Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: A Great Leader For Our Time And All Times

More than a decade ago, I had a speaking engagement at Chevron that was part of a whole day devoted to leadership development, one in which I happily participated. One of our activities was to break into small groups and draw on a sheet of paper our vision of what a “Clear Leader” looked like.

One group concluded that the ears are the biggest attribute of a great leader because truly listening is a must-have skill. Another group drew and presented a pair of over-sized eyes after agreeing that being a great leader requires great vision, the ability to see around corners.

But my group came up with an avatar embodying leadership that was not only very creative but also memorable, so that my mind returns to it every year at this time.

Any ideas?

The answer is none other than Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer—he of the very shiny nose. As I said, I’ve thought about this over the years and have to agree that Rudolph furnishes an inspired (and inspiring) choice. All we need to do is consider Rudolph’s story from a leadership perspective—no stretch in a Forbes column devoted to leadership—to see his indisputable qualities.

Over time, I’ve tweaked the Chevron group’s original outline and come up with the following notes on the great Rudolph’s leadership:

1. Rudolph owned his success and failure. Despite being ridiculed by his peers for his physical difference, Rudolph owned his own success. He may have been left out of the reindeer games, but he watched and learned, so when the time came to step up and lead, he knew what to do to get the Christmas toys delivered!
2. Rudolph turned his difference into his strength. Not only did Rudolph accept his difference, he embraced it and turned it into a strength others could recognize. He may not have been the biggest or strongest reindeer that night, but he was surely the brightest and understood how to align his particular… skill set with the team’s needs.
3. And speaking of bright, Rudolph was smart. Despite having his shiny nose broadcasting his approach far and wide, he was still clever enough to survive delivering presents in the South despite having to do so during deer-hunting season!
4. Rudolph prized humility. A less grateful ungulate might have lorded a rapid promotion such as his over his teammates. Not Rudolph. He was happy for the opportunity to serve well.
5. Rudolph literally “led from the front.” He not only ran point for his team, he used his position to model excellence for them. In this way, he was a transformational figure on Santa’s sleigh, one who turned a group of ridiculers and exclusionists into an inclusive team that could appreciate each other’s talents and differences.
6. He made everyone better. Rudolph made those who worked around him better, raising the bar for what was thought possible for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Donner.
7. Rudolph led with passion. If you recall, in the Burl Ives claymation video version of Rudolph, it was not until one of the does who had come to watch the reindeer games told him that he was cute that Rudolph felt motivated to take flight for the first time. Passion drove him to places he wouldn’t have otherwise gone and sparked the determination needed to unlock greatness and exceed expectations.
8. He sweated the details. According to a Gallup North Pole survey, in all of Santa’s Workshop operations through the millennia, there has never been a single present that failed to reach its intended destination or needed to be returned. That kind of focus is the hallmark of great leaders.
9. He flexed his character muscle. Under less-than-ideal circumstances—i.e., flying through multiple weather fronts at supersonic speeds—Rudolph learned how to flex the most important leadership muscle of them all, showing grit and remaining positive while leading the group. This allowed his team to overcome adversity and deliver on Santa’s strategy.
10. He was resilient. See examples 1–9. By staying positive and focused, Rudolph was able to grow as a leader and eventually upend the wicked ice queen Stormella, who had made a career of attempting to frustrate Santa’s supply chain and delivery routes.

Rudolph’s own career trajectory at Santa’s Workshop had a ceiling of sorts, if only because Santa had to remain in charge; but it’s easy to imagine that as Rudolph’s confidence grew, he could have been a successful founder of his own business—say, Run Run Rudolph Transport, LLC, specializing in rush deliveries anywhere in the world.

As we enjoy the holiday season, let’s hope we also get to enjoy the benefits of being, becoming or working with a great leader.