How do you think about leadership?

That's not an irrelevant question. How you think about leadership greatly influences how you practice it.

There are numerous examples of metaphors for leadership. Among them:

War has been one of the most frequently-used metaphors for leadership. Books such "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun" and "The Art of War" provide examples of how fighting a war provides lessons for leaders.

The language is clear - we fight for market share, we defeat the competition, we win the battle for the hearts and minds of our customers.

Sports and competition is another oft-used metaphor. Books like "John Wooden on Leadership" and "What It Takes to Be #1: Vince Lombardi on Leadership" are examples of just a few of the sports figures who have provided advice for leaders.

Here, too, the language is known - we'll beat the competition, compete for the market, and sweat it out until the very end.

I've worked with several people who think about being a leader as being like the captain of a ship. They have to set the course, get people to pull together, make sure they weather the storm, and navigate the shoals in order to be effective as leaders.

Some think leadership is like being a gardener who nurtures subordinates, grows talent, and reaps the harvest of their labors.

And, a few I know think about leadership as being like a chef who puts in the right ingredients, stirs the pot, feeds the hearts and minds of the staff, and relishes the opportunity to find a new recipe for success.

Metaphors provide you with a tool for communicating in clear and memorable ways that capture the attention of your staff and serve as a lasting reminder of how to think and act in the business. Knowing how to use metaphors for leadership well is important to getting your messages across.

A few examples.

Andrea was a newly-promoted team leader who was given the unenviable task of transforming a group on underperformers that had failed to embrace the change in the contract, which required them to be far more responsive, flexible, and accountable. She was told, very clearly, that if she wasn't able to get her team to adapt, they would be let go.

Andrea's approach was to use the example of boot camp, the initial training of soldiers who would either make it or not, as the metaphor to communicate to her team. She spoke to them about how they'll have to do their utmost in this make or break situation. She compared herself to the Drill Sergeant whose job was to whip them into shape and who determined if they would pass muster or not.

Her efforts were successful for nearly every one of her team. The ones who made it responded to the challenge, took her advice, and with a lot of encouragement and coaching, adapted to the new demands. They survived. And they became a stronger team as a result.

Jason had a different challenge. His team was responsible for developing marketing materials for other departments to use. The problem was that their reputation was for coming up with stodgy, dull materials that the other departments weren't attracted to and didn't use.

His approach was to use the example of a world-class chef who created attractive, healthy, and mouth-watering recipes served in a welcoming environment. He talked about the importance of creating a warm atmosphere in their office, about the need for eye-popping materials, and how they had to cater to the tastes of their clients.

Among the successful efforts they undertook was to provide a smorgasbord of ideas for their customers to sample, using a variety of colorful and innovative designs for them to choose from. Eventually, they increased the number of satisfied customers who used their services and established a far better reputation for quality customer service.

The challenge for leaders who decide to use metaphors to communicate is in finding ones that capture the attention of others and provide a useful way of thinking about the situation, suggesting actions that will address the issues appropriately. The metaphor becomes, in essence, a memorable and vivid kind of shorthand that helps everyone understand the situation and guides their decisions and actions.

What situations are you facing now that may benefit from using a metaphor as an important communication tool? What might that metaphor be? How will it be useful?

Warren Bennis wrote, " I used to think that running an organization was equivalent to conducting a symphony orchestra. But I don't think that's quite it; it's more like jazz. There is more improvisation."

There is no doubt that improvisation helps leaders run organizations as things change so often and so much.

What improvisation is needed in your business now?

Last week, Gil Meche, a 32-year old pitcher for the Kansas City Royals forfeited the $12 million dollars he was going to earn this year.

"When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it," he said. "Once I started to realize I wasn't earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn't feel like I deserved it."

How often have leaders acted like Meche, retaining their integrity by truly earning what they are paid and by not taking money when they fall short?

Email archie@archietinelli.com