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We all know you. Our hearts beat fast and our palms get sweaty when we hear your chair squeak and your door creak open. Because we know the next thing we'll hear is footsteps. What we don't know is where they'll stop-we just hope it's not at our desk.

Who are you? A horrible boss. But you don't want to be someone everyone fears, disrespects or distrusts. So how do you change it? Step one is to be aware of the things pegging you as not-so-awesome.

We asked the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to tell us their thoughts on what makes for a terrible leader:

1. Lack of Transparency

Staff can tell when you're not being completely honest with them. There's rarely a reason not to be entirely transparent with your team, especially at a young, growing company. Your team will appreciate understanding exactly where the company stands. This will help everyone come together as a team, focused on the problems that need solving for the long-term benefit of the company. Lack of transparency can result in a lack of trust.

- Mitch Gordon, Go Overseas

2. Not Listening

Listening to all employees as often as possible is so important to building a loyal and faithful team. Everyone needs to be part of the process and bigger picture. Interacting and listening to your team is something that is too often forgotten by CEOs, with the hustle and bustle of job and travel schedules. It shouldn't be.

- Jason Grill, JGrill Media | Sock 101

3. Dismissing Ideas Other Than Your Own

I didn't realize how toxic this behavior was until it was pointed out to me. Your employees should never feel like they're pitching you in a way that makes you (as the CEO) think you're spinning the gold. Understanding a good idea, helping to develop it and providing strong praise and credit where due is incredibly important.

4. Valuing Experience Over Potential

CEOs should be careful not to value experience over potential. Some of our best employees haven't been the most experienced. What they do have is something that's impossible to train or develop-it's a fire in their bellies to deliver world-class products to our clients. You can't teach that.

- Chris Cancialosi, GothamCulture

The best leaders are ones who accept blame when things go wrong and give credit to their team when things go right. In order to be a true visionary leader, you need to let go of your ego and focus on your people because without them you would be nowhere.

- Nick Friedman, College Hunks Hauling Junk

6. Working 24/7

I asked a fellow entrepreneur about his weekend plans a few weeks ago. His answer: "I work all weekend." I understand the ownership and passion that comes with running a business, but you have to set the example for your team, have other interests and learn how to take a break. Otherwise everyone will assume they have to work that much and burnout of the entire team is inevitable (and a toxic culture will follow).

- Susan LaMotte, Exaqueo

7. Lack of Empathy

Leaders must understand the problems their team faces, and then begin doing anything to remove barriers to entry so their team can do the best job possible. In my experience, these barriers include a lack of resources, a lack of direction and a lack of culture.

8. Forgetting About Leadership Development

Educating and creating a growth plan for your employees is one of the things that should never be ignored but often slips through the cracks. Having a growth and education path not only increases employee retention but makes for a smarter and hungrier team. If you think about it in reverse, can you afford for your team not to learn or grow? Imagine if your marketing team was doing the same things they are now in four or five years.

- Sujan Patel, When I Work

9. Being Overly Conservative

Modern leaders must be absolutely tenacious in getting the results they desire-from themselves, their organization, their team, even their customers. Get rid of overly conservative notions. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take. If you don't take that risk, you'll never know what that opportunity would be. You'll never have to say "would've, could've, should've." Use your guts, and in my experience and in the end, everything works out well.

- Scott Petinga, The Scott Petinga Group

10. Permitting Negative Gossip

Spreading any sort of negative gossip about others sends a signal that it's not safe to be around that person. Trust is immediately shattered, and people fear that what they are saying may be shared behind their backs. Leaders who either gossip or don't take measures to eradicate it are harming more than just company morale. They are impeding the flow of honest feedback and communication throughout the organization.

- David Hassell, 15Five

CEOs tend to map out ideas in our heads but don't share the process. Then, when the team starts making suggestions that you've already eliminated through thoughtful internal deliberation, they get angry. But no one knows you've already done that-so both sides get frustrated. My co-founder would tell me this all the time, so I started writing ideas and plans out to make sure my process and conclusion are easy to understand.

- Benish Shah, Before the Label

12. Closed-Mindedness

It's crucial as a CEO to be open-minded and listen to feedback and ideas from others. Being closed-minded and unwilling to change your perspective will cause issues with both your employees and the success of your business.

13. Assigning Blame

Take responsibility for any of your team's failures. At the end of the day, you ultimately hold all the responsibility anyway, so let your team know you understand that things didn't work out the way they should have. Then propose solutions instead of assigning blame.

- Lane Campbell, Syntress SCDT

14. Inconsistency

I have often been blamed for sounding like a broken record but it is a record that my staff, clients and vendors know and can count on. Too often I see CEOs who are inconsistent and change their minds, which leads to confusion and mixed signals among everyone around them. Sticking to your guns and accepting the fate (even if it's bad!) will lead to opportunities to continue learning while building trust in others.

15. Being Too Slow to Adapt

Successful startups grow rapidly. CEOs who fail to keep up risk being clueless, close-minded and arrogant. A lack of knowledge leads to indecision and fear and can cause employees to quickly lose trust in their leader.

- Neil Thanedar, LabDoor
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprising the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Photo by Bradneathery/Twenty20

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We all know you. Our hearts beat fast and our palms get sweaty when we hear your chair squeak and your door creak open. Because we know the next thing we'll hear is footsteps. What we don't know is where they'll stop-we just hope it's not at our desk.

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It's important to realize that just because someone holds a position of leadership, doesn't necessarily mean they should. Put another way, not all leaders are created equal. The problem many organizations are suffering from is a recognition problem - they can't seem to recognize good leaders from bad ones. In today's column I'll address how to identify bad leaders by pointing out a few things that should be obvious, but apparently aren't.

If I only had a nickel for every time I've been asked, "is there a simple test that can quickly determine an executive's leadership ability?" The short answer is yes, but keep in mind, simple and fast aren't always the same thing as effective. There are a plethora of diagnostic tests, profiles, evaluations, and assessments that offer insights into leadership ability, or a lack thereof. My problem with these efforts is they are overly analytical, very theoretical, and very often subject to bias. That said, they are fast, easy, and relatively inexpensive. The good news is, there is a better way to assess leadership ability. If you really want to determine someone's leadership prowess, give them some responsibility and see what they do with it. Leaders produce results. It's not always pretty, especially in the case of inexperienced leaders, but good leaders will find a way to get the job done.

