Leaders: What You Should Know About Your Followers

The one reason why successful leaders need to have a full range of leadership styles is to be able to properly lead the people who are their followers.

Followers do not all have the same needs from their leaders. Depending on a variety of factors, such as age, skills, experience, confidence, and, above all, personality, followers will look to their leaders to relate to them in ways that are quite different from others in the team.

Generally-speaking, followers fall into 3 categories:

1. Individualists. Individualists are those who don't want their leader to be breathing down their necks all the time. They like to do their own thing.

They may be people who by nature like to dominate those around them, or who are conscientious and intelligent enough to motivate themselves, or people who go at their own pace and get work done in their own time and in their own way.

Individualists need various degrees of laissez-faire management. At one end of the spectrum, you may need to agree with them just how much freedom they're allowed. At the other end, you may tell them that you trust them entirely.

Laissez-faire styles of leadership do not, of course, mean that you should leave this type of follower alone. Individualists still want to know that what they are doing is OK and still need the same sorts of recognition from you that you would give to anyone else. It's just that they want you to treat them like grown-ups.

2. Dependents. Dependent followers are quite different from individualists.

By nature, they have no desire to work on their own. For them, the leader is the focal point of all they do, if you like, the touchstone against which they judge how they are doing.

Dependents may be people who need a high level of security and authority in their work, the reassurance that, as long as the boss OK's it, then it's OK. They may also be people who like to keep busy all the time and are happiest when they have a steady stream of tasks coming from the boss. They may also be people who like a lot of clarity in their work, who need to know what's going on at all times, and who can only get this information from a knowledgeable boss.

Leaders will find they need to build one-to-one relationships with the dependents in their team. At all times, they will use different levels of directive styles of management, in contrast to the hands-off style they use with individualists. This can range from spelling out clearly what they have to do at one extreme to having regular get-togethers to check on progress at the other. Dependents have a child-like relationship with their leaders in which they expect to be looked after.

3. Co-operatives. The third group of followers are co-operatives.

Co-operatives are people who need to be in relationships with others, particularly their team leaders. They may be people who like to be needed, like to be admired, or who like to feel special.

Those who like to be needed will rely on the boss emotionally to feel they are valuable members of the team. They love nothing more than being called on to help out in an emergency. People who want to be admired crave recognition. Much of their work is designed to impress others, especially the boss. Those who like to feel special want to be recognized for their special gifts and special contribution. This recognition is especially valued when it comes from the leader, even if they don't go looking for it.

Leaders need to be aware that co-operatives relate to their leaders in emotional ways. They need regular strokes of recognition, feedback, and approval. But in all other respects they want to be treated as adults. As such, the relationship between leaders and co-operatives is similar to the relationship between adults and teenagers.

We are all different and have different needs. The key to successful team leadership is not just having a variety of styles of leading that we can apply when we want to, but in applying them successfully to meet the individual needs of our team members.

© 2005, Eric Garner, ManageTrainLearn.com

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Business Tips Alexander Pepper says that leaders can be made

In this business tv show, Alexander Pepper, Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers tells us that leadership can be taught, and in doing so, many leaders are made: "I'm sure that honing you leadership skills can have an impact on your business. I also believe very passionately that there's a lot of leadership skills can be taught so some leaders are born but an awful lot of leaders are made and have helped to make themselves by learning the tools of leadership. I think that's very clear, that's common ground. I think what's much more difficult is to decide what good leadership is and there are as many opinions about that as there are people available to offer opinions. There's this concept a situation or leadership which is that what good leadership in one context is is bad leadership in another context and that's probably right. I mean I can think of a story about a guy who leads a professional services firm, a successful organisation that was taken into a merger. The merger was difficult as mergers often are; he would be adjudged to have made a number of mistakes along the way and was eventually, you know he was kind of forced to leave. Went on to a different organisation, a company that had done a lot of acquisitions but hadn't really assimilated the stuff that had been done, needed to get back to its core business, needed a tough leader who was prepared to make some difficult decisions and do a lot of cost cutting. Same man did a fantastic job and is now hero in that ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjMwtWrsmK4&hl=en

How Do You Know if a Leadership Style is Effective?

