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The right book can open your mind to a whole new world of possibilities and ideas. We all know that reading is key to gaining wisdom, but beyond raw knowledge and information, a good book can inspire you with the ideas it presents... and empower you to come up with your own.

Leaders should seek context to better understand the world around them, and that is what a compelling book can provide. Ideas can transform you and enable you to take on your own corner of the globe. With wisdom, inspiration and motivation, you can become the disruptor, pacesetter or entrepreneur that you dream of being.

No matter your age, you can benefit from the important insights books offer, starting with these eight tantalizing, mind-broadening volumes.

by Bob Burg and John David Mann

This is a compelling story of a struggling small business and an ambitious young executive charged with leading them to a crucial decision. The powerful message behind The Go-Giver Leader is that great leaders don't try to act like leaders; instead, they strive to be more human. They focus on the concept "give, and you shall receive."

The Go-Giver Leader promotes a mindset of being aware of those around you and expands on the idea that your influence is determined by how effectively you place others' interests first. Leaders who do this will create prosperity for their communities and society, as well as for their companies and employees.

We all fall under someone's influence, but do we understand why? Read this business classic and you'll learn the six universal principles of becoming a skilled persuader, which include reciprocity, social proof and authority. Influence brings science to the art of persuasion and explains the psychology of why people say yes.

Readers have said that reading this book is like discovering you have a hidden superpower-it can show you how to use your own untapped resources to persuade others. At the very least, Influence will teach you how to defend yourself when someone is trying to pressure you.

In a world of chaos and unpredictability, how do fledgling entrepreneurs and business leaders navigate a route to success? How do you overcome tumultuous circumstances to forge your own way in life and business?

Drawing on his experience as a Navy SEAL, where he faced unpredictable and relentless enemies in some of the most grueling and difficult environments on earth, Jeff Boss takes readers on a journey to understand how perseverance, humility and a team-first attitude allowed him to succeed. His anecdotal style highlights how individual mindsets, team practices and organizational considerations are key to developing the methodologies and practices that sustain long-term success.

In this book, Michael Lewis offers a humorous and perceptive look at the world of investment trading and the financial market. Lewis was fresh out of Princeton and the London School of Economics when he began his career with Salomon Brothers, a premier investment firm on Wall Street.

Liar's Poker destroys the myth that Wall Street seeks to make their investor clients successful-instead, their main goal is to remain fat and happy. Lewis offers an insider's account of the unprecedented era of greed, gluttony and fortune behind Wall Street.

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The right book can open your mind to a whole new world of possibilities and ideas. We all know that reading is key to gaining wisdom, but beyond raw knowledge and information, a good book can inspire you with the ideas it presents... and empower you to come up with your own.

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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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School Counseling Leadership Specialist Training | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Executive Search Firm | Executive Recruiters * Y Scouts

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The situational leadership theory is based on the premise that there is no best style of leadership, and it all depends on the situation.

The situational leader evaluates their team or organization by simply asking about the current situation of the organization. Based on the understanding that is derived by answering this question, they do what is required to successfully lead the team.

The following are some of the basic characteristics of the situational leadership style. Since the leadership style is flexible, there are no fixed traits that a situational leader exhibits. These attributes may all come into play depending on the situation.
1. Flexibility
The fundamental idea of situational leadership is that there is no such thing as a single best or fixed type of leadership. Leadership changes according to the requirements of the group or organization, and successful leaders are able to be flexible and adapt their style of leadership to the level of maturity of the group that they're trying to lead.
2. Changes according to the situation
The leadership style that the situational leader brings into play will be dependent on the situation at hand and the development level of the individuals involved. If the development level is low, the situational leader becomes more task-oriented. If the individuals are sufficiently developed, the leader will be more supportive.
3. Directing
Situational leadership will be high on the "directive" aspect when the subordinates are not sufficiently developed and need constant supervision. Here, the leader gives specific instructions about what the goals are, and exactly how the goals need to be achieved. It is similar to a parent supervising the actions of a toddler.
4. Coaching
If the situation demands it, the leader will also coach their team. This is an extension of the directive approach; the leader still provides detailed instructions but they also focus on encouraging the subordinates, soliciting inputs, and explaining why they have made certain decisions.
5. Participating
The situational leader may try to encourage a team to become more independent performing the tasks by letting them take routine decisions. High-level problem-solving is still under their purview, but they allow team members to actively participate in the decision-making process.
6. Delegating
When dealing with a highly matured and capable team, the situational leader will gradually reduce their supervision and involvement in the daily activities of team members. The leader is involved while discussing the tasks and deciding on the goals to be achieved, but after that team members have complete freedom on how they want to accomplish these goals.
7. Integrity
The situational leader does not change their approach merely to take advantage of the situation. They simply adapt in a way that is most appropriate considering factors such as the maturity level of followers, the organizational structure and culture, and the goals to be achieved. They do so with integrity, and are not motivated by a desire to unfairly capitalize on the weaknesses of the team or organization.
8. Courage
It takes a lot of courage for a leader to try out different leadership approaches and figure out which one is ideal. Most leaders stick to a particular way of doing things - whatever has worked best for them in the past. But situational leader is not afraid to take chances and to adopt a radically different leadership style if the situation demands it.
9. Clear vision
The situational leader has a clear vision of where the team is going. This is what allows a leader to identify and adopt the most effective behaviors and strategies to get to the goal.
10. Humility
The situational leader does not claim to know it all. With a group of highly developed and mature followers, they have the humility to accept limitations and seek the higher wisdom of the group.

Y Scouts is an executive search firm that helps nonprofits and social enterprises find exceptional leaders. We believe the right leaders make all the difference. We have pioneered a revolutionary approach to identify exceptional leaders and match them to the positions you need. We're passionate about the power of the right connections. Contact us if you are looking to find an exceptional leader. Or, to be considered for exceptional leadership opportunities with our clients, please take the first step by joining the Y Scouts Leadership Community.

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10 Situational Leadership Characteristics, Attributes and Traits

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The situational leader evaluates their team or organization by simply asking about the current situation of the organization. Based on the understanding that is derived by answering this question, they do what is required to successfully lead the team. The following are some of the basic characteristics of the situational leadership style.

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I present eight leadership theories here:

1) Great Man
2) Trait
3) Transactional
4) Situational
5) Contingency
6) Participative
7) Behavioral
8) Transformational

If you asked me which leadership theory is my favorite, I would tell you all of them - except the first three.

Why? Because the last five theories that I present here make perfect sense to me - plus, when you combine them (they are complimentary) and learn from them, you can potentially become an extremely effective leader.

Read on and be the judge ...

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1) Great Man Leadership Theories
These theories come from the study of people who were already famous leaders.

Most of the leaders studied were men and leadership was thought of as a male quality - hence: the "Great Man" theory (gender issues were not a concern then).

These theories represent the leaders as heroic, mythic, and destined to rise to the occasion when there was a need.

These theories also assume that leaders are born, not made.
2) Trait Leadership Theories
These leadership theories come from the study of traits (particular personality characteristics) shared by leaders - here; traits have nothing to do with physical attributes.

These theories assume that some traits are better suited for leadership than others and argue that great leaders have the right mix of combined traits.

These theories also assume that leaders are born - they inherit certain traits that make them better suited for leadership roles.
3) Transactional Leadership Theories
These theories - also known as management theories - concentrate on supervision, organization and group performance.

These theories assume that:

People are motivated by reward and punishment - hence, these theories base leadership on a system of rewards and punishments: when employees are successful, they are rewarded; when they fail, they are punished; when they perform as expected, they don't need special attention (they are ignored)

Social systems work best with a clear chain of command - the transactional leader must build clear structures
Transactional leadership asserts that when people have agreed to do a job in exchange for a salary and other benefits, a part of the deal is that they cede all authority to their manager (and to the company) - and the prime purpose of a subordinate is to do what their manager tells them to do.

In comparison, if Transformational Leadership has a selling style (see below) - Transactional Leadership has a telling style.
4) Situational Leadership Theories
These theories state that the follower's behavior determines the leader's behavior - the more the leader can adapt her behavior to the follower's needs, the more effective the leader's attempts to influence will be (in this sense, the leader must be follower-driven).

Hence, situational leadership is not as much about leadership as it is about meeting follower's needs.

