SEPARATING THE METEORIC FROM THE MEDIOCRE!
The leadership style that suits you is also required to suit the majority of occasions and the majority of people you inspire and lead. It may well vary according to the circumstances (and probably should!)
Leadership styles are so many and varied that it is virtually impossible to identify the definitive style that will satisfy the often disparate needs of workforce, stakeholders, shareholders, distributors and consumers.
If there is one style that satisfies and delights every person in this complex chain, then it is probably a closely guarded secret!
The extremes from ?don?t do that ? because I say so? reminds some of our generation of a previous existence in parent/child relationships! Through to ?do what you like? which is so ?hands off? it is clearly signalling no interest.
The leadership style that suits you is also required to suit the majority of occasions and the majority of people you inspire and lead. It may well vary according to the circumstances (and probably should!)
A more directive style when time is short and there is an emergency is highly appropriate, as opposed to a collaborative view representing the majority which may take an hour to determine while the room is filling with smoke!
Leadership may also be ?followership?, using a different style of communication. ?What do you want me to do boss?? may be responded to by ?What would you do in these circumstances??
If the response is suitable, sensible and applicable, then your reply may easily be, ?I?ll support your decision. Do you want me to do anything as your recommendation??
This subtle form of followership will encourage a sense of ownership and with luck will mean such actions and responses can take place without your intervention, and possibly without your involvement!
Even the well proven job description may need overhaul as the relationship develops and you encourage your team to think differently. An out of date job description listing the tasks to be undertaken is at odds with the relationship that develops, the trust that is established and the requirement on the part of leader and member of the team for more routine activities to be undertaken without intervention or involvement.
I personally favour a 3-tier description of role, relationship and contribution.
1. The job to be done within the functional role and capacity of the individual ? individual contribution.
2. The collaborative role that can be achieved with and through other members of the team with whom each individual works ? collaborative contribution.
3. As corporate ambassador representing the business ? the corporate contribution.
In this way you may not only leverage performance and productivity of each member of the team, but you are also subtly inspiring them to represent the business and be the business, rather than simply be employed by the business.
If there is no definite role of the way of inspiring leadership, are there ways of getting closer to the ideal result? I think there are.
WHAT SEPARATES THE METEORIC FROM THE MEDIOCRE?
1 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders paint a vision of the future and offer a challenge to their team to realise it.
Mediocre leaders write a mission statement extrapolating what they?ve previously done before and then jump up and down expecting it to be achieved.
2 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders cause individuals and teams to do things differently and to do different things.
Mediocre bosses tell people what to do.
3 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders encourage a sense of proprietorial interest.
Mediocre bosses pay lip service if anything at all to other peoples? ideas.
4 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders join up and make connections between key characteristics of how the business is run linked to improved return on investment. Mediocre bosses complain about budgets being missed.
5 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders look at their businesses from every perspective.
Mediocre businesses blame their staff.
6 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders derive intense satisfaction from the collective collaborative contribution of the team.
Mediocre bosses grudgingly accept they?ve not done everything themselves.
7 METEORIC: Inspirational leaders see the evidence of their vision in action by everyone every way every day.
Mediocre bosses wonder whether they have to shout louder to be heard and understood!
There are also a number of factors and desirable objectives that inspired leaders will provide for their teams. They are:
1. Inspirational leaders set the agenda rather than a succession of tasks.
2. Encourage a sense of proprietorial ownership.
3. Value your team more than other assets.
4. Encourage collaboration in place of competition.
5. Encourage inter-dependence through your team.
Inspirational leadership is continually being developed and refined.
There are ways to:
? Accentuate the positive.
? Eliminate the negative.
In practical terms:
? Find out what is comfortable for you.
? Apply what works for your team and you.
? Refine and develop it further.
? Extend and develop challenges for your team.
? Remember to ?recognise? as well as criticise at least in equal proportions and if your team rise to the challenge, then the criticism will become less and less!
