To lead people, walk beside them … As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate … When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!
– Lao-Tsu

How effective is your current leaderships style?

Is it getting the results you want?
Even if your style is working, it is not uncommon that a different organisational context and culture will challenge and test you.

Some years ago, research by consulting firm Hay/McBer and  Daniel Goleman in his article, “Leadership that gets results” found six distinct leadership styles, each arising from different components of emotional intelligence.

The six styles along with the common phrase are:

Coercive leaders – demand immediate compliance
“Do what I tell you.”

Authoritative leaders   – mobilize towards a vision
“Come with me.”

Affiliative leaders – create emotional bonds and harmony
“People come first.”

Democratic leaders – build consensus through participation
‘What do you think?”

Pacesetting leaders – expect excellence and self-direction
“Do as I do now.”

Coaching leaders – develop people for the future
“Try this.”

The research indicated that leaders with the best results do not rely on only one leadership style.

The effective leaders who are able to foster a positive climate and culture are able to draw on several different style depending on the situation.

Become more conscious of your own leadership style.   

How would you describe your style? Is this the same as how others might describe? Now that might an interesting exploration!

We are encouraged to develop and have more than one club in your tool-kit which you are constantly teeing off.

So, for example, if you are someone who is known as being challenging, rather than do this automatically in every interaction, you could become more conscious of when, who, where this style works best.

In other words, in becoming a leader as coach, you could become more conscious of who you are talking to ( the receiver), the context of the conversation and in turn, your ability to vary your style for maximum impact.

This requires awareness, intent hand in hand with deliberate practice.

And the result will be a bigger tool-kit of ‘EQ smarts’ and growth in your self and your leadership.

Coaching Questions:

What is your current default leadership style?

Which two clubs do you tend to use more than others?

What is a style you may need to develop and how might you do this?

As a leadership coach, team facilitator and speaker, I love working with savvy managers and leaders who are technically competent but need to enhance their self awareness to build teams which hum and have greater leadership and entrepreneurial impact.

Image courtesy of free digitalphotos