In a previous piece entitled Looking For Leadership, I share a number of concerns about corporate America's obsession over leadership assessments. There's a not so subtle abdication of responsibility that has occurred as rationalizations take place around DISC scores, or justifications surrounding a 360 review are used to defend an ineffective leader. My question is this: what about real world tests? If your enterprise has trouble identifying leaders, or has a shortage of leaders, you don't have a testing problem - you have a leadership problem. One of the primary responsibilities of leadership is to create more and better leaders. I believe it was John Maxwell who said, "there is no success without a successor."

Go ahead, test if you must, but paying attention to the following 15 items (listed in no particular order) will be much more practical, accurate, and effective. If your organization has leaders who fail to grasp the concepts outlined below, you may want to stop testing them, ranking them, and promoting them - instead consider developing them or exiting them.

1. Leaders who can't see it, probably won't find it: Leaders without vision will fail. Leaders who lack vision cannot inspire teams, motivate performance, or create sustainable value. Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail. A leader's job is to align the organization around a clear and achievable vision. This cannot occur when the blind lead the blind.

2. When leaders fail to lead themselves: A leader who lacks character or integrity will not endure the test of time. It doesn't matter how intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy a person is, if they are prone to rationalizing unethical behavior based upon current or future needs, they will eventually fall prey to their own undoing. Optics over ethics is not a formula for success.

3. Put-up or shut-up: Nothing smacks of poor leadership like a lack of performance. Nobody is perfect, but leaders who consistently fail are not leaders, no matter how much you wish they were. While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. It's important to remember unproven leaders come with a high risk premium. Smart companies recognize potential, but they reward performance.

4. Beware the know-it-all: The best leaders are acutely aware of how much they don't know. They have no need to be the smartest person in the room, but have the unyielding desire to learn from others. I've often said, leaders who are not growing cannot lead a growing enterprise. One of the hallmarks of great leaders is their insatiable curiosity. If a leader isn't extremely curious about every aspect of their organization, trust me when I say there are huge problems on the horizon.

5. When there's a failure to communicate: When leaders are constantly flummoxed by those who don't seem to get it, there exists both a leadership and communications problem. Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I'll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to dial it up, down, or off.

6. It's all about them: If a leader doesn't understand the concept of "service above self" they will not engender the trust, confidence, and loyalty of those they lead. Any leader is only as good as his or her team's desire to be led by them. An over abundance of ego, pride, and arrogance are not positive leadership traits. Real leaders take the blame and give the credit - not the other way around. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates...game over.

7. Sing a little Kumbaya: While l ove and leadership are certainly two words you don't often hear in the same sentence, I can assure you that rarely does great leadership exist without love being present practiced. In fact, if you examine failed leaders as a class, you'll find that a lack of love, misplaced love, or misguided love were a contributing cause of said failures, if not the root cause. Empathy, humility and kindness are signs of leadership strength - not weakness.

8. One size fits all leadership style: The best leaders are fluid and flexible in their approach. They understand the power of, and necessity for contextual leadership. "My way or the highway" leadership styles don't play well in today's world, will result in a fractured culture, and ultimately a non-productive organization. Only those leaders who can quickly recognize and adapt their methods to the situation at hand will be successful over the long haul. Think open-source not proprietary, surrender not control, and collaborate not dictate.

9. Lack of focus: Leadership is less about balance and more about priority. The best leaders are ruthless in their pursuit of focus. Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who are not intentional and are not focused, will fail themselves and their team. Leaders who lack discipline will model the wrong behaviors and will inevitably spread themselves too thin. Organizations are at the greatest risk when leaders lose their focus. Intentions must be aligned with results for leaders to be effective.

10. Death by comfort zone: The best organizations beat their competition to the future, and the best leaders understand how to pull the future forward. Leaders satisfied with the status quo, or those who tend to be more concerned about survival than growth won't do well over the long-run. The best leaders are focused on leading change and innovation to keep their organizations fresh, dynamic and growing. Bottom line - leaders who build a static business doom themselves to failure.

11. Not paying attention to the consumer: Leaders not attuned to the needs of the market will fail. As the old saying goes, if you're not taking care of your customers, someone else will be more than happy to. Successful leaders focus on the consumer experience, which in turn leads to satisfaction and loyalty. The best leaders find ways to consistently engage the consumer and incorporate them into their innovation and planning initiatives. If you ignore, mistreat, or otherwise don't value your customer base, your days as a leader are most certainly numbered.

12. Get Invested: Leaders not fully committed to investing in those they lead will fail. The best leaders support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won't have a team - at least not an effective one. Never forget the old saying, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care - words to live by for leaders.

13. The "A" word: Real leaders are accountable. They don't blame others, don't claim credit for the success of their team, but always accept responsibility for failures that occur on their watch. Most of all, leaders are accountable to their team. I've always said that leaders not accountable their people will eventually be held accountable their people.

14. It's the culture stupid: The lesson here is that culture matters - forget this and all other efforts with regard to talent initiatives will be dysfunctional, if not altogether lost. Don't allow your culture to evolve by default, create it by design. The first step in cultural design is to be very, very careful who you let through the front door. People, their traits, attitudes, and work ethic (or lack thereof) are contagions. This can be positive or negative - the choice is yours. The old saying, "talent begets talent" is true, but talent that aligns with culture will produce better results than talent that does not.

15. Show some chutzpa: Leadership absent courage is a farce. I'm not referring to arrogance or bravado, but real courage. It takes courage to break from the norm, challenge the status quo, seek new opportunities, cut your losses, make the tough decision, listen rather than speak, admit your faults, forgive the faults of others, not allow failure to dampen your spirit, stand for those not capable of standing for themselves, and to remain true to your core values. You can do none of these things without courage. Courage is having the strength of conviction to do the right thing when it would just be easier to do things right.

