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Are You A Leader? That Depends On The Way You Manage Power
Clearly, leadership styles are somewhat influences by the individual’s personality, but most leadership styles can be easily divided into various categories, each with its own components, and learned. For instance, someone with a more team oriented leadership style (category) will focus more on ‘delegating’ then someone with a more dictatorial leadership style (category). The person focused on ‘delegating’ will want to excel in things such as (components): - Workload The amount of work being delegated to someone - Capability The individual’s capability vs. the complexity of the delegated task - Stretch Delegating common to-does vs. exciting new learning challenges Since delegating is a way to share your power, we also know that power is a component of leadership styles. So, we know that leadership styles can be learned and that leadership styles are directly related to the way you manage your power (delegate). Next, we’ll look at different degrees of power delegation or sharing. This is important information to know well. Pick the wrong level at the wrong time or with the wrong group and your ‘leadership’ status might get a demotion. During my Executive Coaching sessions with clients I have noticed that there essentially six levels of power sharing that can be distinguished: 0% Sharing = The Dictatorial Order– Ahhhh, the ‘80s! This autocratic style of leadership, where only the leader decides and ‘tells’ his/her decision to the group, does not allow for any debate among the team members to assess whether the decision taken is fair, correct, important or even relevant. Questions are not allowed. Input is not wanted. Just do as you are told. This style, if used ones in a while is just fine (especially when the building is on fire!), but if used consistently over time, it creates tensions in the team. Over the last decades many CEOs and other Executives have been fired due to their inability to notice that …this ‘80s style of leading others is over. 0% Sharing = The Announcement – This style can be seen everywhere. People who use this style make a decision, announce it, provide a detailed explanation of why the decision has been taken and if you have a purely clarifying question you can feel free to ask. The company’s cultural environment might not allow a Dictatorial Order or the superior might feel uncomfortable giving orders. But, although gentler in style then the Directorial Order, the message is the same: the decision has been taken. 10% Sharing = The Pitch – This style of power sharing is similar to the second one with the exception that the amount of input, insights, comments, concerns or opinions being voiced by the team is much larger. It can take weeks to gather all the input! Although this 10% style provides a certain feeling of empowerment among the team, it is not likely to work in the long run. After a few times, the team will realize that irrespective of the questions and comments they make, the initial decision was made and is not going to change. Another couple of such instances and the number of comments and suggestions coming in are likely to reduce significantly since people start perceiving it as a waste of time. It was just an elaborate pitch! 50% Sharing = The Open Discussion Here, in the end, the boss still decides, but at least the decision wasn’t made before asking the team for input. The team gets to discuss! The boss is hungry to get their insights, opinions, priorities and agendas! An initial discussion takes place during which the boss seeks the opinion of the team. This is the forum where the manager obtains and accumulates a consolidated perspective of all the team members. It also allows him/her to get various options, ideas and solutions on the table. But in the end, everyone knows that only one person will decide. 75% Sharing = The Open Discussion With Veto Power – In this, even more collaborative style, the team members define the problem, set the agenda, put down the time frames, declare the limitations, constraints and deliverables and make the decisions. The team delivers the problem and the solutions: Strategy and tactical execution. One detail: at the very end, the manager has the veto right. 100% Sharing = The Completely Collaborative – This style of power sharing is one in which the manager does not set any limits and surrenders the veto right. The team makes all the calls. The manager is just one of the team members, one voice among many, without veto right. Though it is important to identify what level of power sharing is acceptable to the organization, your team and the situation, it is essential that you have a good sense of how you are perceived as a leader each time you use one of these leadership components. ----------------- by Marjan Bolmeijer CEO, Change Leaders, Inc. Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with resource box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication or the url where the article is placed. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Marjan is a CEO Coach for Fortune 1000-size companies in Europe and the US.
She can be reached at Marjan@Change-Leaders.com |
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