The two factors to consider about your follower are:

Ability = her level of knowledge, experience and skill

Willingness = her level of confidence, commitment, and motivation5) Contingency Leadership Theories
These theories assert that there is no one best way of leading, no leadership style is the best in all circumstances, a leadership approach that is successful in some situations may not be helpful in others - on the contrary, success depends on different variables, including:

The leader's style

Qualities of the followers

Characteristics of the situation
Both Contingency Theories and Situational Theories emphasize that there is no one unique way of leading, but the main difference between the two is the following:

Situational theory states that the leader must adapt her behavior according to the follower's needs - whereas contingency theory includes a more extensive view that embraces other variables related to the environment.
6) Participative Leadership Theories
These leadership theories insist that the best leadership style seeks input, participation and contribution from group members such as subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders such as suppliers and clients (internal or external).

The leader however, retains the right to allow the input of others - how much other people can influence may vary on the manager's assessment of the situation, convictions, and values.

These theories assert the following:
Participation in decision-making - when done well - can potentially improve the quality of the decisionParticipation in decision-making enhances the understanding - the logic behind the final decision - by those who will execute the decisionParticipation in decision-making increases the social commitment to one another

Keep in mind though that asking for participation and then totally ignoring it can be extremely counterproductive.
7) Behavioral Leadership Theories
These leadership theories focus on what leaders actually do (on the actions of leaders) - they do not focus on inborn capabilities, mental traits, or particular personality characteristics.

They also assert that if leadership is observable and learnable behavior, other people aspiring to become leaders can learn to behave in the same way (leaders are made, not born).

These theories have opened the doors for leadership development, where anyone aiming to grow as a leader can learn to do so.
8) Transformational Leadership Theories
These theories - also known as relationship theories - focus on the relationships between leaders and followers.

These theories assume that ...

Leaders will have followers - and will get things done through them - if they inspire them

The leader with a clear and compelling vision - and passion - can inspire people to attain noble heights

The leader who wants to inspire people, must help them to see the importance and the higher good of a task - the task that the leader wants people to perform

Transformational leaders have high ethical and moral standards - leader's visibility, integrity, and trust are key ingredients in transformational leadership (the transformational leader is a clear and transparent role-model whom might be charismatic, but never narcissistic)
Transformational leaders are focused on the employees' performance, but they also want each individual to fulfill her potential - in this sense, people working for a transformational leader may live through a rewarding experience.

Transformational leaders - as the name implies - seek to transform.

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To learn about the skills you need to manage the performance of your direct reports, go to my Management Skills page.

To learn about the skills you need to lead the performance of your entire organization, go to my Leadership Skills page.

To learn about other useful skills, go to my More Skills page.

If you would like information beyond these leadership theories, please click on this link.

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I present eight leadership theories here: 1) Great Man2) Trait3) Transactional4) Situational5) Contingency6) Participative7) Behavioral8) Transformational If you asked me which leadership theory is my favorite, I would tell you all of them - except the first three. Why?

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Spread the loveThere are four major styles of leadership which apply well in the educational setting. While each of these styles has its good points, there is a wide berth of variation, and in fact transformational leadership is truly an amalgamation of the best attributes of the other three.

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Brighton School of Business and Management

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Company leaders are facing a crisis. Nearly one-third of employees don't trust management. In addition to this, employers now have to cater to the needs of the millennial generation. On average, after graduating from college, a millennial will change jobs four times before they are 32. Most of them also don't feel empowered on their current jobs.

It's clear that many leaders are failing to foster a sense of trust and loyalty in their employees. Fortunately, that doesn't have to be the case. Managers who show great leadership qualities can inspire their teams to accomplish amazing things, according to Daniel Wang, the creator of Loopring Protocol and founder of the Loopring Foundation. Loopring is a decentralized automated execution system that trades across the crypto-token exchanges. The platform reduces the cost of trading and shields users from counterparty risk. I've distilled my conversation with Wang to eight of the most essential qualities that make a great leader.
1. Sincere enthusiasm
True enthusiasm for a business, its products, and its mission cannot be faked. Employees can recognize insincere cheerleading from a mile away. However, when leaders are sincerely enthusiastic and passionate, that's contagious. For instance, someone who worked with Elon Musk on the early stages of his SpaceX project said that the true driver behind the success of the project was Musk's enthusiasm for space travel.

Wang says being enthusiastic helps a leader identify existing key problems in his industry. "Any innovation starts from these problems and ends with products and services, with some of the key issues resolved," he said.
2. Integrity
Whether it's giving proper credit for accomplishments, acknowledging mistakes, or putting safety and quality first, great leaders exhibit integrity at all times. They do what's right, even if that isn't the best thing for the current project or even the bottom line.

"When people see evidence that leaders lack integrity, that can be nearly impossible to recover from," Wang said. "Trust lost is difficult to get back."
3. Great communication skills
Leaders must motivate, instruct and discipline the people they are in charge of. They can accomplish none of these things if they aren't very skilled communicators. Not only that, poor communication can lead to poor outcomes. Leaders who fail to develop these skills are often perceived as being weak and mealy-mouthed, according to Wang. It's also important to remember that listening is an integral part of communication.
4. Loyalty
The best leaders understand that true loyalty is reciprocal. Because of this, they express that loyalty in tangible ways that benefit the member of their teams. True loyalty is ensuring that all team members have the training and resources to do their jobs. It's standing up for team members in crisis and conflict.

"Great leaders see themselves as being in a position of service to their team members," Wang said. "Employees who believe leadership is loyal to them are much more likely to show their own loyalty when it matters."
5. Decisiveness
A good leader isn't simply empowered to make decisions due to their position. They are willing to take on the risk of decision making. They make these decisions and take risks knowing that if things don't work out, they'll need to hold themselves accountable first and foremost.

Further, bosses who aren't decisive are often ineffective. Too much effort working on consensus building can have a negative effect. Rather than simply making a decision, many leaders allow debate to continue, and then create a piecemeal decision that satisfies no one.
6. Managerial competence
Too many organizations try to create leaders from people who are simply good at their jobs. To be clear, those who emerge as being very good workers often have important qualities. They are the ones who have a strong understanding of the company's products and services. They understand company goals, processes, and procedures. All of these are important.

On the other hand, being good at one's job doesn't prove that someone possesses the other competencies they need. For example, can they inspire, motivate, mentor and direct? Wang illustrates with major league baseball. While nearly all coaches have backgrounds as major league players, the most winning players aren't necessarily the most successful coaches.
7. Empowerment
A good leader has faith in their ability to train and develop the employees under them. Because of this, they have the willingness to empower those they lead to act autonomously. Wang says this comes from trusting that their team members are fully up to any challenges they face. When employees are empowered, they are more likely to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company and the customer as well. This is true, even if it means allowing workers to go a bit off script.
8. Charisma
Simply put, people are more likely to follow the lead of those they like. The best leaders are well-spoken, approachable and friendly. They show sincere care for others.

"People at all levels of an organization find it easy to relate to them and follow their lead," Wang concluded.

Every one of these qualities is absolutely essential to great leadership. Without them, leaders cannot live up to their full potential. As a result, their employees will never perform as well as they can either. Because of this, organizations must learn the best ways to identify and also to develop these necessary traits in existing and emerging leaders.

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8 Essential Qualities That Define Great Leadership

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Company leaders are facing a crisis. Nearly one-third of employees don't trust management. In addition to this, employers now have to cater to the needs of the millennial generation. On average, after graduating from college, a millennial will change jobs four times before they are 32.

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Authentic leaders are seen as genuine, or "real." Authentic leadership is still forming as a theory, but more research has been done the past few decades due to people's insecurity in leadership and their desire to have leaders who are honest and "good" (Northouse, 2016). My current supervisor, Beth, whom I just started under a month ago, is a great example of an authentic leader according to Bill George's practical approach to authentic leadership.

George's model focuses on the different qualities an authentic leader has (or can develop). If a leader demonstrates these qualities or characteristics, they will be a more authentic leader and their followers will respond positively and the organization will benefit. There are five dimensions described by George, and each are associated with an observable characteristic: purpose and passion, values and behavior, relationships and connectedness, self-discipline and consistency, and heart and compassion (Penn State, 2017). Beth displays all of these.

