Bright-sided leadership and dark-side leadership are two different approaches to leadership, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Bright-sided leadership is characterized by a positive, optimistic outlook, with an emphasis on opportunities, growth, and possibility. Leaders who adopt this style are often enthusiastic and energetic, and they inspire their teams to believe that anything is possible. They focus on solutions rather than problems, and they believe that challenges can be overcome with hard work and a positive attitude.
On the other hand, dark-side leadership is characterized by a more negative, pessimistic outlook, with an emphasis on threats, risks, and potential problems. Leaders who adopt this style may be more critical, sceptical, or even cynical, and they may be quick to identify potential pitfalls or roadblocks. They may be more focused on minimizing risk and avoiding failure, rather than embracing new opportunities or taking risks.
Both bright-sided and dark-side leadership have their strengths and weaknesses. Bright-sided leaders can inspire their teams and foster a positive work environment, but they may also be unrealistic or overly optimistic at times. Dark-side leaders can help to identify potential risks and problems before they become major issues, but they may also be overly cautious or risk-averse, which can limit growth and innovation.
In one of our programs, The Leadership Matrix talks a lot about helping leaders to better integrate the Bright-Side Mindset of Leadership. Our own experiences create negative programs that come from negative beliefs that get in the way of being a more positive and empowering leader.
Some leaders have been affected by employees that have cheated them, or resigned poorly, and this creates plenty of poor beliefs for future generations of employees that you will bring onboard. Building an empowering team will begin with yourself.
Ultimately, the most effective leaders are those who are able to strike a balance between bright-sided and dark-side leadership, depending on the situation.
They are able to remain optimistic and positive while also being realistic about potential challenges and risks, and they are able to adapt their leadership style to the needs of their team and their organization.
