The Art of Leadership – What Makes Great Managers?

At the intersection of management and command, what dimensions allow for the optimization of managerial performance?
Olivier Lajous, consultant and speaker, served for 38 years in the French Navy. Drawing on a career where engagement, trust, courage, and humility were essential for success, he now works with companies to share with their teams the keys to individual and organizational performance. Here, he exchanges perspectives with Henri Vidalinc, President of Grant Alexander, on what makes great managers.

What led each of you to focus on managerial performance?
OL: During my career as a naval officer, from ordinary sailor to admiral, I observed various leadership styles in often hostile environments and under strict discipline. The most remarkable leaders all had something inspiring about their presence—the right tone, a natural authority. I also became convinced that success is only achievable as a team, and that managerial effectiveness is key.
HV: Before dedicating myself to HR consulting, I encountered many managers who made me reflect on what gives legitimacy in the role. A good manager inspires a team to follow them. There is a “presence” dimension in management that transcends formal codes, almost like an aura: what you project and radiate, independently of imposing physical traits. The question is whether these qualities can be developed.

How much is innate versus acquired?
OL: Everyone faces the obligation to be part of a group. Innate traits matter—temperament is shaped by genetics and environment—but acquired experience opens many possibilities for growth. Interactions with others drive change and progress. The more we confront difference, the more we enter a constructive, successful dynamic: engaging with diversity, breaking habits, embracing collective life, high-level sports, extreme environments (sea, mountains, jungles…). Self-confidence grows through experience and challenge, not just by instruction.
HV: Humility is crucial for learning. Openness to others’ experiences fosters self-awareness. The better you know your strengths and weaknesses, the more you can improve. Taking responsibility for your own development is key. A good manager also identifies the strengths and weaknesses of team members.

Are there similarities between command and management?
OL: Managing and commanding are two sides of the same coin—the art of leadership—operating across time and context. When not in immediate operational situations, you manage. Command naturally follows good management. The legitimacy to command in fast-paced action comes from effective management in slower, reflective contexts. This relies on natural authority, a subtle mix of interpersonal skills, know-how, teaching skills, and communication—sharing knowledge and inspiring others.
HV: Preparation is fundamental. Natural authority is complemented by competence-based authority, which reinforces credibility. The good news is that both can be cultivated. A great manager combines charisma with substance to endure. They know (education, learning, experience, professional knowledge) and they show/demonstrate: at Grant Alexander, beyond professional skills and personality, we believe in measuring and developing mental dimensions that foster success (self-confidence, self-awareness, team awareness, concentration, emotional control, environmental management, determination…). This is the Athlete Thinking philosophy.

How does natural authority function in management?
HV: In my view, natural authority is best embodied in decision-making legitimacy. A good manager must be able to make decisions quickly and agilely, in any situation, maintaining focus—like an athlete acting at the right moment with all capacities mobilized.
OL: A team can only succeed with a leader who decides. Preparing to decide involves practicing decision-making, avoiding rigid rules, and understanding that there is never just one correct response. The right answer comes from experience, never pre-written. One must experiment with scenarios, develop the ability to identify the rules that allow timely and effective action. Every choice carries risk, highlighting the need to cultivate boldness and manage one’s mind and emotions.

Can mental and emotional management for performance be learned?
HV: Emotions cannot be ignored in professional contexts. A manager must show humanity and be able to express feelings. Experience helps to channel emotions. A trusted manager accepts being challenged by their team.
OL: Contrary to what one might think, the military is not devoid of emotion; it often involves heightened emotional contexts. In extreme situations, one must resist panic, fear, and anger. Therefore, understanding and controlling emotions is essential—to use them effectively rather than being overwhelmed. Mental and emotional management is key to efficient leadership. We all have innate dispositions but also significant capacity for development.

October 2017
Henri Vidalinc is President of Grant Alexander.
Olivier Lajous is a consultant and speaker. He served 38 years in the French Navy, starting as a national service sailor and ending as admiral. He spent 16 years at sea, commanded three ships, and participated in numerous armed conflicts from 1980 to 2003 (Afghanistan, Iran-Iraq, Lebanon, Libya-Chad, Yemen-Eritrea). He served as Director of Communication, Director of the Advanced Education Center, and Director of Human Resources of the French Navy, and worked in ministerial offices. Elected HR Director of the Year in 2012, he is the author of The Art of Leadership (L’Harmattan Editions).