Authentic leaders have a sense of purpose, knowing what they are about and where they are headed (Northouse, 2017). Purpose manifests itself as passion. Passionate people are interested in what they are doing, are inspired and intrinsically motivated, and care about the work they are doing (Northouse, 2017). About a month ago, the work at the office was restructured. A new unit was created for a specific part of our job. I was placed in that unit under Beth who was selected to lead. Beth demonstrates passion for this new job, as she shows she cares about figuring out the best way to accomplish the work, and spends a lot of time running reports and brainstorming ways to help the new unit succeed.

Secondly, authentic leaders have values, know what they are, and don't compromise on those values (Northouse, 2017). This quality manifests itself through the leader's behavior, authentic leaders acting in accordance with their values. Beth clearly values that work is does according to policy and in the best interest of our clients. She does not let people take shortcuts if they are against policy, and will not compromise the rules. I see her as a better leader because of this, compared to other supervisors I have dealt with that do not follow policy at all times.

Thirdly, authentic leaders build relationships with others and have connectedness with their followers. They are willing to share their experiences and listen to others' experiences, and are communicative with their followers (Northouse, 2017). Beth does this often, she talks to us about her work and personal life sometimes, and listens when we talk about our lives as well. She is open about what changes are occurring, the thought process behind them, and demonstrates respect of all of us. Because she connects with us, we respect her in return, understand what is going on, and are more committed to her goals and ideas.

The fourth dimension of authentic leadership is self-discipline, which gives leaders focus and determination: ability to focus on a goal, and move forward towards that goal even in the face of setbacks (Northouse, 2017). This is consistency. Self-disciplined leaders remain cool, calm, and consistent during stressful situations (Northouse, 2017). Beth has demonstrated this a lot in the past month. Implementing our new process has come with a lot of confusion, stress, and situations coming to light that need adjustments. Beth has consistently kept her cool and kept all of us on track. She stays focused, adjusts what needs changed, keeps us in the loop, and moves forward.

Finally, authentic leaders have heart, which shows in their compassion. They are sensitive to others' needs and are willing to help them (Northouse, 2017). Beth has done this by noticing when we are stressed about the process (it has caused our workloads to increase dramatically and deadlines to shorten immensely). She checks in with us as a group and individually to see how we are dealing with everything, and what she can do to relieve the stress. She seems like she is genuinely concerned about her followers' well-being and wants to alleviate as much as she can.

Overall, all of these qualities of Beth are what make her an authentic leader. Her passion, behaviors, ability to connect, consistency, and compassion are all inspiring. It is clear through these actions that she cares about her job, the work, how to accomplish it, and how to keep her followers happy, productive, and focused. We know that no matter how stressful or complicated this new process is, Beth has our back, wants to find the best approach to get the work done, and will help us genuinely. I wish more leaders would display this level of authenticity.

References:

Northouse, Peter G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7 th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Pennsylvania State University. (2017). Lesson 12: Authentic Leadership. In PSYCH485: Leadership in Work Settings: Spring 2017. Retrieved from: http://psu.instructure.com.

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Five Characteristics of Authentic Leadership

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Authentic leaders are seen as genuine, or "real." Authentic leadership is still forming as a theory, but more research has been done the past few decades due to people's insecurity in leadership and their desire to have leaders who are honest and "good" (Northouse, 2016).

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At first blush, you may think a servant leader literally takes on the role of a servant. Taken to an extreme, that definition would look like this:

As you pull into work, the leader meets you at your car, opens your door, and welcomes you to the office. Maybe the leader gets you coffee mid-morning and drops by in the afternoon to see if you need anything. When you need assistance on a project, or maybe just someone to do the grunt work, there your leader is, waiting for you.

No, that isn't servant leadership.

Servant leadership is a blend and balance between leader and servant. You don't lose leadership qualities when becoming a servant leader.

A servant leader is one who:
1. Values diverse opinions.
A servant leader values everyone's contributions and regularly seeks out opinions. If you must parrot back the leader's opinion, you are not in a servant-led organization.
2. Cultivates a culture of trust.
People don't meet at the water cooler to gossip. Pocket vetoes are rejected.
3. Develops other leaders.
The replication factor is so important. It means teaching others to lead, providing opportunities for growth and demonstrating by example. That means the leader is not always leading, but instead giving up power and deputizing others to lead.
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4. Helps people with life issues (not just work issues).
1: Values diverse opinions 2: Cultivates a culture of trust 3: Develops other leaders 4: Helps people with life issues 5: Encourages 6: Sells instead of tells 7: Thinks you, not me 8: Thinks long-term 9: Acts with humility 5. Encourages.
It's important to offer opportunities for personal development beyond the job. Let's say you run a company program to lose weight, or lower personal debt, or a class on etiquette. None of these may help an immediate corporate need, but each may be important.
6. Sells instead of tells.
The hallmark of a servant leader is encouragement. And a true servant leader says, " Let's go do it," not, " You go do it."
7. Thinks "you," not "me."
A servant leader is the opposite of a dictator. It's a style all about persuading, not commanding.
8. Thinks long-term.
There's a selfless quality about a servant leader. Someone who is thinking only, "How does this benefit me?" is disqualified.
9. Acts with humility.
A servant leader is thinking about the next generation, the next leader, the next opportunity. That means a tradeoff between what's important today versus tomorrow, and making choices to benefit the future.

The leader doesn't wear a title as a way to show who's in charge, doesn't think he's better than everyone else, and acts in a way to care for others. She may, in fact, pick up the trash or clean up a table. Setting an example of service, the servant leader understands that it is not about the leader, but about others.

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At first blush, you may think a servant leader literally takes on the role of a servant. Taken to an extreme, that definition would look like this: As you pull into work, the leader meets you at your car, opens your door, and welcomes you to the office.

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Learning how to be a good leader can greatly impact the success of your team, your organization and yourself.

To be an effective leader, you must understand your own motivations, strengths and weaknesses.

Great leaders connect with their team by facilitating open communication, encouraging employee growth and development, and giving and receiving feedback.

Anyone can sit in a corner office and delegate tasks, but there is more to effective leadership than that. Effective leaders have major impacts on not only the team members they manage, but also their company as a whole. Employees who work under great leaders tend to be happier, more productive and more connected to their organization - and this has a ripple effect that reaches your business's bottom line.

"I think a great leader is one who makes those around them better," Dana Brownlee, founder of Professionalism Matters, told Business News Daily. "There are many litmus tests for a great leader, but I really look to those around them: Are they growing, becoming better leaders themselves, motivated, etc.?"

If you look around and see that your team members have become disengaged or stagnant in their work, it may be time to reassess and reform your strategies. According to Brownlee, the following behaviors are signs that you may have a poor leadership strategy:

No one on your team has criticized one of your ideas in the past month.

You spend more time planning your own career progression than that of your team members.

You haven't had at least three completely non-work-related conversations with a team member weekly.

Different team members would provide different answers if asked your top three priorities for the year.

Team members are afraid to fail.

A recent study by the Center for Creative Leadership showed that roughly 38% to more than half of new leaders fail within their first 18 months. Leaders can avoid becoming part of this staggering statistic by incorporating good leadership strategies that motivate their team members to accomplish their goals.

We spoke with CEOs, directors and leadership experts to learn what those leadership strategies are and how you can incorporate them.

1. Engage in honest, open communication.

One of the most important elements of effective leadership is creating an open line of communication with your team members. Sanjay Patoliya, the founder and director of Teclogiq, said that your own honesty and transparency should serve as an example for your team members.

"When you are responsible for a team of people, it is important to be straightforward," he said. "Your company and its employees are a reflection of yourself, and if you make honest and ethical behavior as a key value, your team will follow."

Brownlee added that great leaders are able to customize their interactions and communication styles to suit each situation and team member, based on individual preferences. "This means they take the time to figure out which communication mode is preferred by each team member - e.g., are they a text person, email, phone, or face-to-face? They're also great listeners and are authentically interested in other people."

Displaying active communication skills and transparency can build trust among your team and improve overall morale. Ruslan Fazlyev, CEO and founder of e-commerce solutions provider Ecwid, said that in all your communications, it's important to be genuine above all else.

"There are many leadership styles; there's no right and wrong," he said. "But there's genuine, and there's fake. There's no following to fake leadership."

2. Connect with your team members.

Leading a group of people requires a mutual sense of trust and understanding between the leader and their team members. To achieve this, leaders should learn to connect.