Simply stated, a leadership style is effective when it fits most of the requirements of the situation. For example if the business circumstance is a desperate turn-around situation, the leader's style has to be decisive, single minded, tough, confident, fair, bold, motivating, inspiring, and patient. To remain successful, this style would eventually have to change as the improved desired state is reached. Why? Because the situation is changing and so to must the leadership style move from a command-and-control/crisis approach to a more cooperative, team building approach characterized by longer range vision and competitive strategies.

I was given three opportunities at turn-around leadership roles in my career and found that the effective style that helped me successfully turn-around a poor performing operation was not the style that would nurture the level performing operation after the turnaround. Once the excitement and pace of the turnaround was over, I had to re-energize myself, my staff, and employees. I had to create a long-range vision, mission, set of strategic initiatives, and enthusiastically communicate that vision to give my employees another reason for coming to work besides saving our own jobs.

In his research on business situations and leadership, Victor Vroom created a working definition for leadership based upon a process orientation versus a set of properties belonging to the leader. Vroom indicates that a more process-oriented definition of leadership involves the following:

1. The process involves a particular form of influence called motivating.

2. The nature of the incentives, extrinsic or intrinsic, is not part of the definition.

3. The consequence of the influence is collaboration in pursuit of a common goal.

4. The "great things" are in the minds of both leader and followers and are not necessarily viewed as desirable by all other parties.

Vroom also sites the Leadership Contingency Model by Fred Fiedler as representative of a shift in thinking about leadership as a function influenced by the leader, the followers, and the situation. Fiedler suggests the most successful leadership outcome is a result of matching the leader to the situation. As an executive, the concept may be as intuitive to your way of thinking as it is to mine. However, I would take the concept a step further to propose that the most valuable leadership stock in your organization is those leaders who have proven they are able to adapt and lead successfully in a variety of situations.

If as a leader, you have the capacity to size up a leadership situation quickly, and the versatility to modify your leadership style, you can handle a variety of assignments and be effective. This is so very important for business leaders to understand and master since over the course of an entire career, you will be faced with a variety of complex leadership situations. The approaches and style you successfully used before may lead to only marginal results or worse.

Hoppe, M. W., (September 1970), Leadership Style and Effectiveness Of department Chairmen In Business Administration, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 13, Issue 3

Fiedler, F. E., (September 1977), Job engineering for effective leadership: A new approach, Management Review, Vol. 66 Issue 9

Khan, O., (Fall 2005), The challenge of adaptive leadership, Leader to Leader, Vol. 2005 Issue 38

Vroom, V. H.; Jago, A. G., (January 2007), The Role of the Situation in Leadership, American Psychologist,Vol. 62, Issue 1

Mr. McCarty has a proven record of accomplishment in strategic leadership roles for fortune 500 companies. He is an award winning performer in the areas of large-scale operations leadership, strategic planning, senior project management, and significant contributions to the bottom line. Michael has successfully leveraged his leadership skills to provide keen insight, vision, direction, and executive support to financial services firms, information technology firms, and the automotive, credit, and insurance industries. He has been particularly effective in start-up and turnaround situations.

Insisting on integrity, self-reliance, resourcefulness, and ingenuity, Mr. McCarty is an action and solution oriented leader capable of making strong financial contributions to the bottom line. Operational leadership in the areas of process improvements, cost analysis, and innovative revenue generation characterize soundly this veteran executive's distinguished career. For more on Mr. McCarty, please refer to http://www.leadershippinnacle.com

Effective And Adaptive Leadership

ProjectShrink.com The topic of this episode of The Project Shrink Podcast is "Adaptive Leadership". I am talking with Milton Friesen, author of Ingenuity Arts. Effective leadership is critical for the success of today's organizations. His book aims to help you learn how adaptive leaders think. Ingenuity Arts argues that current research into complex adaptive systems can be a significant asset in designing and leading adaptive organizations that will thrive amid a pace of change that continues to increase.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bOXDCpq3mM&hl=en