The moral of this story is leaders need to be honest, have a demonstrated track record of success, be excellent communicators, place an emphasis on serving those they lead, be fluid in approach, have laser focus, and a bias toward action. If these traits are not possessed by your current leadership team, or your emerging leaders, you will be in for a rocky road ahead...

Which of these traits stand out to you? Do you have any other signs of ineffective leaders worthy of mention? Leave a comment and share your insights with others...

Follow me on Twitter @mikemyatt
How Great Leaders Triumph Over Failure 5 Ways To Spot A Bad Boss In An Interview How Extremely Successful People Turn Obstacles Into Assets Intelligence Is Overrated: What You Really Need To Succeed

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It's important to realize that just because someone holds a position of leadership, doesn't necessarily mean they should. Put another way, not all leaders are created equal. The problem many organizations are suffering from is a recognition problem - they can't seem to recognize good leaders from bad ones. In [...]

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Purpose of the Ethics Self-Assessment

Members of the American College of Healthcare Executives agree, as a condition of membership, to abide by ACHE's Code of Ethics. The Code provides an overall standard of conduct and includes specific standards of ethical behavior to guide healthcare executives in their professional relationships.

Based on the Code of Ethics, the Ethics Self-Assessment is intended for your personal use to assist you in thinking about your ethics-related leadership and actions. It should not be returned to ACHE nor should it be used as a tool for evaluating the ethical behavior of others.

The Ethics Self-Assessment can help you identify those areas in which you are on strong ethical ground; areas that you may wish to examine the basis for your responses; and opportunities for further reflection. The Ethics Self-Assessment does not have a scoring mechanism, as we do not believe that ethical behavior can or should be quantified.

How to use this self-assessment

We hope you find this self-assessment thought-provoking and useful as a part of your reflection on applying the ACHE Code of Ethics to your everyday activities. You are to be commended for taking time out of your busy schedule to complete it.

Once you have finished the self-assessment, it is suggested that you review your responses, noting which questions you answered "usually," "occasionally" and "almost never." You may find that in some cases an answer of "usually" is satisfactory, but in other cases, such as when answering a question about protecting staff's well-being, an answer of "usually" may raise an ethical red flag.

We are confident that you will uncover few red flags where your responses are not compatible with the ACHE Code of Ethics. For those you may discover, you should use this as an opportunity to enhance your ethical practice and leadership by developing a specific action plan. For example, you may have noted in the self-assessment that you have not used your organization's ethics mechanism to assist you in addressing challenging ethical conflicts. As a result of this insight you might meet with the chair of the ethics committee to better understand the committee's functions, including case consultation activities and how you might access this resource when future ethical conflicts arise.

We also want you to consider ACHE as a resource when you and your management team are confronted with difficult ethical dilemmas. In the About ACHE area of ache.org, you can access an Ethics Toolkit, a group of practical resources that will help you understand how to integrate ethics into your organization. In addition, you can refer to our regular "Healthcare Management Ethics" column in Healthcare Executive magazine, and you may want to consider attending our annual ethics seminar.
Please check one answer for each of the following questions.

Almost Never/Occasionally/Usually/Always/Not Applicable
I. Leadership
I take courageous, consistent and appropriate management actions to overcome barriers to achieving my organization's mission.

I place community/patient benefit over my personal gain.

I strive to be a role model for ethical behavior.

I work to ensure that decisions about access to care are based primarily on medical necessity, not only on the ability to pay.

My statements and actions are consistent with professional ethical standards, including the ACHE Code of Ethics.

My statements and actions are honest even when circumstances would allow me to confuse the issues.

I advocate ethical decision making by the board, management team and medical staff.

I use an ethical approach to conflict resolution.

I initiate and encourage discussion of the ethical aspects of management/financial issues.

I initiate and promote discussion of controversial issues affecting community/patient health (e.g., domestic and community violence and decisions near the end of life).

I promptly and candidly explain to internal and external stakeholders negative economic trends and encourage appropriate action.

I use my authority solely to fulfill my responsibilities and not for self-interest or to further the interests of family, friends or associates.

When an ethical conflict confronts my organization or me, I am successful in finding an effective resolution process and ensure it is followed.

I demonstrate respect for my colleagues, superiors and staff.

I demonstrate my organization's vision, mission and value statements in my actions.

I make timely decisions rather than delaying them to avoid difficult or politically risky choices.

I seek the advice of the ethics committee when making ethically challenging decisions.

My personal expense reports are accurate and are only billed to a single organization.

I openly support establishing and monitoring internal mechanisms (e.g., an ethics committee or program) to support ethical decision making.

I thoughtfully consider decisions when making a promise on behalf of the organization to a person or a group of people.

I take responsibility for understanding workplace violence and take steps to eliminate it.
II. Relationships

I promote community health status improvement as a guiding goal of my organization and as a cornerstone of my efforts on behalf of my organization.

I personally devote time to developing solutions to community health problems.

I participate in and encourage my management team to devote personal time to community service.

I engage in collaborative efforts with healthcare organizations, businesses, elected officials and others to improve the community's well-being.

I seek to identify, understand and eliminate health disparities in my community.

I seek to understand and identify the social determinants of health in my community.
Patients and Their Families

I use a patient- and family-centered approach to patient care.

I am a patient advocate on both clinical and financial matters.

I ensure equitable treatment of patients regardless of socio-economic group or payor category.

I respect the practices and customs of a diverse patient population while maintaining the organization's mission.

I demonstrate through organizational policies and personal actions that overtreatment and undertreatment of patients are unacceptable.

I protect patients' rights to autonomy, clinical efficacy, and full information about their illnesses, treatment options, and related costs.

I promote a patient's right to privacy, including medical record confidentiality, and do not tolerate breaches of this confidentiality.

I am committed to eliminating harm in the workplace.

I am committed to helping address affordability challenges in healthcare.

I have a routine system in place for board members to make full disclosure and reveal potential conflicts of interest.

I ensure that reports to the board, my own or others', appropriately convey risks of decisions or proposed projects.

I work to keep the board focused on ethical issues of importance to the organization, community and other stakeholders.

I keep the board appropriately informed of patient safety and quality indicators.

I promote board discussion of resource allocation issues, particularly those where organizational and community interests may appear to be incompatible.