Terry "Starbucker" St. Marie, a leadership writer and consultant, said that being a "more human" leader requires positivity, purpose, empathy, compassion, humility and love. These key traits will put you on the road to genuine connections with the members of your team.

"Building a real, personal connection with your teammates is vital to developing the shared trust necessary to build a strong culture of accountability and exceptional performance," St. Marie said. "With that culture in place, the team can achieve a successful business, a happy team and a fulfilled leader."

To build a connection with each of your team members, focus on getting to know their personality, interests, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies and preferences. This can give you insight into their goals and motivations.

Patoliya said that successful leaders allow their teams to develop autonomy and add value according to their own personal strengths. "Being able to recognize the strengths of individuals within their team, and allowing them to be responsible and accountable, not only increases employees' confidence in themselves and their leader, but also increases their performance."

3. Encourage personal and professional growth.

Acting as your team's cheerleader is an important part of being an effective leader. You should be invested in their success and growth.

Keri Ohlrich, the CEO of HR consulting company Abbracci Group, said that leaders should set aside a budget, if only a small one, to dedicate to the growth of their employees.

"With options as varied as on-demand, virtual [and] in-person options, there's ample opportunity to continue learning new skills or further developing existing ones," she said. "Empower your employees to take the time to learn and infuse that in the work they do."

In addition to investing in your employees' growth financially, you should invest emotionally. John Rampton, founder and CEO of Calendar, said that great leaders empower their employees to grow by giving them challenging opportunities and guiding them as needed.

"To motivate and inspire employees, leadership strategy is about empowering others to do their best and take on new challenges," he said. "Employees like challenges and feeling the satisfaction of overcoming them. Whether it's a tough client, a difficult sale, a hard situation or whatever the case, it's always good to let them take on these challenges."

When leaders believe in their employees and give them the opportunity to learn and grow, they might be surprised how much they can accomplish. Don't be afraid to delegate tasks and encourage freedom and creativity.

4. Keep a positive attitude.

As much as leaders wish their team's day-to-day operations could run smoothly all the time, they're bound to run into the occasional obstacle. Whether it's a minor miscommunication or a major error, the way you handle a negative situation says a lot about your leadership skills.

Robert Mann, author of The Measure of a Leader (iUniverse, 2013), recommended focusing on the good in any set of circumstances. "Look at three positive things about a problem before you identify what makes it dissatisfying. The more you look at the positives in a problem, the more positively people react with one another."

In his research, Mann has found that after individuals point out things they're happy with in a problematic situation, they don't feel so strongly about the problem and are better able to think clearly and solve it. The same is true when a leader needs to improve their strategy. If you or a team member notices a particular course of action you've taken that just isn't working, figure out some things you've done in the past that have worked.

Patoliya added that focusing on solutions, rather than problems, can help your team maintain positive engagement. "A positive environment is more likely to create a more engaged and productive workforce. By displaying enthusiasm and confidence, a good leader will see the impact that they can have in their working environment."

5. Teach employees instead of giving orders.

An effective leader knows how to show others what is required, rather than simply telling them. Luke Iorio, president and CEO of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), said leaders should coach their team members toward a more collaborative, committed work environment - without coaxing them.

"[If you are] controlling people to do certain things in certain ways, you're not going to get the level of engagement that you're looking for," he said. "Coaching is about helping the people you lead recognize the choices they have in front of them. People will [then] take a great deal of ownership over the direction of the project."

As opposed to simply barking orders at team members, Rampton said that good leaders should encourage growth by teaching. "People wouldn't grow if leaders never taught them anything. Leaders need to be teaching so they can grow new leaders to take their place."

6. Set clear employee goals and expectations.

Setting clear goals and employee expectations for your team is key to employee success. When setting these objectives, encourage employee questions and feedback. Including them in the process can increase engagement.

Amish Shah, president of ALTR Created Diamonds, said that good leaders will also explain the company vision and how team member goals fit into that equation.

"For a leader to motivate and inspire, they need to keep their team in the know about their vision," he said. "This helps employees understand the end result they're working towards as a unit. When goals are clearly set, everyone can track progress and identify achievements in a tangible manner."

Ohlrich also stressed the importance of explaining how these goals impact the organization as a whole. She said that, regardless of seniority level, every employee should be able to articulate how the work they do supports the success of the company.

Don't let team member goals go static. Periodically revisit goals to modify or rearrange them as needed. This will let your team members know that you are present and aware of what they are working on.

7. Give direct feedback about performance.

Taso Du Val, CEO and founder of the Toptal freelance talent network, said direct, honest feedback - even if it's criticism - is the best way to guide your team in the right direction. You also need to know exactly where your business is headed so you can give them the right advice.

"If you're not direct, people won't know what you truly think about them and their work, and they will never be able to improve," Du Val said. "If you don't know the precise direction your company is headed, no matter how much you've communicated to your employees and leadership team regarding their individual performance, they will flounder when it comes to making decisions and taking actions. Once those basic principles are in place, deadlines, regular product plans, performance reviews, structure and processes can easily be put into place."

In addition to providing constructive feedback and performance reviews, highlight employee accomplishments. If a team member does something great, let them know. Celebrate their wins and thank them for their hard work.

"Positive recognition will create an environment of productivity," said Shah. "Acknowledging successes by outlining how it impacts the business, rather than with vague pats on the back, is not only encouraging but also helps a person work better in the long run."

8. Ask for feedback on your leadership.

Your team members aren't the only ones who can benefit from honest feedback. A true self-assessment of your leadership can be difficult, so mentors, fellow professionals and even your own staff are invaluable in evaluating your effectiveness. According to St. Marie, talking to friends and peers can give you necessary perspective on your leadership style and approach.

Leadership coaching can also help you discover areas where you need improvement. A professional who helps you develop a plan to achieve your leadership goals can be more motivational than books and seminars alone.

"Coaching allows leaders to make the connection and apply [changes] in a real-life setting," Iorio said. "You need time to integrate, process and reflect, and unless you go through those steps, you won't have sustainable change."

Fazlyev agreed, noting that your team can give you critical insight into what's working, what's not working and what obstructions you must overcome to achieve success.

9. Be open to new ideas.

Good leaders have the emotional intelligence to understand and accept that change is inevitable. Instead of trying to maintain a status quo just for the sake of consistency, embrace change and innovation. Be open to new ideas and alternative ways of thinking. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table, and that is something to take advantage of, not discourage.

"When you're open to hearing the thoughts of the talent around you is when you truly embrace every possibility and potential," said Shah. "See things through till the end. Understand that there will be errors along the way, but if something doesn't work, try to figure out why and how before scrapping it."

When solving a problem, encourage team members to provide their insights. When employees feel like they can openly bring new ideas to the table, true innovation, engagement and success can prevail.

10. Understand your own motivation.

If a person in a leadership position views their role as "just a job," it's going to show. To be an effective leader, you need the right motivation. Is it the money or the prestige you care about, or do you sincerely want to inspire people to do their best?

St. Marie advised leaders to really ask themselves why they want to lead. "I look at leadership as an honor and a vocation. If, in your heart, you feel leadership is your destiny and how you'll make a difference in this world, then you are certainly starting from the right place."

In addition to what motivates you, Ohlrich said it is important to know what decreases your energy. "Knowing your strengths and weaknesses help you diversify your team and get a well-rounded portfolio of skills. It helps you not hire carbon copies of yourself and surround yourself with others who are not like you."

Your leadership style plays a role in how you interact with employees and should be evaluated as well. There are nine different leadership styles, and the best leaders are able to adapt each style to their situations and employees. If you are currently in a leadership role and aren't sure where you stand on some of these qualities, you can take a quick leadership self-assessment quiz from the Leading With Courage Academy to assess your leadership abilities.

Remember that being a good leader takes time. Although some individuals are naturally inclined to have good leadership skills, it is something anyone can learn and improve upon. With hard work, dedication and strategic planning, you can lead your team to success.
Additional reporting by Nicole Fallon and Shannon Gausepohl. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

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How to Be a Good Leader - businessnewsdaily.com

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Be an effective leader by facilitating open communication, encouraging employee growth and success, setting team goals, and giving performance feedback.

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Why Do Some People Become Great Leaders?

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Why do certain people become great leaders? Leadership theories seek to answer this question and usually fit into one of eight basic types.

