When I was thinking about what to write this week, I had a hard time coming up with a topic. I suddenly realized when I was directing my son to do something, that I am just as much a leader at home as I am at work. I had not thought about being a leader to my son before this and I started to wonder what type of leader I was at home. I also realized that I tend to lean towards either task or relational leadership decisions for the same reasons at work and at home.
At home, I would like I try to follow Hill’s Model for Team Leadership for relational internal leadership actions but I tend to sometimes perform more task internal leadership actions. Task internal leadership actions include goal focusing and structuring for results while relational internal leadership includes actions that are collaborating, coaching, satisfying needs, and modeling principles (Northouse, 2013).
Sometimes I just want results from my son, especially in times when I am in a rush or feel as though he is not listening to me. For example, if I am late for work, I may sternly tell him that he needs to put his shoes on. At work, I sometimes feel like I am the only one motivated to perform the tasks needed to achieve goals and I often feel like I am in a hurry to get the work done. During these times, I use task leadership actions to focus on the goals. I am more demanding and make decisions based on what I need done at that time. I am highly focused on tasks and try to control situations.
Most of the time, at work and at home, I believe that the best way to achieve effectiveness as a leader is to use relational leadership actions. I believe that coaching team members (and my son) into doing what needs to be done helps to improve the relationship between the leader and the subordinate. I believe that involving the subordinate in decisions like asking a co-worker how they would improve a certain procedure or asking my son what he would like to eat for dinner helps build a trusting relationship where the subordinate feels like they are a part of the decision making. I also think that modeling ethical and principled practices is a very important aspect of leadership. When a co-worker or my son sees their leader modeling a proper behavior, they will most likely follow.
A successful parent can use some of the same ideas that Northouse suggests for being a successful and effective leader. Many of the same principles apply to both situations. These are important factors to consider for parents who are unsure of how to become great leaders to their children and workplace leaders who must maintain effective leadership in their occupation.
References
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.