I keep the board appropriately informed about issues of alleged financial malfeasance, clinical malpractice and potential litigious situations involving employees.

I foster discussions about ethical concerns when they arise.

I maintain confidences entrusted to me.

I demonstrate through personal actions and organizational policies zero tolerance for any form of staff harassment.

I encourage discussions about and advocate for the implementation of the organization's code of ethics and value statements.

I fulfill the promises I make.

I am respectful of views different from mine.

I am respectful of individuals who differ from me in ethnicity, gender, education or job position.

I convey negative news promptly and openly, not allowing employees or others to be misled.

I expect and hold staff accountable for adherence to our organization's ethical standards (e.g., performance reviews).

I demonstrate that incompetent supervision is not tolerated and make timely decisions regarding marginally performing managers.

I ensure adherence to ethics-related policies and practices affecting patients and staff.

I am sensitive to employees who have ethical concerns and facilitate resolution of these concerns.

I encourage the use of organizational mechanisms (e.g., an ethics committee or program) and other ethics resources to address ethical issues.

I act quickly and decisively when employees are not treated fairly in their relationships with other employees.

I assign staff only to official duties and do not ask them to assist me with work on behalf of my family, friends or associates.

I hold all staff and clinical/business partners accountable for compliance with professional standards, including ethical behavior.

I am sensitive to the stress of the healthcare workforce (including physicians and other clinicians), and take steps to address personal wellness and professional fulfillment, such as incorporating these issues in employee and physician satisfaction/engagement surveys.

I take steps to understand my workforce as it relates to safety, stress and burnout, and consider the impact of those who are in positions of authority (including executives and physicians).

When problems arise with clinical care, I ensure that the problems receive prompt attention and resolution by the responsible parties.

I insist that my organization's clinical practice guidelines are consistent with our vision, mission, value statements and ethical standards of practice.

When practice variations in care suggest quality of care is at stake, I encourage timely actions that serve patients' interests.

I insist that participating clinicians and staff live up to the terms of managed care contracts.

I encourage clinicians to access ethics resources when ethical conflicts occur.

I encourage resource allocation that is equitable, is based on clinical needs and appropriately balances patient needs and organizational/clinical resources.

I expeditiously and forthrightly deal with impaired clinicians and take necessary action when I believe a clinician is not competent to perform his/her clinical duties.

I expect and hold clinicians accountable for adhering to their professional and the organization's ethical practices.
Buyers, Payors and Suppliers

I negotiate and expect my management team to negotiate in good faith.

I am mindful of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of wrongdoing, conflict of interest, or interference with free competition.

I personally disclose and expect board members, staff members and clinicians to disclose any possible conflicts of interests before pursuing or entering into relationships with potential business partners.

I promote familiarity and compliance with organizational policies governing relationships with buyers, payors and suppliers.

I set an example for others in my organization by not accepting personal gifts from suppliers.

After you've completed the self-assessment:

Now that you have finished the self-assessment, you will want to review your responses, noting which questions you answered "usually," "occasionally," and "almost never." You may find that in some cases, an answer of "usually" is satisfactory , but in other cases, such as when answering a question about protecting staff's well-being, an answer of "usually" may raise an "ethical red flag." You will note that the instrument does not have a scoring mechanism; this is intentional. We do not believe that ethical behavior can or should be quantified.

We are confident that you will uncover few red flags and that if you do, you will willingly and appropriately address them. We also want you to consider your professional society as an additional resource when you and your management teams are confronted with difficult ethical dilemmas. You should find our regular "Healthcare Management Ethics" column in Healthcare Executive magazine a useful resource as well as ACHE's Ethical Policy Statements. In addition, you may wish to refer to the Ethics Bibliography, which we have compiled for your use. Finally, you may want to consider attending our annual ethics seminar.

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Members of the American College of Healthcare Executives agree, as a condition of membership, to abide by ACHE's Code of Ethics. The Code provides an overall standard of conduct and includes specific standards of ethical behavior to guide healthcare executives in their professional relationships.

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The situational theory of leadership suggests that no single leadership style is best. Instead, it depends on which type of leadership and strategies are best-suited to the task. According to this theory, the most effective leaders are those that are able to adapt their style to the situation and look at cues such as the type of task, the nature of the group, and other factors that might contribute to getting the job done.

Situational Leadership

Situational leadership theory is often referred to as the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory, after its developers, Dr. Paul Hersey, author of "The Situational Leader," and Kenneth Blanchard, author of "One-Minute Manager."

Leadership Styles

Hersey and Blanchard suggested that there are four primary leadership styles:

Telling (S1):In this leadership style, the leader tells people what to do and how to do it.

Selling (S2): This style involves more back-and-forth between leaders and followers. Leaders "sell" their ideas and message to get group members to buy into the process.

Participating (S3): In this approach, the leader offers less direction and allows members of the group to take a more active role in coming up with ideas and making decisions.

Delegating (S4):This style is characterized by a less involved, hands-off approach to leadership. Group members tend to make most of the decisions and take most of the responsibility for what happens.

Maturity Levels

The right style of leadership depends greatly on the maturity level (i.e., the level of knowledge and competence) of the individuals or group.

Hersey and Blanchard's theory identifies four different levels of maturity, including:

M1: Group members lack the knowledge, skills, and willingness to complete the task.

M2: Group members are willing and enthusiastic, but lack the ability.

M3: Group members have the skills and capability to complete the task, but are unwilling to take responsibility.

M4: Group members are highly skilled and willing to complete the task.

Matching Styles and Levels

Leadership styles may be matched with maturity levels. The Hersey-Blanchard model suggests that the following leadership styles are the most appropriate for these maturity levels:

Low Maturity (M1)-Telling (S1)

Medium Maturity (M2)-Selling (S2)

Medium Maturity (M3)-Participating (S3)

High Maturity (M4)-Delegating (S4)

How It Works

A more "telling" style may be necessary at the beginning of a project when followers lack the responsibility or knowledge to work on their own. As subordinates become more experienced and knowledgeable, however, the leader may want to shift into a more delegating approach.