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Some people believe that leaders are born, not made. Others, however, think leadership skills can be developed and honed, just like any other ability.

Members of tend to agree with the latter theory, as many of them work closely with up-and-coming professionals to help them become better, more effective leaders. Thesecoaches are also finely attuned to workplace trends, and based on today's changing environment, they know what skills leaders will need to succeed.

Here are 16 leadership skills that will be imperative to the future of work.

The speed of the market and our workplaces, powered by the constant stream of new technology and the "on demand" expectations it has created, will continue to accelerate. Leaders who can quickly yet effectively think, decide and inspire will be critical to keep up with these fast-changing competitive demands. - Bonnie Davis, Destination Up

As the workplace evolves to become more transparent, collaborative and mindful, leaders must be equally diligent to earn respect from their team. Leaders must hold themselves responsible and accountable for the effect their influence has on their employees and the organization as a whole. Leadership should be earned anew each day. - Sheri Nasim, Center for Executive Excellence
3. Empathy
The future of leadership will revolve around our capacities to build emotional intelligence within ourselves as leaders, and those whose lives we touch. Empathy and compassion aren't just ideals of ancient spiritual teachings; they are cornerstones for bringing people together in mutual understanding around vital, complex and sometimes alienating socio-political and economic issues. - Dave Ursillo, DaveUrsillo.com
4. Selflessness
Leaders of the future will know how to tirelessly encourage the dreams of those around them while diffusing their fears. This requires leaders to have unshakable certainty in themselves and a willingness to be generous with those they lead. - Monique Alvarez, Monique Alvarez Enterprises
5. Flexibility
The days of cubicles and 9-to-5 routines are winding down. Teams are quickly transitioning to work from remote locations, on their own time, on platforms that change every single day. Flexibility may be an old-school idea, yet it's a principle leaders will always need. Adapting to the changing technology and millennial-created cultures continue to keep leaders fresh and effective. - Hanna Hermanson, Dream Life is Real Life
6. Committing To A Clear Vision
Upholding a vision for the future is nothing new to leadership, as are other key traits like emotional intelligence and being willing to take necessary risks. But there is something to be said for being unwavering in the pursuit of a mission and vision. Leaders who can capitalize on ways to make that future vision a reality will take their companies and staff further, faster. - Laura DeCarlo, Career Directors International
7. Listening
The pace of work, innovation and change continues to accelerate. Leaders need to be highly skilled listeners to stay ahead of the curve on what's happening with their teams, their clients and their partners. That will require learning to listen on multiple levels, including being able to tune in better to the emotional soundtracks of those they lead, serve and work with. - Joe Casey, Princeton Executive Coaching
8. Humility

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16 Essential Leadership Skills For The Workplace Of Tomorrow

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Some people believe that leaders are born, not made. Others, however, think leadership skills can be developed and honed, just like any other ability. Members of tend to agree with the latter theory, as many of them work closely with up-and-coming professionals to help them become better, more effective leaders.

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6 Leadership Theories to define Effectiveness of Leaders
By Bhudeb Chakrabarti
Leadership is the projection of personality; It is a combination of persuasion, compulsion and example that makes other people do what the leader wants them to do. ~ Field-Marshal Sir William Slim, outstanding British and Allied commanders of World War II.

Leading is the art of influencing and motivating people to perform in a manner to achieve a common goal. The sum total of a leader's roles, tasks and responsibilities and interpersonal influences constitutes leadership.

A leader should not only be intelligent (with general problem-solving capacity) but should also possess high integrity and character, equally concerned with ends (doing the right thing) and means (doing rightly).

Effective leaders have to work ceaselessly and communicate with the people to motivate them in an efficient manner.

What makes a Leader Effective?

Numerous studies have been conducted and a considerable amount of research has been done to find out how a leader becomes effective. Various theories have been postulated from time to time to zero in on the factors that influence the effectiveness of leaders.

Trait Theories emphasize the traits or qualities of leaders, which lead to their lead to their effectiveness. The Trait Theories, however, could not establish the traits that should be common to all leaders. Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru were all great leaders but their personalities had distinctly different characteristics. It also fails to explain the instances of leadership failures, where leaders failed despite possessing the required traits.

So while certain traits such as confidence, charisma, knowledge etc may help leaders to become more effective, relying entirely on those traits may not always help them to motivate their people to achieve the stated goal.

The Behavioural Theories sought to identify the specific behaviours of leaders that lead to their leadership success.

Leaders may demonstrate task-oriented or people-oriented behaviours and may make decisions using authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire styles. However, it was seen that the preferred behavioural styles of leaders produced varied result under different circumstances. It appeared the Behavioural Theories overlooked the situational factors and the environment in which behaviours are demonstrated.

The limitations of the Trait Theories and the Behavioural Theories led to the transition to the Contingency Theories and development of contingency models.

Read: 8 Skills That Will Make You An Effective Leader

3. Contingency Theories

Contingency theories state that effectiveness of leadership is related to the interplay of a leader's traits, behaviours and other situational factors.

Fred Fiedler Contingency Model

Fred Fiedler Model assumes that performance of a group depends upon leadership style and favourableness of the situation. Some leadership styles work better in certain situations.

For example, task-oriented leaders appeared to perform better in very favourable and very unfavourable situations. In contrast, the relationship-oriented leaders tended to perform better in moderately favourable situations.

When confronted by the Axis Forces during the Second World War, The British faced a tough situation. Field Marshal Montgomery, a task-oriented leader instituted a regime of continuous training, insisted on high levels of physical fitness and was ruthless in sacking officers he considered would be unfit for command in action. He proved to be the best British Field Commander in such an unfavourable situation.

In very favourable situations too, such as during the times of peace, the Armed Forces always need a Task-oriented leader to keep the rank and file battle - ready.

Fiedler believed that since a person's natural leadership style is fixed, and certain leadership styles work better in certain situations, the most effective way to handle a changing situation is to change the leader. So, Fed Fiedler's Model did not allow for flexibility in leaders.

⇒ As we proceed, you may want to check out these Leadership Training Resources.

Hersey-Blanchard Situational Model

Hersey-Blanchard Situational Model suggests that leadership style should be matched to the maturity of the subordinates. Depending on the subordinates' level of maturity (from highly immature to highly mature), a leader may adopt any of these styles:

Telling (High Task-Low Relationship)

Selling (High Task-High Relationship)

Participating (Low Task-High Relationship)

Delegating (Low Task-Low Relationship)

While dealing with new entrants to an organisation, a leader would need to adopt a Telling style and Tell them exactly what to do and how to do. At the same time, the leader would need to adopt a delegating style while interfacing with persons at the higher echelons.

Read: 8 Theories of Motivation

Path-Goal Model (by Robert House) suggest that a leader can affect the motivation and performance of a group by:

Offering rewards for the achievement of performance goals

Clarifying paths towards these goals

Removing performance obstacles

The model identified four leadership behaviours (directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented) and assumed that the leaders could be flexible to adopt any style according to situations.

Vroom- Yetton Model suggests that leadership style (autocratic, consultative, group) may be chosen by consideration of a number of situation variables in the form of questions forming a decision tree.

4.Charismatic Leadership Theory

A Charismatic leader commands authority not by the virtue of a formal position but by the virtue of charismatic personality. Envisioning, empathy and empowerment are the three core components of charismatic leadership. The Theory states that people would attribute heroic or extraordinary qualities to the Charismatic Leaders who had an idealized goal and a strong commitment.

Read: Leadership lessons from the life of Nelson Mandela

5. Transactional Leadership Theory

This theory bases leadership on a system of rewards and punishments that are contingent upon the performance of the followers. Transactional leadership is often used in business and Transactional leaders are task and outcome-oriented.

6. Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders are able to inspire followers with their vision and personality to change expectations, perceptions, and motivations for working towards common goals. Four components of Transformational Leadership are:

Intellectual Stimulation

Consideration for individuals

Inspirational Motivation

Idealized Influence

An excerpt from Transformational Leadership by Bass and Riggio

Transformational leaders...are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers' needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization.

Transformational leadership is best suited for knowledge workers, where leaders and followers can take each other to a higher level of moral and motivation.

Finally, it won't be out of context to mention here that leaders with character and integrity, who work towards a greater goal with conviction, inspire their followers.

Read: 7 Steps to developing Creative Leadership Skills.

