With leadership comes great responsibility. It is an honor to lead people and with this gift we must take responsibility for our impact on others. We must balance the act of pushing our people for peak performance while cultivating good rapport with our followers. I take pride in what I do and I know my people share that same passion. I would like to go through what approach I have found works best to maintain the balance.
As a leader I think I use the coaching approach the most. The coaching approach is described as “a high directive–high supportive style. In this approach, the leader focuses communication on both achieving goals and meeting followers’ socio-emotional needs. The coaching style requires that the leader involve him or her with followers by giving encouragement and soliciting follower input. However, it still requires that the leader make the final decision on the what and how of goal accomplishment”(Northouse, 2016). Transferring ownership into the hands of your followers is the best way to inspire leadership. Leadership does not evolve from a forced hand. The freedom to learn in an open and inviting arena is the catalyst in which inspires true leadership.
As a leader I understand the importance of trusting your people. If you trust in them and provide an environment in which they can brain storm and be creative without criticism, great ideas are bound to come to light. This trust empowers them to live up to their highest potential. It also builds camaraderie and trust in you as their leader. Now it goes without saying that we must provide clear expectations and a platform for this “free thinking” to really work. Setting clear goals and expectations for your team helps keep the focus on working together toward mutually beneficial goals. This of course is also based on the situation which I will disuses further.
Currently I am fortunate to manage people that I know very well and have helped train and develop for years. However if I did not have strong relationships with my people then I would need to try a different approach in leading them. With each situation we can call upon a different approach. “Situational Leadership® is a prescriptive approach to leadership that suggests how leaders can become effective in many different types of organizational settings involving a wide variety of organizational goals. This approach provides a model that suggests to leaders how they should behave based on the demands of a particular situation”(Northouse, 2016). For example, if I took over a new team and did not know any of the people I was leading I may switch to a high directive-low supportive style. This is also known as a directing style. “In this approach, the leader focuses communication on goal achievement, and spends a smaller amount of time using supportive behaviors. Using this style, a leader gives instructions about what and how goals are to be achieved by the followers and then supervises them carefully”(Northouse, 2016). Once the job expectations are clear and have been executed properly then the ability to connect with your followers on an individual level can be cultivated.
It is extremely important to note that the best leaders can adapt to change. The demands of business are constantly evolving and with that, flexibility is vital. “Leaders cannot use the same style in all contexts; rather, they need to adapt their style to followers and their unique situations. Unlike the trait and contingency approaches, which advocate a fixed style for leaders, the situational approach demands that leaders demonstrate a high degree of flexibility”(Northouse, 2016). There is never a “one-size fits” all approach in guiding people. I know this from personal experience. The leaders I lead are all very different and have strengths that swings on opposite sides of the pendulum. Understanding the opportunities and strengths amongst these leaders is what dictates my approach in working with them. For someone who works well with autonomy I try to provide a more independent environment. I do not want them to feel hampered or micro-managed. The opposite is true when leading someone who requires more social contact. I will do more to engage in social activity with this person and try a more hands on approach to leading them. Understanding the environments that each of my leaders thrive in allow me to change my approach to bet suit that individual. The situation approach this “ sets forth a clear set of prescriptions for how leaders should act if they want to enhance their leadership effectiveness”(Northouse, 2016) and drive their business.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Chapter 5: Situational Approach: Theory and Practice (7 ed. (Ch. 5). Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781483317540/cfi/6/26!/4/2/4/2@0:0