The situational approach to leadership also avoids the pitfalls of the single-style approach by recognizing that there are many different ways of dealing with a problem and that leaders need to be able to assess a situation and the maturity levels of subordinates in order to determine what approach will be the most effective at any given moment.

Situational theories, therefore, give greater consideration to the complexity of dynamic social situations and the many individuals acting in different roles who will ultimately contribute to the outcome.

Situational Leadership II

The Situational Leadership II (or SLII model) was developed by Kenneth Blanchard and builds on Blanchard and Hersey's original theory. According to the revised version of the theory, effective leaders must base their behavior on the developmental level of group members for specific tasks.

Competence and Commitment

The developmental level is determined by each individual's level of competence and commitment. These levels include:

Enthusiastic beginner (D1): High commitment, low competence.

Disillusioned learner (D2):Some competence, but setbacks have led to low commitment.

Capable but cautious performer (D3):Competence is growing, but the level of commitment varies.

Self-reliant achiever (D4): High competence and commitment.

SLII Leadership Styles

SLII also suggests that effective leadership is dependent on two key behaviors: supporting and directing. Directing behaviors include giving specific directions and instructions and attempting to control the behavior of group members. Supporting behaviors include actions such as encouraging subordinates, listening, and offering recognition and feedback.

The theory identifies four basic leadership styles, including:

Directing (S1): High on directing behaviors, low on supporting behaviors.

Coaching (S2): High on both directing and supporting behaviors.

Supporting (S3): Low on directing behavior and high on supporting behaviors.

Delegating (S4): Low on both directing and supporting behaviors.

Key Factors

Experts suggest that there are four key contextual factors that leaders must be aware of when making an assessment of the situation.

Consider the Relationship

Leaders need to consider the relationship between the leaders and the members of the group. Social and interpersonal factors can play a role in determining which approach is best.

For example, a group that lacks efficiency and productivity might benefit from a style that emphasizes order, rules, and clearly defined roles. A productive group of highly skilled workers, on the other hand, might benefit from a more democratic style that allows group members to work independently and have input in organizational decisions.

Consider the Task

The leader needs to consider the task itself. Tasks can range from simple to complex, but the leader needs to have a clear idea of exactly what the task entails in order to determine if it has been successfully and competently accomplished.

Consider the Level of Authority

The level of authority the leader has over group members should also be considered. Some leaders have power conferred by the position itself, such as the capacity to fire, hire, reward, or reprimand subordinates. Other leaders gain power through relationships with employees, often by gaining respect from them, offering support to them, and helping them feel included in the decision-making process.

Consider the Level of Maturity

As the Hersey-Blanchard model suggests, leaders need to consider the level of maturity of each individual group member. The maturity level is a measure of an individual's ability to complete a task, as well as his or her willingness to complete the task. Assigning a job to a member who is willing but lacks the ability is a recipe for failure.

Being able to pinpoint each employee's level of maturity allows the leader to choose the best leadership approach to help employees accomplish their goals.

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Why the Most Effective Leaders Know How to Adapt to the Situation

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The situational theory of leadership suggests that no single leadership style is best. Instead, it depends on which type of leadership and strategies are best-suited to the task.

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students! Here are 11 ways school counselors serve as leaders in your building.

1. School counselors recognize and showcase diversity.

In many buildings, school counselors are considered the "heart" of the school. They help create an inclusive environment that is respectful, welcoming, kind, and open to all.

2. School counselors develop community partnerships.

Counseling staff work collaboratively with universities, community colleges, technical schools, local unions, military reps, and apprentice programs to provide a variety of opportunities for students. They are especially vital in ensuring underserved and first-generation students have access to and the tools to reach all possible post-high school options.

3. School counselors help during difficult situations.

Strengths such as listening, reflecting, and high emotional intelligence make school counselors valuable allies when trying to get buy-in from staff or the greater community on difficult issues. Counselors foster a culture of change via strong lines of communication and valuing input from all parties involved.

4. School counselors maintain strong home-school connections.

Counselors tend to be the liaison for parents when it comes to communicating with the school. This leadership role is especially important when assisting families who are not familiar with the school setting or have issues trusting staff.

5. School counselors maximize educational success.

School counselors can help to maximize the educational attainment of all students by providing students with mental health services (school or community-based) and developmental guidance that takes a proactive approach in helping students set and reach academic goals.

6. School counselors lead staff trainings.

Administrators who use their counseling staff (rather than outside contractors) to lead building-wide trainings can save a lot of money and gain quicker buy-in from staff. School counselors are experts on topics such as student engagement, positive discipline, suicide/self-harm, students-as-leaders, peer mentoring programs, and academic/social interventions for low-performing students.

7. School counselors protect and advocate for disadvantaged students.

Counselors identify and amend policies and practices that negatively impact disadvantaged students and advocate for equitable services for all students.

8. School counselors use expertise to bring data to life.

Like administrators, counselors are trained in data collection and analysis. They are skilled at using this information to drive decisions about placement, intervention, and overall student health and wellbeing.

9. School counselors mediate difficult situations between parents/students and staff.

Counselors are consistently looking for ways to support the relationship between school staff and parents. Acting as a mediator when one or both parties are upset about a situation is a critical way in which school counselors serve as leaders.

10. School counselors organize and lead crisis response.

Counselors are on the front lines after a tragedy has happened in a school or community. Staff, students, parents, and community members look to the counselors for guidance and support immediately following an event. Because of their training in emotional/mental, the counseling staff is critical in advocating for and teaching self-care to staff, parents, and students during a crisis.

11. School counselors empower and inspire.

School counselors inherently believe in people and work tirelessly to communicate that. By being visible and accessible at all times, their calming, caring, and encouraging presence helps support and empower staff in the building.

School counselors serve as leaders in many ways and we need to value their perspectives and strengths. They are vital to building positive learning environments in which students thrive.
Join our Facebook group Principal Life for more conversation about and insights into the challenges of school leadership.

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11 Ways Your School Counselors Serve as Leaders - WeAreTeachers

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students!

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"Leaders demonstrate humility in the way they work" (Mind Tools, 2021).

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A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better. - Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur.

Everyone on Samit's team knows that he's "there for them." He checks in with them often to see how they are, and he helps them develop the skills they need to advance their careers, even if this means that they may move on.