Enlightened leadership is service, not selfishness. ~ Lao Tzu.

Men of stainless character and self-purification will easily inspire confidence and automatically purify the atmosphere around them. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Related Resources:
This article is contributed by Bhudeb Chakrabarti, Dy IG (Retd) CRPF. He has commanded several Operational and Administrative functions in the force and has imparted training to gazetted officers of CRPF and other central & state police forces.
If you like this post, please consider following the blog.
Please like, share and/or leave feedback in comments below!
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References:
Bass, B. M. & Riggio, R. E. (2008). Transformational Leadership. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

By: Bhudeb Chakrabarti

No biography available at this time

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6 Leadership Theories to define Effectiveness of Leaders

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By Bhudeb Chakrabarti Leadership is the projection of personality; It is a combination of persuasion, compulsion and example that makes other people do what the leader wants them to do. ~ Field-Marshal Sir William Slim, outstanding British and Allied commanders of World War II. What is Leadership?

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Do you have the leadership skills that employers look for? Whether you are an office manager or a project leader, all good leaders require a number of soft skills to help them positively interact with employees or team members.

What Makes an Effective Leader

Effective leaders have the ability to communicate well, motivate their team, handle and delegate responsibilities, listen to feedback, and have the flexibility to solve problems in an ever-changing workplace.

Note

Whether you're starting out in an entry-level position and looking to move up the career ladder or you're seeking a promotion, your leadership skills will be among your most valuable assets.

Top 10 Leadership Skills

Here are the top ten leadership skills that make a strong leader in the workplace.

1. Communication

As a leader, you need to be able to clearly and succinctly explain to your employees everything from organizational goals to specific tasks. Leaders must master all forms of communication, including one-on-one, departmental, and full-staff conversations, as well as communication via the phone, email, video, chat, and social media.

Note

A large part of communication involves listening. Leaders should make themselves regularly available to discuss issues and concerns with employees. Other skills related to communication include:

2. Motivation

Leaders need to inspire their workers to go the extra mile for their organizations; just paying a fair salary to employees is typically not enough inspiration (although it is important too). There are a number of ways to motivate your workers: you may build employee self-esteem through recognition and rewards, or by giving employees new responsibilities to increase their investment in the company.

Leaders must learn what motivators work best for their employees or team members to encourage productivity and passion. Skills related to effective motivation include:

Allowing employee autonomy

Asking for input

Assessing the interests of staff

Convincing

Mentoring

Open to employee concerns

Persuasive

Providing productive and challenging work

Providing rewards

Recognizing others

Setting effective goals

Team-building

Thanking staff

Understanding employee differences

3. Delegating

Leaders who try to take on too many tasks by themselves will struggle to get anything done. These leaders often fear that delegating tasks is a sign of weakness, when it actually can be a sign of a strong leader.

Therefore, you need to identify the skills of each of your employees, and assign duties to each employee based on his or her skill set. By delegating tasks to staff members, you can focus on other important tasks. Some skills that make a good delegator include:

Accepting feedback from employees

Allotting resources for employees

Assessing employee strengths and weaknesses

Defining expectations

Evaluating employee performance

Identifying measurable outcomes

Matching the task to the right employee

Prioritizing tasks

Setting expectations

Time management

Training

Trust in employees

4. Positivity

A positive attitude can go a long way in an office. You should be able to laugh at yourself when something doesn't go quite as planned; this helps create a happy and healthy work environment, even during busy, stressful periods.

Note

If employees feel that they work in a positive environment, they will be more likely to want to be at work, and will therefore be more willing to put in the long hours when needed. Some skills that help make for a positive atmosphere in the workplace include:

5. Trustworthiness

Employees need to be able to feel comfortable coming to their manager or leader with questions and concerns. It is important for you to demonstrate your integrity- employees will only trust leaders they respect.

By being open and honest, you will encourage the same sort of honesty in your employees. Here are some skills and qualities that will help you convey your trustworthiness as a leader:

Ability to apologize

Accountability

Business ethics

Confidentiality

Conscientious

Consistent in behavior towards employees

Credibility

Emotional intelligence

Empathy

Honesty

Integrity

Moral compass

Reliability

Respectfulness

Standing up for what is right

Thoughtful

6. Creativity

As a leader, you have to make a number of decisions that do not have a clear answer, so you need to be able to think outside of the box.

Note

Many employees will also be impressed and inspired by a leader who doesn't always choose the safe, conventional path. Here are some skills related to creative thinking:

Analytical

Cognitive flexibility

Conceptualization

Critical thinking

Curiosity

Embracing different cultural perspectives

Foresight

Identifying patterns

Imaginative

Innovative

Listening to others' ideas

Making abstract connections

Observation

Open-mindedness

Problem solving

Sound judgment

Synthesizing

Leaders should constantly look for opportunities to deliver useful information to team members about their performance. However, there is a fine line between offering employees advice and assistance, and micromanaging. By teaching employees how to improve their work and make their own decisions, you will feel more confident delegating tasks to your staff.

Employees will also respect a leader who provides feedback in a clear but empathetic way. Some skills for giving clear feedback include:

Being open to receiving feedback

Building confidence in employees

Clarity

Clearly laying out expectations

Coaching

Following up

Frequent feedback

Listening to employees' responses

Mentoring

Positive reinforcement

Providing specific advice

Respectful

8. Responsibility

A leader is responsible for both the successes and failures of his or her team. Therefore, you need to be willing to accept blame when something does not go correctly.

If your employees see their leader pointing fingers and blaming others, they will lose respect for you. Accept mistakes and failures, and then devise clear solutions for improvement. Here are some skills and qualities that help leaders convey their responsibility:

Acknowledging mistakes

Being open to customer feedback

Evaluating best solutions

Forecasting

Learning from past mistakes

Listening to feedback from employees and managers

Project planning

Reflectiveness

Resolving problems

Transparency

Troubleshooting

9. Commitment

It is important for leaders to follow through with what they agree to do. You should be willing to put in the extra hours to complete an assignment; employees will see this commitment and follow your example.

Similarly, when you promise your staff a reward, such as an office party, you should always follow through. A leader cannot expect employees to commit to their jobs and their tasks if he or she cannot do the same. Some skills related to commitment in the workplace include:

Applying feedback

Commitment to company objectives

Determination

Embracing professional development

Following through

Keeping promises

Passion

Perseverance

Prioritization

Professionalism

Team player

Work ethic

10. Flexibility

Mishaps and last-minute changes always occur at work. Leaders need to be flexible, accepting whatever changes come their way. Employees will appreciate your ability to accept changes in stride and creatively problem solve.

Similarly, leaders must be open to suggestions and feedback. If your staff is dissatisfied with an aspect of the office environment, listen to their concern and be open to making necessary changes. Employees will appreciate a leader's ability to accept appropriate feedback. Skills related to flexibility include:

Ability to learn new skills

Ability to respond to new problems or issues

Adaptability

Improvising

Negotiating

Open to feedback

Recognizing individuals' strengths and skills

Treating employees as individuals

More Essential Skills for Leaders

Review a list of leadership skills and examples, as well as some of the best skills to include on your resume and LinkedIn, incorporate them into your job search and career materials, and mention them during job interviews.

How You Can Build Leadership Skills

You do not need to supervise or be a manager to cultivate leadership skills. You can develop these skills on the job in the following ways:

Take initiative: Look beyond the tasks in your job description. Think long-term about what would be beneficial for your department and the company. Try to brainstorm ideas and commit to doing work that goes beyond the daily routine.

Request more responsibility: While you wouldn't want to ask for additional responsibility in your second week on the job, once you've been in a position long enough to become an expert, you can share with your manager that you're eager to grow your leadership abilities. Ask how you can help out-are there upcoming projects that require a point person? Is there any work that you can take off of your manager's to-do list?

Target specific skills: If you have a specific skill that you want to develop-whether it's creative thinking or communication-create a plan to improve your abilities in this area. This could mean taking a class, finding a mentor to help, reading books, or setting a small goal that forces you to develop this skill. Talk to managers and co-workers, as well as friends outside of the office, to help develop your plan to improve.

How to Showcase Your Skills

You can use the skill words listed here as you search for jobs. For example, apply the terms in your resume, especially in the description of your work history. You can also incorporate them into your cover letter. Mention one or two of the skills mentioned here, and give specific examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits at work.

