Symbolic Leadership: The Image Matters

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Thomas E. Poulin
February 17, 2025

Leaders exist at all levels of agencies, finding means to inspire people. Leaders can bring value to an agency, but they can undercut themselves if they ignore their image. This conflicts with most messaging on leadership which stresses action. How these actions are perceived can be of great importance—image matters.

Leadership is supported by visibility. Frontline leaders find this easier than higher levels because they engage with subordinates more frequently. The higher one rises in an agency, the less visible they are to the workforce. It is not that they are not leading—it is that they are not visibly doing so. This might make others question their leadership ability, if not the relevance of their role.

Leaders must appreciate that the eyes of the workforce and the community are on them. Their actions can be perceived as positive or negative based on the visuals, regardless of intention. In the aftermath of the September 11^th attacks, President George W. Bush visited the workers on Ground Zero. He dressed informally, interacted with the first responders on-site and spoke briefly in a language approachable to all. This was a powerful message. “WE are in this together. WE will make it through. WE will become stronger than before.” The message, timing and presentation were perfect. The visit had positive results, unified the workforce, built morale and helped begin to heal the emotional wounds of the nation.

After Hurricane Katrina, President Bush cut short a personal trip, returning to the White House to monitor and oversee events; an act of leadership. In route, Air Force One flew low over New Orleans so Bush could see the damage. It was well-meaning, but it created a negative impression. On the ground, they were devastated and in need of assistance. Images of Bush looking down from the plane’s window showed someone clean, well-groomed and seemingly detached from the catastrophe. This contributed to questions concerning the leadership and efficacy of the disaster response.

These are exemplars. They illustrate an important point. Leaders must remember that what they wear, say and do are symbols that will be interpreted differently by others, filtered through their own life experiences. Regardless of the leader’s intent, these symbols affect the ability of a leader to develop followers.

Image matters. During the 1960 presidential election, Nixon entered the debate leading in the polls. He declined make-up and hair stylists, while Kennedy was well-groomed. After the debate, Kennedy led in the polls. The change was attributed to the perception Nixon did not appear to be a leader. Being a leader requires being perceived as a leader by others.

Actions matter. In the HBO series Rome, after an order from Julius Ceasar had been ignored, he remarked to the transgressor “…If I were to punish you, the people would be made extremely angry. I do not wish to make the people angry, ergo I cannot punish you. If I cannot punish you, I must reward you, else I shall seem weak.” Leaders must consider the intended and unintended consequences of their actions.

Consistency matters. Leaders who act inconsistently either by saying one thing then doing another, or by treating others inconsistently without understandable reason, will face questions on their leadership. Leaders should set the goals, then work consistently towards them. If they do not do so, even if there is reason, their leadership might be questioned. Even if unintentional, the message might become the goals are meaningless. Robert Fulghum wrote, “something not worth doing is not worth doing well.” If the leadership acts inconsistently or not at all, employees might easily take Fulghum’s message to heart.

Visibility matters. In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin wrote of his youth as a printer. He had to pick up supplies and deliver completed work. He deliberately did this through the most important economic and political areas of the community, and usually during the busiest part of the day. Leaders must take Franklin’s message seriously. “It was not enough to be industrious, one must be seen to be industrious.”

We have all been told that actions speak louder than words. We have always been told that leaders lead, and we should judge them by their outcomes. This is true, and some of the conclusions in this article might be viewed as manipulative. However, regardless of the strength of the performance in managing programs and projects, leaders might be weakened if they ignore their image. Managers rely on authority, while leaders must lean heavily on informal powers such as trust and respect. This requires them to be seen as worthy of these relationships. To accomplish this, they must choose their words carefully. They must remember they are being watched. They must remember that they cannot accomplish great things without followers. Employees look for leadership. If a leader does not manage their image, they will not be viewed as a leader. This will affect their ability to generate followers, and this might hinder their ability to provide high-quality public services.  

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Author: Thomas E. Poulin, PhD, SHRM-CP, IPMA-CP, is a training and development consultant and part-time public administration faculty at Columbia Southern University. He served in local government and non-profits for more than 30 years and has taught public administration and related topics for nearly 20. He may be reached at [email protected].

 

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