Samit also makes an effort to see situations from others' perspectives. He makes decisions with the team's best interests in mind, and ensures that everyone has the resources and knowledge they need to meet their objectives.

As a result of this, his team is one of the most successful in the department, with low staff turnover and high engagement.

Samit is an example of a "servant leader." In this article, we'll explore what servant leadership is, and the advantages it can bring you as a leader. We'll also look at situations where it isn't appropriate.

What Is Servant Leadership?

Robert K. Greenleaf first coined the phrase "servant leadership" in his 1970 essay, " The Servant as a Leader." However, it's an approach that people have used for centuries.

As a servant leader, you're a "servant first" - you focus on the needs of others, especially team members, before you consider your own. You acknowledge other people's perspectives, give them the support they need to meet their work and personal goals, involve them in decisions where appropriate, and build a sense of community within your team. This leads to higher engagement, more trust, and stronger relationships with team members and other stakeholders. It can also lead to increased innovation.

However, servant leadership is problematic in hierarchical, autocratic cultures where managers and leaders are expected to make all the decisions. Here, servant leaders may struggle to earn respect.

Important:

Remember that servant leadership is about focusing on other people's needs - not their feelings. Don't avoid making unpopular decisions or giving team members negative feedback when this is needed.

Also, do not rely on it exclusively - use it alongside styles like Transformational Leadership, where you develop an inspiring vision of the future, motivate people to deliver this, manage its implementation, and build an ever-stronger team.

How to Become a Servant Leader

According to Larry C. Spears, former president of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, these are the 10 most important characteristics of servant leaders:

1. Listening.

2. Empathy.

3. Healing.

4. Awareness.

5. Persuasion.

6. Conceptualization.

7. Foresight.

8. Stewardship.

9. Commitment to the growth of people.

10. Building community.

Once you've decided to prioritize other people's needs over your own in the long term, you can work on developing your skills in each area. Let's look at how you can do this.

1. Listening

2. Empathy

3. Healing

This characteristic relates to the emotional health and "wholeness" of people, and involves supporting them both physically and mentally.

4. Self-Awareness

You can become more self-aware by knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and asking for other people's feedback on them. Also, learn to manage your emotions, so that you consider how your actions and behavior might affect others.

5. Persuasion

There are many tools and models that you can use to be more persuasive, without damaging relationships or taking advantage of others. You should also build your expert power - when people perceive you as an expert, they are more likely to listen to you when you want to persuade or inspire them.

6. Conceptualization

This characteristic relates to your ability to "dream great dreams," so that you look beyond day-to-day realities to the bigger picture.

7. Foresight

Foresight is when you can predict what's likely to happen in the future by learning from past experiences, identifying what's happening now, and understanding the consequences of your decisions.

You can use tools such as SWOT Analysis and PEST Analysis to think about your current situation and environment, while Scenario Analysis helps you understand how the future could play out. Use the ORAPAPA checklist when you make a decision, to learn from experience and make sure that you've considered all the angles.

Also, learn to trust your intuition - if your instinct is telling you that something is wrong, listen to it!

8. Stewardship

Stewardship is about taking responsibility for the actions and performance of your team, and being accountable for the role team members play in your organization.

9. Commitment to the Growth of People

Servant leaders are committed to the personal and professional development of everyone on their teams.

10. Building Community

The last characteristic is to do with building a sense of community within your organization.

You can do this by providing opportunities for people to interact with one another across the company. For instance, you could organize social events such as team lunches and barbecues, design your workspace to encourage people to chat informally away from their desks, and dedicate the first few minutes of meetings to non-work-related conversations.

Encourage people to take responsibility for their work, and remind them how what they do contributes to the success and overall objectives of the organization.

Tip:

See our article on Leadership Styles to explore popular leadership approaches and the advantages and disadvantages of each one.

And see this Expert Interview for a valuable discussion on the misconceptions and realities of servant leadership.

Key Points

You are a servant leader when you focus on the needs of others before you consider your own. It's a longer-term approach to leadership, rather than a technique that you can adopt in specific situations. Therefore, you can use it with other leadership styles such as Transformational Leadership.

You can become a servant leader by working on these 10 characteristics:

1. Listening.

2. Empathy.

3. Healing.

4. Awareness.

5. Persuasion.

6. Conceptualization.

7. Foresight.

8. Stewardship.

9. Commitment to the growth of people.

10. Building community.

Servant leaders are likely to have more engaged employees and enjoy better relationships with team members and other stakeholders than leaders who don't put the interests of others before their own.

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Servant Leadership: Putting Your Team First, and Yourself Second

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A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better. - Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur. Everyone on Samit's team knows that he's "there for them."

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This article discusses high turnover in principals and the reasons behind wanting to leave.

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42 Percent of Principals Want to Leave Their Position. Will You Let Them? (Opinion)

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There are specific reasons leaders cite for reasons they want to leave their positions. What can we do about it? Do we care?

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Servant leadership appears to be described as a "newer" approach to leadership.

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https://laptrinhx.com/transactional-leadership-592277468/

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http://ssuleadership.weebly.com/relational-leadership-model.html

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Do You Have High Emotional Intelligence? Take This 2-Minute Quiz to Find Out | Inc.

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Do You Have High Emotional Intelligence? Take This 2-Minute Quiz to Find Out | Inc.

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Do You Have High Emotional Intelligence? Take This 2-Minute Quiz to Find Out | Inc.

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Building Emotional Intelligence Isn't as Hard as You Think

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Building Emotional Intelligence Isn't as Hard as You Think

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Experiment discussed with teachers is super interesting and shows why we need to have great self awareness!

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Dozens of times a week, we ask friends, family, and even strangers, "How are you?" Given this fact alone, you'd think our society was very interested in how people feel.

But all of us know that this question generally doesn't get an honest answer. Instead, most people reply with, "good," "fine," or at least, "okay." If we're really honest with ourselves, most of us would be a bit uncomfortable if we got a more genuine answer.

For many of us, it can feel risky to get in touch with our feelings, let alone to express them to others. I was recently speaking with a close friend who was genuinely hurt by something his father posted in a family chat room. He had been ruminating about it for days. And yet, when I suggested that he bring it up with his dad, his answer was straightforward: "No," he told me. "We don't talk about feelings in our family."