You can also use these words in your interview. Keep the top skills listed here in mind during your interview, and be prepared to give examples of how you've exemplified leadership when you respond.

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Important Leadership Skills for Workplace Success

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Do you have the leadership skills that employers look for? Whether you are an office manager or a project leader, all good leaders require a number of soft skills to help them positively interact with employees or team members.

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"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people." - Lee Iacocca

You've probably met a person who oozed of charisma. The almost-indescribable characteristic is something we associate with other leaders, while we consider some people simply lacking it. More often than not, charismatic leaders are considered powerful orators with a clear vision.

But what is charismatic leadership about? In this guide, we'll explore the theories that gave birth to this leadership style from Weber to House. We'll also look at the core elements of charismatic leadership theory and analyze the characteristics leaders need to possess in order to be considered charismatic. Finally, we'll explore the advantages and disadvantages of the style before examining a few examples of the style.

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT CONTEXT OF CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

Charisma is a trait often associated with leaders and the world is full of examples of people being described as charismatic leaders. The term charismatic comes from the ancient Greek word charis, which means grace, kindness and life. Charismatic people are considered as graceful and virtuous. The idea of using one's charisma and influence in order to lead is not a new way of looking at leadership, although the theories around it are rather recent.

In this section, we'll explore the idea of charismatic leadership through its past and present contexts.

The historical context

The idea of a strong and noble leader, who relies on personal characteristics, has been present in history. People have attributed and associated great personalities with the ability to rule in a good manner ever since the dawn of time.

In terms of crafting a proper leadership theory, the two biggest influencing theories behind charismatic theory have been developed by Max Weber and Robert J. House.

Max Weber's charismatic leadership

The charismatic theory's driving force is Max Weber's study on political obligation. The German sociologist explored the reasons people follow authority and the findings were published posthumously in 1922 in Economy and Society.

Weber moved away from the classical thinking that authority is achieved through the three routes:

Self-interest - You obey for material or economic gain

Fear - You follow the rules because you don't want the punishment

Habit - You obey simply out of the socialization of authority

Instead, Weber thought people follow a leader or a state because they evaluate the authority and perceive it good, right or just form of power. Therefore, the leader's legitimacy is subjective to each subordinate.

From the above ideas, Weber distinguished three models of legitimate leadership, summed up in the below image:

Weber's idea of charisma was value-free and more about the appearance of charisma rather than making specific value judgments. He writes in the book how charisma " knows no formal and regulated appointment or dismissal, no career, advancement, or salary, no supervisory or appeals body, no local or purely technical jurisdiction, and no permanent institutions in the manner of bureaucratic agencies ". Charismatic leaders are almost savior like and people follow them as they are perceived to put things right.

Charismatic leadership relies on three components in Weber's theory. There is the psychological dimension, which refers to the inner qualities of the leader. Weber talks about the trait being a "gift" of the leader, claiming it could be either a divine trait or a specific physical or mental state of being. But since charisma to Weber, is value-free and created by the subordinates' assumptions, there is no detailed explanation on the origins of charisma.

The second dimension is about the social aspect. Charismatic leadership might not stem purely out of one's inner being, but have a social source. This could be the cultural influence of society, family, work or even education. Charisma essentially takes on a traditional form and legitimizes its source. The impersonal nature of charisma implies that it can be taught, according to Weber.

Finally, Weber's theory also has a relational dimension between the leader and the subordinate. According to Weber, charisma is the " affectual relationship between leader and followers developing as the historical product of the interaction between person and situation ". A leader has to prove his or her worth and the charisma in order to continue to enjoy legitimacy. Charismatic leadership is therefore relational because the subordinates can withdraw their support, leading the leader without legitimacy to rule.

Interestingly, Weber's charismatic leader carried its own demise and the legitimate authority of a charismatic leader was something he didn't think could last. This was because it changed the system it was operating in and removed the traditional justification of authority around it. According to Weber, charismatic leadership would be hard to routinize and therefore, it created succession issues in organizations or the state.

Interested in learning why we as humans are prone to falling for charismatic leaders? Watch this TED talk.

Robert J. House's charismatic leadership

Weber's ideas of charismatic leadership were theoretical and the conversation that followed around the topic tended to be speculative in nature. In 1976, Robert J. House published his working paper A 1976 theory of charismatic leadership, which aimed to move the theory to a more testable concept. House moved the charismatic leadership theory more towards a psychological explanation, rather than a sociological or political science theory of power.

House's main argument was that charismatic leadership is rooted in personal and behavioral characteristics and the leaders with these qualities can inspire subordinates through appropriate articulation of the organizational vision. Therefore, it follows the similar notion of Weber that charismatic leaders don't receive authority out of fear or financial gain, but out of emotional excitement.

To communicate the vision to subordinates, charismatic leaders need to showcase high levels of self-confidence, dominance, influence and strong conviction. Furthermore, certain situational and organization factors can help boost the leadership's appearance. These assumptions and characteristics will be discussed further in the following sections.

The main takeaway from House's theory is that charismatic leadership should not be defined solely in terms of the effects it has on followers. Instead, House looked more towards the behaviors and the situational factors that influence the effectiveness of charismatic leaders.

The modern context

The above two theories have largely shaped the conversation around charismatic leadership, providing the theory with context and testable characteristics. The two theories, along with other research on the leadership model, have revived the trait-based approach to leadership.

Since charismatic leadership is linked with personal traits and the transformation of subordinates, the current conversation around the model often links it with transformational leadership theory. Both of these theories seek radical changes around the organizational structure they operate in, yet there are certain important differences between the two.

While charisma can improve the effectiveness of leadership, transformational leaders don't necessarily have to be perceived as charismatic in order to rule efficiently. Furthermore, transformational leadership always has change at the heart of it, whereas charismatic leadership might not be interested in changing the operational structure of the organization.

Nonetheless, in current literature, charismatic leadership has assumed a more benevolent approach to leadership. Instead of focusing on a strong moral conviction and the personality traits of the leader, the inclusion of transformational elements has added a behavior element to the theory.

Aside from linking charismatic leadership with other leadership styles, such as transformational and inspirational leadership, the focus has also moved even more towards the emotional, inspirational and symbolic aspects of the leadership's ability to influence. In 2007, J. C. Pastor, M. Mayo and B. Shamir's research found the emotional responses of the subordinates influence the perception of the leader as charismatic. Furthermore, it isn't purely about the leader's apparent qualities, but the characteristics of the subordinates can influence how effective charismatic leaders are.

Ronald E. Riggio, PhD and professor of leadership and organizational psychology, summed up the current idea of charismatic leadership well in his 2012 article. Riggio defined charismatic leaders as " individuals who are both verbally eloquent, but also able to communicate to followers on a deep, emotional level. " Charismatic leadership is about creating a vision and captivating people emotionally with the message.

THE CORE ELEMENTS OF CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

The above touched on the context and approach to charismatic leadership. It's now time to consider the core elements of the leadership model and how they drive the above ideas forward.

Organizational and situational assumptions

House's 1976 essay on charismatic leadership outlined key assumptions regarding the leadership model. The assumptions rely on the idea that charismatic leadership relies on the behavioral, situational and organizational factors.

First, charismatic leadership requires the leader to showcase behaviors, which create an impression of competence and success. In short, the leadership requires a strong goal articulation. D. Berlew wrote in Leadership and Organization Excitement in 1974 that, " The first requirement for...charismatic leadership is a common or shared vision for what the future could be." A good example of this would be Martin Luther Kings, " I have a dream ". The speech and idea provided subordinates a vision of the future, the leader would want them to accomplish together. According to House, the goal articulation is more often about ideology rather than pragmatism.

