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leadership
Leadership styles are not something to be tried on to see which fits. Rather, they should be modified to the specific demands of the circumstances.
Personal and Organizational Leadership:
What is Your Style? By Kelly Jones, Director of Franchisee Development at Leisure Systems, Inc.
the encarta dictionary defines leadership as the ability to lead, guide, direct or influence people. I like to add that even if given a choice not to, people will still choose to follow you. If you lost your title today, would people still follow you? Have you defined your leadership style? Why is it important to do so? I recently read a book, Helping People Win at Work by Ken Blanchard and Garry Ridge, and it challenged me to define my leadership style. I have to say, easier said than done. Research completed by Noel Tichy, a management consultant and author, shows that, “Effective leaders have a clear, teachable leadership point of view and are willing to share it with others and teach it to others.” There are many other types of leadership styles that can be defined, and we’ve probably encountered times in our careers or lives where we assumed all of the styles. Have you ever thought you didn’t have enough time to focus on how your leadership style is affecting your colleagues’ experience (positively or negatively)? We all know how that goes — running a campground is hard! There are so many things to do and so little time to do them. When I googled “leadership styles” to do some additional research for this article, I found a perfect summary of what leadership means. In the article, “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management,” Journalist and President of Pew Research Alan Murray explains, “However, leadership is less about your needs, and more about the needs of the people and the
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| SPRING 2013 |
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organization you are leading. Leadership styles are not something to be tried on to see which fits. Rather, they should be modified to the specific demands of the circumstances, the particular requirements of the people involved and the specific challenges facing the organization.”
The Six Styles of Leadership In the book “Primal Leadership” by Daniel Goleman, who popularized the notion of “Emotional Intelligence,” describes six different styles of leadership. The most effective leaders can move among these styles — taking on the style that meets the moment’s needs. These can all become part of your leadership repertoire. Visionary. This style is most appropriate when an organization needs a new direction. Its goal is to move people toward a new set of shared dreams. “Visionary leaders articulate where a group is going, but not how it will get there — setting people free to innovate, experiment, take calculated risks,” writes Mr. Goleman and his coauthors. Coaching. This one-on-one style focuses on developing individuals, showing them how to improve their performance, and helping to connect their own goals with the goals of the organization. Coaching works best, Mr. Goleman writes, “with employees who show initiative and want more professional development.” However, it can backfire if it’s perceived as “micromanaging” an employee, and undermines his or her self-confidence.