Psychologist Marc Brackett, the founder of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, argues that this tendency to avoid feelings, though understandable, can be a real disadvantage.

In one experiment, Brackett and his colleagues divided middle-school teachers into two groups. One group was placed in a good mood by recalling positive classroom experiences, while the other group was placed in a bad mood by recalling negative classroom experiences.

Then, they all were asked to grade the same essay. The teachers who were in a worse mood scored the essay a full letter grade lower than those in a better mood. But here's the real kicker: Most of the teachers said they thought their mood had no influence on their grading, even though it clearly had.

Whether we like it or not, our feelings affect our thinking and behavior. Being out of touch with these feelings just means we're at the mercy of them. So, it behooves us to get to know them better.

Our ability to understand and regulate our feelings is what psychologists often call "emotional intelligence." Luckily, emotional intelligence isn't a fixed commodity, but rather something we can build by learning what Brackett calls "emotion skills."

He has developed a system, organized around the acronym R.U.L.E.R., which has been used in nearly 2,000 schools across the world to teach such skills to children and teenagers. But it can be equally applicable for helping all of us develop greater wisdom about our feelings and use them to our advantage.

Here are the five skills you can start practicing now:

R: Recognize

The first step toward productively managing any feeling is to recognize that we're having it. Although this may sound easy, it's equally easy to ignore our feelings. Have you ever said, "I don't care," about a situation when you really did? Have you ever gotten a head or neck ache, only to later realize you were actually feeling emotionally stressed?

To better recognize our feelings, Bracket suggests using a technique known as the "Mood Meter." At its heart, this technique involves asking yourself two simple questions:

1. How much energy does this emotion have?

2. How pleasant is this emotion?

Emotions can be high in both, low in both, high in energy and low in pleasantness, or low in energy and high in pleasantness. Emotions high in both energy and pleasantness include joy, excitement, and optimism, while emotions low in both include sadness and depression. Anxiety, anger, and frustration are examples of feelings high in energy but low in pleasantness, whereas calmness and contentedness are examples of feelings low in energy but high in pleasantness. By at least identifying in which of these categories our feelings fall, we lay a foundation for wisely dealing with them.

U: Understand

The next emotion skill involves understanding our feelings. In short, this involves asking the question, "Why am I feeling this way?" Because this wide-open question is notoriously difficult to answer, in his book Permission to Feel, Brackett suggests some more specific questions we can ask ourselves to figure out the reasons behind our feelings. Here are a few of them:

What just happened? What was I doing before this happened?

What happened this morning, or last night, that might be involved in this?

What has happened before with this person that might be connected?

What memories do I have about the situation or place in which this emotion occurred?

Understanding the causes of our feelings can help provide clues about how to address them. If I'm feeling anxious because my new boss reminds me of a person from my past who was cruel to me, I'll want to deal with the situation very differently than if my anxiety results from a particular managerial decision my boss just made. Of course, it could be both-so it can take serious time and introspection to really sort out what we're experiencing and why. Be patient and keep at it.

L: Label

It's not enough simply to recognize and understand an emotion; we also can benefit from finding the right word to describe it.

Many of us have a relatively limited emotion vocabulary. Some of us stick with two words: bad and good. Others might have three or four: happy, sad, mad, and scared. Still, others may not use emotion words at all, but prefer figures of speech like, "on top of the world" or "burning up."

But in actuality, there are thousands of words to describe emotions in the English language alone. We certainly don't have to memorize all of them, but Brackett suggests that more accurate labels are usually better for us. In his words, "We know from neuroscience and brain imaging research that there is real, tangible truth to the proposition that 'if you can name it, you can tame it.'"

For a start, knowing precisely what feelings we're experiencing can give us clues about how to manage them. Although you may recognize that you're experiencing a negative, high-energy emotion, both "stressed" and "overwhelmed" might fit that general description. But which of these labels most accurately describes our feeling really matters, because they mean different things.

"Stress" generally means we feel that what we're trying to do or handle exceeds our capabilities, whereas "overwhelmed" means there's just too much of it, regardless of our capabilities. If we're feeling overwhelmed, the best approach may be to reduce our workload the best we can, whereas if we're feeling stressed, the best approach may be to upgrade our capabilities by learning new skills or reorganizing the way we do things.

E: Express

If the R, U, and L of R.U.L.E.R. are about getting into touch with our emotions, the E and R are about what to do with them.

There are lots of reasons we hesitate to express our feelings. Especially when emotions fall on the negative end of the spectrum, we may be afraid they're inappropriate, will embarrass us, or will somehow injure the person we express them to.

According to Brackett, however, "Hurt feelings don't vanish on their own. They don't heal themselves. If we don't express our emotions, they pile up like a debt that will eventually come due." So it's important to express them in some way.

But this doesn't mean we should let our emotions run wild, saying everything that's on our minds to everyone we wish. According to Brackett, the skill of expressing our feelings "means knowing how and when to display our emotions, depending on the setting, the people we're with, and the larger context."

If we're feeling hurt by something our boss said, for instance, it's in our best interest to express this differently than if a close friend said something similar to us. Depending on the level of trust, we may make ourselves more vulnerable to our friend than our boss, expressing our feelings in greater depth or detail. If there's a good chance we could lose our job, we may even choose not to express our hurt at all to our boss, instead confiding in and seeking support from someone else.

R: Regulate

The final emotion skill involves determining how to cope with our feelings.

Whether or not we choose to express them, feelings impact us. Regulating our emotions involves dealing with them in a way that allows us to best meet our personal and professional goals -or at least prevent our feelings from interfering with them. This certainly doesn't mean ignoring our emotions; as already discussed, this doesn't work well. Instead, it involves learning to accept and deal with them wisely.

Techniques for helping us cope with our feelings run the gamut, and we should strive to use ones that work for us. Relaxation videos abound on YouTube and can help us soothe strong emotions. Meditation phone apps can be used to facilitate mindfulness, which may help us accept our feelings. Physical exercise can help us to "work out" our feelings and feel more grounded in our bodies.

