Adapt my Leadership Style

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2 INTRODUCTION Flexibility is the key to being able to adapt your approach to address different team challenges and problems as they arise. Without the ability to adapt your leadership style you may miss opportunities to improve team performance and effectiveness. In this Compass Point we illustrate a number of typically tough team challenges you might face and explore the options, strategies, and different leadership approaches that will help you deal positively with these situations. Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Kurt Lewin (1939) led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership. He discovered that although good leaders use many styles, possibly with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style. Your style of managing will depend on four main influences: Yourself. Other people working with or around you. The situation. Constraints imposed by your organisation and/or workplace. CHOOSING A LEADERSHIP STYLE Being authoritarian The authoritarian manager dictates and tells people what to do. People submit to the manager s leadership. The manager is always in control. People are dependent on the manager. People are insecure, unproductive, and have little or no initiative with the manager. Being persuading Like a parent in the way they treat people - they make the decisions and persuade others it is the best course of action. People generally feel less dominated than with an authoritarian manager. Some people may resent the manager, as they are not treated as adults. The manager may feel hurt if people fail, as if they have been let down.

3 Being consulting People are welcome to contribute ideas and suggestions - the manager discusses these and makes a decision. People feel involved. People feel part of a team, and feel valued. People may resent decisions if their own suggestions were unsuccessful. People may try to challenge the manager s decision. Being democratic The whole group makes decisions and the manager agrees to them as long as they are within certain boundaries. Individuals feel enthusiastic, and tend to take responsibility readily. Communication within the team is good. The manager needs to have complete confidence in people. The manager can lose control. Being a delegator The leader sets limits and gives problems and work to others. They refer back on difficulties but otherwise take on the task themselves. Work is efficient. Individuals are given experience of a wide variety of work. Individuals may feel overburdened with responsibility. The manager may not be able to help when problems arise. Being a abdicator The leader abdicates through complete focus on their own work. Managers often mistake this for delegation. The manager is free to get on with his/her own work. People blame the manager, even when it is their own fault. Work is poor, morale is low, and people feel frustrated and resentful. Summary: Be aware that leadership is a balancing act. Try to avoid too narrow a focus on one thing. Aim for an appropriate style, without being too authoritarian, or abdicating. Always try to remember: how would you feel if your boss behaved exactly like you? LEADERSHIP IS SITUATIONAL It is often said that leadership in situational. This mean that different styles of leadership are needed which will depend on the situation. The purpose is to give clarity to the person you are leading, to assist them in being more productive and meet their needs for direction and support. In other words it is about the willingness and ability to look at a situation and assess others development needs in order to decide which

4 leadership style is the most appropriate for the goal or task at hand. This approach is known as the Situational Leadership model and was developed by Ken Blanchard. These four leadership styles are based on directive and supportive behaviour: Directive Behaviour includes giving clear direction to people by telling them what you want them to do, how to do it in terms of time and quality and then monitoring and reviewing progress. Supportive Behaviour includes listening, giving feedback, asking for input, and providing support. Effective leaders are able to blend the right level of directive and supportive behaviour to meet the needs of the individual reporting to them. In this way leaders are able to build the skills and commitment of the individual to make them more productive. In this model there are four Situational Leadership styles. S1 Directing consists of high directive, but low supportive behaviour S2 Coaching consists of high directive and high supportive behaviour S3 Supporting consists of high supportive and low directive behaviour S4 Delegating consists of low supportive and directive behaviour In order to determine when to use directive and supportive behaviour it is important to consider the motivation of a member of staff to do a job or task and their skill to do that job or task without direction. At the beginning of a new task the member of staff will need direction and perhaps some support. However, as they grow in skill and motivation then the leader can reduce their supportive and directive behaviour to meet the needs of the situation. Remember, the purpose of Situational leadership is to move each member of you staff to greater productivity. If however, you as a leader, do not give the right level of support or direction to meet the needs of an individual, then you will positively prevent that person becoming more productive. The skill of Situational leadership is to ensure that you do not give too much or too little direction or support. For example, if you fail to give clear direction to an individual starting a new task or job they are unlikely to succeed at the venture. Alternatively, if a member of staff is fully competent at a task or job and the leader continues to give detailed direction then it is likely that the individual will become less motivated and productive.

