|
Ten
Styles of Leadership
Leadership
is often assumed to be a single skill, something you have either
got or you haven't got. In truth it's very different. Think about
great leaders from history, sport and your own life, some will be
strategists, others visionaries or great motivators. Think about
the parent as a leader with roles such as nursing, peace making,
managing 101 things at once and we can start to appreciate that
leadership has several facets, each suited to different situations.
In the beginning
Three styles of leadership are required at the outset of a project.
The visionary must cast the vision and enthuse his followers
to stop what they are doing and refocus onto the new task. The entrepreneur
will have the determination to give the project momentum and turn
the idea into reality, ideally with the help of the strategist
who will have already broken the big picture down into manageable
chunks.
On the journey
Along the way as critical decisions need to be made, it will be
the directional leader who decides with certainty whether
to grow or consolidate. This skill is not to be confused with those
leaders who change for the sake of change, in the vague hope that
it will work and that they will come out looking good.
The team
maker will instinctively gather together an army of implementers
with the necessary skills to move the project forward. This leader
could simply be described as a good judge of character, but he or
she will also have an intuitive understanding of the strengths that
already exist within the team, ensuring that imbalances are compensated
by new additions. Keeping the programme on track will be the monitor,
all too often this skill is overlooked because those that possess
it don't have the charismatic approach associated with leadership.
However monitors play an essential role in setting milestones and
ensuring that everyone is moving in the same direction at the same
pace.
Keeping the
troops energised is the role of the motivator and the shepherd.
The motivator sets goals, gives incentives and celebrates achievement
while the shepherd focuses on the individual's welfare. In a results
based world the shepherd is often seen as a hindrance to getting
the job done but ask those who work for these pastoral leaders and
very often you will see their motivation to achieve the task on
time and to standard is way above average.
When it
goes wrong
We all know of stories where a leader has taken on a failing organisation
and turned it around. These re-engineering leaders thrive
on taking teams apart and putting them back together again. With
the benefit of experience elsewhere they can see where an organisation
is going wrong and know exactly how to put it right. Once this is
achieved though they may not have the skills to maintain the momentum
and cast a vision for the future, like the entrepreneur they will
be hungry to start a new challenge.
When it
goes right
The vision has become reality and brought with it several new visions,
the danger is that each will follow it's own course rather than
supporting the others. The bridge-builder will have spotted
this and will know how to listen, arbitrate, negotiate, compromise
and relate to a large cross section of people. To steer each towards
a common goal without detracting from their individual missions.
Now think back
to past leaders you have served and identify which of the ten styles
they demonstrated and in what environment. Compare them to your
own situation and consider which aspect of your leadership style
you need to develop.
Author: Dan
Collins
Dan Collins can be contacted c/o of Fresh
Tracks on (tel) +44 (0) 01920 822 220, (fax) +44 (0) 1920 822
884 or at mail@freshtracks.co.uk
return
to top
|