Apostle Matthew Stevenson (Part 8) Cultivating World Changers

Apostle Matthew Stevenson concludes his message to cultivate World Changers. In the conclusion, He talks about different leadership styles that bring the most results in the Body of Christ. All ministry leadership will benefit to this teaching. We can impact the earth more effectively if we have integrity in leadership.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaqIbjJHb68&hl=en

The Paschall Brothers perform "God Said He Would Move/On the Right Road Now"

The Tidewater style of a cappella gospel is one of several regional styles that took root in the American South and eastern states after the Civil War. These groups have always been called quartets even though they could have six or more members: The word quartet refers to the fact that the groups sing in four-part harmony. Formed in 1981 under the leadership of Frank Paschall Sr., the Paschall Brothers perform classic Tidewater repertoire along with original compositions. The Paschalls add their own flair to these pieces, expanding harmonic structure and creating distinct arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original while creating a passionate sound that is uniquely theirs. Thecontent and comments posted here are subject to the Smithsonian Institution copyright and privacy policy (www.si.edu/copyright/). Smithsonian reserves the right in its sole discretion to remove any content at any time.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_NrcUu8Fns&hl=en

Hanuman - The Apostle of Servant Leadership

We know many styles of leadership like autocratic, situational, participative and many more. Among these, a new leadership style is emerging in the corporate world, which is inevitable in the business scenario of post globalization, and highly competitive with increasing expectations. The life and living style of Hanuman, most prominent character in the epic Ramayana, who is selfless, symbol of sacrifice and zero arrogance.

Hanuman, who has surrendered himself to his 'Boss' Lord Rama is always at the reach of His Master to obey his orders with all humility and commitment, from the moment he was introduced to Him. Hanuman was never competitive and always maintained low profile. But, when time comes, He was the first to jump into action, which is the quality of a result oriented action leadership. He helped his 'Boss' to find out his wife Sita, who was abducted by Ravan, the demon king. He was one of the most 'courageous followers' whose qualities were mentioned by Ira Chaleff in his award winning book 'The Courageous Follower: Standing Up To and For Our Leaders'. Hanuman is an ideal and courageous subordinate, who always ready to guide even his Boss when in need.

Corporate leaders are trying to emulate the qualities of servant leadership which are most prominently seen in successful Indian corporate leaders of post globalization such as Ratan Tata, N.R.Narayan Murthy, Azim Premji, Nandan Nilekani, whose expertise in running giant business houses compelled the government to use their services on different occasions, whenever there is a need of their services to serve the general public.

The eight habits of Servant Leaders
1. Patience - show self-control
2. Kindness - is an act of love
3. Humility - displaying an absence of pride
4. Respect - treating people like they are important
5. Selflessness - meeting the needs of others
6. Forgiveness - letting go
7. Honesty - being free from deception
8. Commitment - sticking to your choice

Legitimate leadership, influence, is built upon serving, sacrificing, and seeking the greatest good of those being led. Influence does not come because of a title or an army. Influence must be earned. There are no shortcuts.

Anytime we extend our-selves, sacrifice, and serve others, we build authority and thereby influence. If you get your people what they need, they will get you everything you need. Then leadership will be defined not by what we accomplish but by what we get accomplished through others. The servant-leader must constantly ask: How can I use myself to serve best?

Leadership requires selflessness. The will to serve and sacrifice for others, the willingness to set aside our wants and needs in seeking the greatest good for others - this is what it means to be selfless. This is what it means to be a leader. The road to servant leadership lies not in trying to fix or change others but in working on changing and improving ourselves. 'Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change himself.'

Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them. Servant leaders ask, 'how can I help you to do your job better.'

To conclude, if you wish to become a successful as a corporate leader, emulate the qualities of Hanuman with a perspective of global Indian corporate leaders.

The author is a Senior HR Professional, HR Consultant, Career Management Consultant, Soft Skills Trainer and Founder CEO of aimkaam consultrainers, Hyderabad. You may reach him at cramaphani@yahoo.com.