But emotion regulation can also be very simple. "You can't stand your neighbor? Avoid her," writes Brackett. "Your parents are coming to visit and you don't want them to see some of your more outré artwork? Hide it until they leave. You're tired? Splash some water on your face." The important thing is to acknowledge our feelings-not avoid them-and then take productive steps toward dealing with them.

Learning to be more emotionally skilled isn't a panacea. It won't eliminate all our negative feelings or bring about a constant state of bliss. Such goals are probably impossible. But part of emotional intelligence is realizing that our feelings aren't our enemies. In fact, if we approach them wisely, they can be some of our best friends. Let's all get to know these friends a little better.

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Building Emotional Intelligence Isn't as Hard as You Think

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Dozens of times a week, we ask friends, family, and even strangers, "How are you?" Given this fact alone, you'd think our society was very interested in how people feel. But all of us know that this question generally doesn't get an honest answer. Instead, most people reply with, "good," "fine," or at least, "okay."

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Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know

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Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know

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Explain's Lewin's leadership styles with visuals.

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Leadership styles are classifications of how a person behaves while directing, motivating, guiding, and managing groups of people. There are many leadership styles. Some of the most widely discussed include: authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic), delegative (laissez-faire), transformational, transactional, and situational.

Great leaders can inspire political movements and social change. They can also motivate others to perform, create, and innovate. As you start to consider some of the people who you think of as great leaders, you can immediately see that there are often vast differences in how each person leads.

Fortunately, researchers have developed different theories and frameworks that allow us to better identify and understand these different leadership styles.

Lewin's Leadership Styles

In 1939, a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin set out to identify different styles of leadership.﻿﻿ While further research has identified more distinct types of leadership, this early study was very influential and established three major leadership styles that have provided a springboard for more defined leadership theories.

In Lewin's study, schoolchildren were assigned to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader. The children were then led in an arts and crafts project while researchers observed the behavior of children in response to the different styles of leadership. The researchers found that democratic leadership tended to be the most effective at inspiring followers to perform well.

Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic)

Authoritarian leaders, also known as autocratic leaders, provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. This style of leadership is strongly focused on both command by the leader and control of the followers. There is also a clear division between the leader and the members. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently, with little or no input from the rest of the group.

Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership.﻿﻿ Lewin also concluded that it is harder to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this method is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial.

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Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. The autocratic approach can be a good one when the situation calls for rapid decisions and decisive actions. However, it tends to create dysfunctional and even hostile environments, often pitting followers against the domineering leader.

Participative Leadership (Democratic)

Lewin's study found that participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership, is typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. In Lewin's study, children in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a higher quality.

Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say in the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative. Democratic leaders tend to make followers feel like they are an important part of the team, which helps foster commitment to the goals of the group.

Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Lewin found that children under delegative leadership, also known as laissez-faire leadership, were the least productive of all three groups. The children in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation, and were unable to work independently.

Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave the decision-making up to group members. While this style can be useful in situations involving highly qualified experts, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Lewin noted that laissez-faire leadership tended to result in groups that lacked direction and members who blamed each other for mistakes, refused to accept personal responsibility, made less progress, and produced less work.

Observations About Lewin's Leadership Styles

In their book, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications, Bass and Bass note that authoritarian leadership is often presented solely in negative, often disapproving, terms. Authoritarian leaders are often described as controlling and close-minded, yet this overlooks the potential positives of stressing rules, expecting obedience, and taking responsibility.

While authoritarian leadership certainly is not the best choice for every situation, it can be effective and beneficial in cases where followers need a great deal of direction and where rules and standards must be followed to the letter. Another often overlooked benefit of the authoritarian style is the ability to maintain a sense of order.

Bass and Bass note that democratic leadership tends to be centered on the followers and is an effective approach when trying to maintain relationships with others. People who work under such leaders tend to get along well, support one another, and consult other members of the group when making decisions.

Additional Leadership Styles and Models

In addition to the three styles identified by Lewin and his colleagues, researchers have described numerous other characteristic patterns of leadership. A few of the best-known include:

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is often identified as the single most effective style. This style was first described during the late 1970s and later expanded upon by researcher Bernard M. Bass. Transformational leaders are able to motivate and inspire followers and to direct positive changes in groups.

These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent, energetic, and passionate. They are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential.

Research shows that this style of leadership results in higher performance and more improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles. One study also found that transformational leadership led to improved well-being among group members.

Transactional Leadership

The transactional leadership style views the leader-follower relationship as a transaction. By accepting a position as a member of the group, the individual has agreed to obey the leader. In most situations, this involves the employer-employee relationship, and the transaction focuses on the follower completing required tasks in exchange for monetary compensation.

One of the main advantages of this leadership style is that it creates clearly defined roles. People know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange. This style allows leaders to offer a great deal of supervision and direction, if needed.

Group members may also be motivated to perform well to receive rewards. One of the biggest downsides is that the transactional style tends to stifle creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Situational Leadership

Situational theories of leadership stress the significant influence of the environment and the situation on leadership. Hersey and Blanchard's leadership stylesis one of the best-known situational theories. First published in 1969, this model describes four primary styles of leadership, including:

1. Telling: Telling people what to do

2. Selling: Convincing followers to buy into their ideas and messages

3. Participating: Allowing group members to take a more active role in the decision-making process

4. Delegating: Taking a hands-off approach to leadership and allowing group members to make the majority of decisions

Later, Blanchard expanded upon the original Hersey and Blanchard model to emphasize how the developmental and skill level of learners influences the style that should be used by leaders. Blanchard's SLII leadership styles model also described four different leading styles:

1. Directing: Giving orders and expecting obedience, but offering little guidance and assistance

2. Coaching: Giving lots of orders, but also lots of support

3. Supporting: Offering plenty of help, but very little direction

4. Delegating: Offering little direction or support

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It seems like there are as many different styles of leadership as there are leaders. Discover some of the most common leadership style frameworks.

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Leadership styles and characteristics of those leadership styles tend to overlap. This picture is a great way to this!

http://www.atlas101.ca/pm/concepts/lewins-3-leadership-styles/