“Leadership Style’ is the most written about topic in the Leadership Industry, also the most complex, so we at Balancedkaizen have taken some time to try to simplify our approach to this important topic.
In our next series of posts we seek to examine some common “style” attributes, in the context of how they help and hinder driving performance. We would really enjoy getting feedback and having some conversations on the topic.
We will start the discussion by setting out 4 Rules which we believe are helpful when thinking about about leadership style:
Rule 1 – It’s not about You…
The least reliable judge of your own leadership style is…you.
Your Leadership style is not what you think it is. It’s what your team “feels” when you’re around. We use the term “Felt Leadership” as it emphasizes the experience of the team not the intention or perception of the leader.
If there’s one thing we’re all good at it’s self delusion.
Equally our reaction to other’s styles (especially our bosses) will be based on how they make us feel in our interactions and this can be a 2 edged sword.
On the one hand a strongly negative relationship can drive a negative reaction and disengagement – perhaps out of proportion to the issue being dealt with or the intention of the leader. A wrong word or approach can leave scars..
On the other hand an engaging and charming personality can over-ride otherwise negative attributes simply because they make their people feel good. This is also how con-artists work…
Rule 2 – Your style isn’t the best…
Like sport or politics, there is usually little interest by fans of one code to watch or admire another, other than to enjoy pointing out its weaknesses.
That’s a pity because there’s much to be learnt from how other leaders work, especially those with different styles.
Good leaders find ways to take off their own blinkers, and step outside their comfort zone to see what they can learn from others.
Rule 3 – There’s no Single answer
A common myth perpetuated by some in the leadership industry, is that there are “good” and “bad” styles.
This leads to a lot of focus on changing basic leadership style. This is usually expensive and rarely effective.
Having the “right” answer may help sell books or conference seats but it doesn’t help real leaders in real organizations very much.
At BalancedKaizen we take a specific view on Leadership Style. We don’t ignore it, but we recognize that style is a function of personality, which is why it is so complex!
We therefore don’t focus on changing style, but rather on being aware of your own style and others around you, and adapting to be as productive as you can be within the Organizational culture that you are in. Of course as a leader you help shape that culture…
This approach includes discovering the strengths and weaknesses of your own preferred style. As a leader, you are an element in the total organizational machine – the question is how can you best help the output of that machine.
We seek to balance your style and behaviors to achieve the best outcomes. “Changing” is a different issue.
“Good leaders find ways… to see what they can learn from others…”
Rule 4 – Invisible is dangerous.
Felt Leadership is how an organization actually interacts internally. It’s often not consciously understood by insiders, which makes it an invisible force that influences success.
This is why it can also be a source or great frustration.
When a leader’s style doesn’t match the prevailing culture it causes stress as people “feel” that things aren’t as they “should be”.
Leaders can shift or disrupt culture when they bring a different style to play, but risk failure if they’re not doing so with a conscious plan.
Remember Rules 1 & 2, a good leader is self aware and aware of their surroundings. Blindly heading into a new assignment without considering both is high risk.
Have you thought about the leadership style you feel in your organization?
How do you think others feel about your style?
More to come…
Image credit: iedunote.com