Dark-side personality traits are viewed as being counterproductive and an overall hindrance in a leader’s effectiveness in forming bonds with followers (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  Interpersonal insensitivity is a trait in which a leader does not see how they come across to others and are oblivious to the situation of each follower (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  Leaders who show some of the dark-side personality traits often have followers who do not really respect them and do not put forth as much effort.

At my job we have a new manager.  She has been an employee here for quite some time and received a promotion.  While she has many positive traits one would want in a leader a less attractive trait came to light this past week.  Last week was pay week and the paycheck of a coworker was missing 24 hours out of a possible 80 hours.  We were able to figure out where the error occurred and brought it to the attention of our new manager.  She clearly showed the dark-side personality trait of interpersonal insensitivity.  Instead of being concerned for her follower and trying to troubleshoot the issue to see if there was a way another check could get cut she came off as care free.  She said, “Well it is not like you are going to starve”.  This shows difficulty in being able to understand someone else’s situation.  This follower has bills to pay for, food to buy, rent to pay, etc.  The leader showed a complete disregard for the situation this follower was in.   

Perhaps this newly hired manager would have benefited from training on how to be a leader.  Being trained in the situational approach would have been helpful.  The situational approach points out those different situations require different types of leadership (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  In order for my manager to have been a successful leader in the above mentioned situation she needed to change her style of leadership; this was not done.  The situational approach is comprised of two dimensions, directive and supportive (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  “Supportive behaviors include the following: listening, encouraging, facilitating, clarifying, and giving emotional support” (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  It is quite evident that the use of some of the supportive behaviors should have been used in this instance.

References

Pennsylvania State University. (2013). Style and Situational Approaches. [Online lecture]. Retrieved from http://cms.psu.edu

Pennsylvania State University. (2013). Trait Approach. [Online lecture]. Retrieved from http://cms.psu.edu

The skills approach is the idea that a leader possesses certain abilities that enables he or she to serve as a leader (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  Robert Katz contributed the Three Skills Model: Technical, Human, and Conceptual (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  Technical skills are the knowledge and proficiency one has in a certain area (Northouse, 2012).  Human skill is the ability to work with and relate to people (Northouse, 2012).  “Conceptual skills are the ability to work with ideas and concepts” (Northouse, 2012).

Depending on what level of management one is in, different skills are needed more than others.  A supervisor will need Human and Technical skills (Northouse, 2012).  Middle manangement requires all of the skills, Human, Technical, and Conceptual (Northouse, 2012).  Top level management needs Human and Conceptual skills (Northouse, 2012).  “It is important for leaders to have all three skills; depending on where they are in the management structure, however, some skills are more important than others” (Northouse, 2012).

The above paragraph rings true for where I work.  There is a Supervisor, Director, and CEO.  My supervisor interacts with employees daily making sure our system is running smoothly and fixing any problems that may occur (technical skill).  She also will talk to patients directly especially if a problem comes about and will do her best to resolve it (human skill).  She is not asked to do much beyond that.  Our director oversees the operations of the entire department.  She will make sure that the systems are up to date and working properly (technical skill).  She will also speak with patients if a problem is escalated to her level as well as manage employees from 10 locations (human skill).  Our CEO is required to go out and meet people to raise money for the hospital (human skill).  He must also interact with the member of the board to make sure they are pleased with how things are going (human skill).  He also needs to make sure that the hospital has obtainable goals and a strategy in place to reach those goals.  This requires a great deal of conceptual skill.

References

Pennsylvania State University. (2013). Skills Approach. [Online lecture]. Retrieved from http://cms.psu.edu

Northouse, P. (2012). Leadership: Theory and practice. (6 ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishing.

The psychodynamic approach can be useful in helping leaders identify certain problems they may not be aware of.  Let’s look at the shadow self perspective.  “The shadow self is the negative aspects about oneself and is often hidden to the person upon self-examination according to the psychodynamic approach” (Feist and Feist, 2009).  This perspective reflected an issue that employees often shared with each other about a former boss of mine. 

He would often wonder why other employees would opt to send him e-mails instead of going to his office and talking face to face.  He thought of himself as being an approachable talkative person.  This is true; he could talk someone’s ear off.  However, if you would go to his office to ask a question he would give off the impression that he was annoyed.  This made people want to avoid face to face contact as much as possible when they needed something from him.  This would be his individual shadow.  “The individual shadow is the part of the personality that is unacceptable, so the person denies its existence” (Pennsylvania State University, 2013). 

It would have been helpful for him to notice his individual shadow.  “If a leader can see the shadow, he or she will be able to better understand how people react to him or her” (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  If he were able to see how his gestures) eye-rolling, huffing/puffing, etc) were interpreted by employees than he would have understood why people e-mailed him more.

The psychodynamic approach would have been a useful tool for my former boss as well as his employees.  “The greatest strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it results in an analysis of the relationship between the leader and the follower” (Northouse, 2012).  He and an employee would have been able to discuss why more e-mails were being sent.  It would also help his employees to understand that this is just how he is and how to approach him.  “The primary aim of the psychodynamic approach is to raise awareness of leaders and followers to their own personality types and the implications of those types on work relationships” (Northouse, 2012).

Pennsylvania State University. (2013).Psychodynamic Approach. [Online lecture]. Retrieved from http://cms.psu.edu

Northouse, P. (2012). Leadership: Theory and practice. (6 ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishing

Leadership can be a very tricky obstacle for some people.  To be a leader you must be able to relate to those who work for you.  One way of doing this is through emotional and social intelligence.  Emotional intelligence is a group of mental abilities that help people recognize their own feelings and those of others (Salovey and Mayer, 1990).  Social intelligence allows us to interpret the situation surrounding those emotions and to react appropriately, which may be different than if we focused on the individual and their emotions (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).

            My current supervisor possesses emotional intelligence.  Emotional intelligence is concerned with our ability to understand emotions and apply this understanding to life’s tasks (Northouse, 2012).  My supervisor has always done a good job of respecting each employee’s emotions.  She has always shown empathy to others when certain personal situations arise.  This then enables the leader to establish a relationship in which the employee feels their boss understands what is going on as well as the leader gaining the respect of the employee.

            Social intelligence is also a trait my supervisor possesses.  There are two factors that make up social intelligence: social awareness, which is basically being able to be empathetic to other’s situations and social facility, which is the ability to act on empathy in ways that change the situation for the better (Pennsylvania State University, 2013).  Reading this week’s lessons commentary brought something to my attention.  When my supervisor asks if it would be possible for me to a work a full day on a Friday (I usually get out at 11am) she will smile, act up beat, and ask how things have been with me before asking.  I generally say yes (overtime=$$$) not just because of the money but because of how she approaches me.  She also never tells me I have to work; she asks if I am able to.  That shows respect of my personal life because she knows I may have things planned for when I get done at 11am.

            Emotional and social intelligence can be predictors of a good leader.  I believe it is these two forms of intelligence that enables my supervisor to be a good leader.

References

Pennsylvania State University. (2013). Introduction to Leadership. [Online lecture]. Retrieved from http://cms.psu.edu

Northouse, P. (2012). Leadership: Theory and practice. (6 ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishing.