The differing styles of business leadership come under the spotlight of Professor Jim Saker, regular Automotive Management contributor and president of the Institute of the Motor Industry.

It is not often I write specifically about people, but it was my privilege to give out the President's Awards at the recent IMI Dinner. Both went to people who were retiring from jobs within the sector that they had held for a considerable number of years.

One was to Dale Wyatt of Suzuki and the other to Paula Cooper of Toyota GB.

As I read through their biographies it became apparent that both of them reinforced what I believe is good leadership. I believe, and a lot of the more research suggests, that the basis underpinning great leadership in a time of change is humility and putting other people before yourself.

Having the humility to acknowledge what you don’t know and being prepared to seek advice from others, some of whom will be working in the organisation that you are leading.

As CS Lewis put it ‘Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.’ More recently Simon Sinek of the Optimism Company has said ‘Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.’ 

Basically, respecting and caring for the people that you are leading and putting their interests first. Being a great employer  

That humility also stems to listening to what customers want and not presuming that your attitude or approach is correct.

Last month I wrote for AM-online about the threat to Tesla’s brand image from the persona that Elon Musk was presenting on stage at events in the US. This had been reinforced by him posting support for right wing activists including Tommy Robinson and others in the UK.

To be fair, I was surprised at the scale of the uprising against Musk and Tesla, triggering the dramatic drop in Tesla sales around the world and the burning of Tesla garages in France.

In the UK the response has been more subtle with posters on the London Underground and at bus stops.

Musk could learn from Daniel Golman in his book Emotional Intelligence, where he says: ‘Leadership is not domination, but the art of persuading people to work toward a common goal.’ It could be argued that Musk's leadership style has actually generated a common goal but in the wrong direction.

Although a very poor strategist, Winston Churchill came to realise his weaknesses and with a sense of humility is quoted as saying ‘Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. In the course of my life, I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome meal.’

Both Dale and Paula demonstrated a humility and leadership approach that promoted the efforts of others - a style of motor industry leadership that contrasts starkly with that of Elon Musk.

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