Beyond The Vision

Successful leadership is not just about having objectives, devising plans, enforcing rules, developing relationships and executing ideas; it’s also about knowing who you really are, how you’re wired, why subordinates respond to you the way they do, and what it takes to obtain the respect and backing you expect. This is the first in a series of articles that will examine three common managerial personalities -- and tell you how to maximize the benefits of each. The Entreprenerial Personality If you’re a person who’s not hesitant to give orders and push people to their limits, you probably assume you have a natural ability to take on leadership positions…and you may be right! You assert yourself in situations, have no fear of confrontations, make steadfast decisions, and maneuver your way through crises. Meeting goals and getting ahead are two of your most valued objectives. You like people, but business relationships are important to you mainly if they open the door to lucrative opportunities. You’re aggressive, personable, zealous, hurried and ambitious – the quintessential go-getter! Be careful, though, as it’s all too easy to cross lines and transform from one who is authoritative to one who is authoritarian. And there is a major difference. If you start to consistently bark orders, make bold demands, you’ll sound more like a dictator than a motivator and you’ll risk losing the support of your team, lowering morale and raising everyone’s (including your own) stress level. Remember, your job as a leader is to make people want to reach your objectives…not bully them into doing it! Because you likely find it easy to communicate with others, you probably have no qualms about speaking before a group, sharing your ideas, expressing yourself. You may notice you “click” more with outgoing individuals than introverts, though. When giving directives to those who are clearly sedate and conservative, eliminate the small talk and get right to the point. Lower your voice, and try to repress some of your natural enthusiasm – save it for when you’re with gregarious people who are more like you! Reserved types typically find emotionally based behavior and loud, booming voices unnerving. You may also be known for your feverish pace, ability to juggle several pressing commitments at once and desire for fast results. Use that strong sense of urgency to keep subordinates moving at a brisk pace! You’ll be driven to build a team that’s not only adaptable but also ready to provide quick resolutions to problems requiring immediate attention. Remember, though, that not everyone on your team is going to share your ambitious timetables; discuss your time expectations up front so your objectives and expectations are clear. Make sure your deadlines are reasonable; setting the bar so high that no one can reach it will breed resentment. People less hurried than you can still maintain efficiency, but they need a sense of predictability in their day. Respect that and allow them to stick to a routine as much as possible. Avoid springing last minute surprises on them! Be sure your hurried work approach does not make you overly impatient. A person who makes excessive demands and also lacks patience is highly suspect as a good leader. The intention may be to stretch employees to their limits and maximize their potential, but the end results might be far more negative than positive. The last thing you need is to intimidate your staff, turn them off, or unwittingly push them out of your company! Learn the Expectations and Needs of Your Staff If you manage informally and expect others to fill in their own blanks, you’ll be praised by your independently minded workers. These are staff members who prefer to function on their own and don’t want any hand-holding from management. However, there are other workers -- potential superstars -- who are loyal, dedicated and meticulous; these people may seem overly cautious to you, incapable of making a big decision on their own. They hold back when you want them to push forward and probably leave you scratching your head, unable to relate to them most of the time. The key to increasing their level of independence and self-sufficiency lies in providing detailed information, specifics and guidelines before assigning new tasks. Cautious, conscientious workers don’t like taking chances; they want to be sure they’re doing things correctly and will expect you to point them in the right direction any time unusual circumstances develop. If you have neither the time nor the inclination to guide these workers, assign them a mentor, a rule-abiding but self-directing employee who might be more readily available than you to answer questions. One of the most important lessons any leader can learn is that the secret to establishing and maintaining a cohesive, productive, loyal and efficient team IS NO SECRET! All you really need to do is gain some honest insight into your own strengths and weaknesses then use that knowledge to your advantage. You’ll find that this is the only way to quickly and effectively accomplish goals and meet objectives. Once you learn how to identify your own natural tendencies and make the most of your assets, your power as a leader becomes almost unlimited! About the author: Carletta Pennington is a Senior Consultant for The Omnia Group. She helps clients assess their business strengths/weaknesses and maximize the productivity of their staff. She can be reached at 800-525-7117 x. 1226 or via email at cpennington@omniagroup.com