aspirations, they want to be the president! If a young girl has commercial inclinations, she wants to be a company owner or the chairperson of a board!

If we take a sample of teenagers and ask them about their preferred professional future, how many teenagers would say: "When I grow up, I want to become a vice president of a country, a deputy head of a department, a deputy head of a unit...?" Likely, none! If a teenager or child has political aspirations, they want to be the president! If a young girl has commercial inclinations, she wants to be a company owner or the chairperson of a board!

This is one of the leadership myths that the general public believes in, called the "Myth of Latent Abilities." Its adherents say: "I cannot reach my latent abilities unless I am at the top."

Unfortunately, few people aspire to middle-level positions. We have never heard anyone say, "When I grow up, I want to work my way into middle management." Yet, most real-world statistics indicate that most people will never rise to top leadership in a country or institution and will spend their professional careers somewhere in the middle.

Therefore, the author Maxwell believes that people should strive to reach the peak of their abilities, not the peak of the institution. Each of us should work to reach our latent potential, not necessarily the top of the pyramid, because sometimes you can have the greatest impact from a position that is not the number one spot. He cites as an example the life story of Vice President Dick Cheney, who (in the eyes of Americans) enjoyed a successful career in politics. He was White House Chief of Staff under President Gerald Ford, a six-term Congressman from Wyoming, Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush, and Vice President under President George W. Bush. He possessed all the qualifications someone aspiring to run for President of the United States would need, yet he never ran. This is because he understands that the highest office is not always the best.

Time magazine described Cheney in this way:

When Richard Bruce Cheney was a high school student in Wyoming, he was a successful football player, student body president, and an above-average student, but he was not a star! He is not prominent; he supports a more famous friend and helps calm situations. This is the role Dick Cheney has played throughout his life. His success (in the eyes of Americans) stemmed from his unique skill in being the advisor, confidant, and effective supporter of a higher-ranking leader. He tried once to be the star in 1996 when he ran for president, but the idea of playing the leading role required political genes. Later, he thought about retiring and devoting himself to hunting, but George W. Bush had another plan that brought Cheney back to play the role he had always excelled in. Lynne Cheney told Time magazine that her husband "never thought of this job, but if you trace his entire career, you will find it was a preparation for this." Cheney utilized his latent abilities to the fullest in the role of Vice President—a position few would choose as their ambition.