5 In the cases above, the failure to recognise the needs of the individual has resulted in lost productivity. By either a lack of leadership or too much leadership, the leader has failed to improve motivation or the skills of their people. Directing A person who is new or had little experience doing a task. A person who is not self-motivated or willing to do a particular task. A person who lacks self-confidence. A person who is performing well below standard. Coaching A person who brings to the task some skills and experience but performing below standard. A person respects you and your knowledge. A person who wants to share responsibility. Where time is not critical. A person who is skilled and experienced in doing a task. A person who is self-motivated and confident in their ability to meet or excel performance standards. Where it is difficult to measure production in the short run. Where time pressures are not critical. A person who is very skilled. A person who is highly motivated. A person who does not want or need your help. A person who has little or no skill. Supporting A person who is quite skilled and experienced. A person who is self-motivated. A person who is performing reasonably well. Where there are a number of ways to do a task. Delegating A person who has all the required knowledge. A person who is self-confident and motivated. A person who takes pride in performing well. A person who initiates action and takes responsibility. A person who is not performing well. A person who lacks sufficient knowledge. A person who does not show initiative. A person who does not take responsibility for outcomes. A person who is new or inexperienced. A person who is unwilling to take responsibility. A person who does not feel confident with the task. A person who is not performing well.

6 Harvard Business Review research found that leaders use six styles, springing from different components of emotional intelligence. Here is a summary of the styles, their origins, when they work best, and their impact on an organisation s climate and thus its performance. 1. Authoritative Leader s modus operandi: Mobilises people towards a vision. Style in a phrase: Come with me Emotional intelligence components: Self-confidence, empathy, change catalyst When the style works best: When change requires a new vision or when a clear direction is needed. Overall impact on climate: Strong, positive. 2. Affiliative Leader s modus operandi: Creates harmony and builds emotional bonds. Style in a phrase: People come first Emotional intelligence components: Empathy, building relationships, communication When the style works best: To heal rifts in a team or to motivate people during stressful circumstances. Overall impact on climate: Positive 3. Democratic Leader s modus operandi: Forges consensus through participation. Style in a phrase: What do you think? Emotional intelligence components: Collaboration, team leadership, communication When the style works best: To build buy-in or consensus, or to get import from valuable employees. Overall impact on climate: Positive 4. Coaching Leader s modus operandi: Develops people for the future. Style in a phrase: Try this Emotional intelligence components: Developing others, empathy, self-awareness When the style works best: To help an employee improve performance or develop long-term strengths. Overall impact on climate: Positive 5. Pace Setting Leader s modus operandi: Sets high standards for performance. Style in a phrase: Do as I do, now Emotional intelligence components: Conscientiousness, drive to achieve, initiative When the style works best: To get quick results from a highly motivated and competent team. Overall impact on climate: Negative 6. Coercive Leader s modus operandi: Demands immediate compliance. Style in a phrase: Do what I tell you Emotional intelligence components: Drive to achieve, initiative, self-control

7 When the style works best: In a crisis, to kick-start a turnaround or with problem employees. Overall impact on climate: Negative (Source: Goleman, D - Leadership that gets results - HBR (2000). ACTIONS Your ability to quickly adapt your leadership style to any given performance or organisational situation will make you an invaluable asset to your organisation. However, in order to be truly effective, you must be able to recognise the different scenarios in which each style is most effective. Spend some time working through each of the leadership styles examined in this Compass Point and identify a genuine workplace scenario when you could use each of them - this should help cement the links between the styles and scenarios in your mind. OTHER RESOURCES Below are some of our personal recommendations for the next stage of your developmental journey. Learning Quest has an extensive library of resources tailored to those seeking to take control of the navigation of their development. You may want to try: How do I...Lead an Effective Team? How do I...Understand Leadership?