For successful goal articulation to appear, a charismatic leadership theory requires the use of motive arousal. This means the goal and vision put forward by the leader must create an emotional appeal and spark off the right type of motivational response. House points out to the example of military leaders, who use authoritarian symbolism and images of the enemy in order to excite the followers. He gives the example of the US military leader, Patton, who addressed recruits " against the background of a large American flag, and dressed with medals of his accomplishments and wearing a shining helmet displaying the four stars indicating the status of general. "

The motive arousal aspect of charismatic leadership requires an understanding and an analysis of the task and the subordinates' need for achievement, affiliation and power. The effectiveness to accomplish tasks can therefore be manipulated by the leader's ability to arouse the right motives. House summarized studies, which had found the following assumptions:

Assumption of calculated risks

Achievement oriented initiative

Assumption of personal responsibility

Persistence toward challenging goals

The need for achievement

Being persuasive

Asserting influence

Exercising control over others

Being competitive or combative

The need for power

Affiliative behavior

Cohesiveness

Team work

Peer support

The need for affiliation

Finally, charismatic leadership requires specific situational determinants. For Weber, charismatic leadership is born out of a stressful situation. The vision outlined by the leader is likely something difficult or impossible to achieve, yet which creates the right motive arousal in leaders, enforcing the idea of the charismatic leader as the 'savior'. An example could be Mahatma Ghandi in India during the Indian independence movement. In a business environment a failing company might benefit from a charismatic leader who creates a vision of a better future for subordinates.

But stressful disasters are not the only situational determinant charismatic leadership can use as an advantage. Edward Shils' 1965 paper Charisma, Order, and Status identified the formal institutions of society, with large amounts of power, being something that could be perceived charismatic. In essence, the idea of the "awe-inspiring quality of power" can integrate a vision and therefore, become seen as charismatic.

Behavioral assumptions

For the above characteristics of charismatic leadership to work efficiently, the behavior of the leader must be aligned with the assumptions. Charismatic leadership model emphasizes the behavioral assumptions as the key.

As mentioned in the previous section, House outlined the four qualities of a charismatic leader. These were:

Dominant

Strong desire to influence others.

Self-confident.

Strong sense of one's own moral values.

Interestingly, charismatic leaders are not just interested or relying on showcasing the above qualities themselves, but rather they behave in a way that supports role-modeling behavior. Essentially this means charismatic leadership wants subordinates to adopt the behaviour of the leader.

Role-modeling has been shown by studies to have a strong effect on influencing other people. An authoritative figure can get subjects to administer pain to other people and people can adopt biased or racist attitudes from leaders. But naturally, role-modeling could be used for positive change and behavior as well. In a corporate environment, role-modeling could work as a method of improving employee motivation. According to House's analysis, " leaders can have an effect on the values (or valences) subordinates' attach to the outcomes of their effort as well as their expectations ".

From the above idea follows another crucial behavioral aspect of the charismatic leader. The leader should focus on engaging in behaviors, which create the impression of competence and success. Weber mentioned in his book how charismatic leaders are required to prove their power to the subordinates. While accomplishments are generally the easiest way to do this, the idea of appearance will also help charismatic leaders. This appearance assumption links closely with the above idea of goal articulation.

A very nice chat around how to become a better leader.

The best way to create the impression is often through high expectations and strong self-confidence. Studies have shown your self-esteem level and the expectation of being able to achieve a goal relate to motivation and goal attainment. In charismatic leadership, the leader has a role of improving the subordinate's self-esteem in order to improve organizational effectiveness.

A leader must not only set high-expectations, but also show confidence in the subordinate's ability to get things done. The behavioral assumption is associated with the above motive arousal. As shown earlier, specific tasks require the leader to use specific motivational influences in order to get the best out of subordinates. Furthermore, House drew two hypotheses out of the assumptions:

If leaders set specific and high expectations, then the goals of subordinates are clearer.

If the leader shows more confidence in the subordinate's ability to achieve those goals, then the person will perceive them more attainable.

Therefore, charismatic leadership works most efficiently when leaders are able to instill confidence and self-esteem to subordinates, which means subordinates are more inclined to achieve objectives and thus trust the leader further.

THE QUALITIES OF CHARISMATIC LEADER

Since charismatic leadership is heavily focused on the behaviour and personality of the leader, it comes as no surprise that the qualities and traits required of a charismatic leader are at the centre of the theory. We've already touched upon some of the traits through House's theory (dominant, self-confident, self-assured and strong conviction), but further research has identified other characteristics as well.

After examining the key traits of a charismatic leader, we'll also consider the steps you should take if you'd like to use this leadership model.

The key characteristics

In 1988, Jay Conger and Rabindra Kanungo published Charismatic Leadership, which outlined the key characteristics of a charismatic leader. The findings have been repeatedly shown to be accurate in a number of other similar studies, such as Robert House and Jane Howell's 1992 paper Personality and Charismatic Leadership.

One thing charismatic leadership emphasizes is the nature of your charisma. While it might seem charisma is a 'natural' quality you either have or don't have, the reality is that many charismatic qualities can be learned and reinforced.

#1 Visionary

Martin Luther King dreamt of a society where everyone is equal, Gandhi wanted different religions to live in peace in India and Sir Winston Churchill wanted the British to stay resilient during the war. Every charismatic leader has a vision - they are able to look beyond the horizon and imagine a different way of doing things. Obviously, it doesn't mean everyone has to imagine a society-wide change or movement, but you have to have a vision of what you want to achieve or what you want the organization you lead to accomplish.

Being a visionary means being open to chance and understanding that constant improvement is required for progress. You need to embark on a road of self-improvement, where you are constantly looking to expand your skills and learning things beyond your comfort zone. In addition, you need to listen to other people and understand how their experiences have shaped them. If you can combine your understanding of the world, with the experiences of others, you can visualise new solutions and approaches to solving things.

Visionary people are both dreamers and doers. You want to spend enough time thinking about the world and the problems you face. But you don't want to be caught daydreaming, while other people fix the problems.

This video shows you how to develop your vision statement and inspire your subordinates.

#2 Articulate

Charismatic people are good communicators. In order to get people on your side - to understand your vision and to believe in it - you have to be able to share the message loud and clear. If you aren't articulate, your subordinates won't be able to understand what you are envisioning.

There are two key aspects of articulation in terms of charismatic leadership. First, it simply means being a better communicator and being able to talk about complex issues to people in a way they understand. In the business world, the key is to explain the why, the how, and the when. You need to explain the reason or the vision behind the action, clarify what is needed in order to get to the objective and ensure people know how fast this all should be accomplished.

But the second aspect of articulation and communication relates to the understanding of your subordinates. Charismatic leadership requires you to be able to read people and select the right motivations for inspiring them. Therefore, you need to be able to analyze your audience and select the right communication style for each occasion.

If you'd like to improve your own communication abilities, especially in terms of getting your message across, watch the below YouTube clip. On it, Julian Treasure explains how to speak in a way that ensures people listen.

#3 Sensitive

Charismatic leaders must be sensitive, both in reading people's emotions and ambitions, but also in showing them compassion and empathy. As mentioned above, you must be able to sense the other person's expectations and needs in order to properly approach them with your vision. In short, you need to be able to sense the mood and be able to adjust to it.

In addition, you must also show humility and compassion. When you listen to people, you need to convince them you are there to help and you understand what the person is saying. Even if you can't do what the person might want you to do, you need to be able to convince them to work in a specific way and make them feel like its their best interest as well.

The charismatic leader who can show compassion towards subordinates is the leader that gets people on his or her side. Since you require subordinates to buy into your vision, you need to show respect and empathy towards them. People follow leaders who make them feel good and important, instead of someone who doesn't listen to them.

#4 Risk-taker

Just as you need to be a visionary, you must be willing to take risks as well. Because you are trying to obtain a visionary goal, something transformative and different, you won't have a paved out road ahead of you. In order to accomplish great things, charismatic leadership requires you to put yourself on the line.

Risk-taking means two things. First, as a leader, you are accountable for any problems that might arise. You aren't afraid to step out of the way if things don't work out and you won't try to place the blame elsewhere.

But in addition, you aren't afraid of challenges either. You understand that each challenge will bring about positive things, whether or not you accomplish what you set out to do. You are ready to give it your best shot because you can see the rewards of accomplishing things, while realizing failure isn't the end of the world.

In business, risk-taking isn't the same as gambling. Risk-takers don't just rush into things and hope for the best and neither do charismatic leaders. You understand the importance of analyzing tasks and the options ahead of you, but you are willing to take calculated risks if the situation calls for it.

Listen to Stephen Kelly (CEO of Sage) on what he has to say on taking smart risks.

#5 Creative

Finally, charismatic leaders tend to be creative. In order to be more visionary, you naturally need a healthy dose of creativity. You must be able to think outside of the box in order to create meaningful change in the organization.

Creativity is further linked to the charismatic leadership's idea of strong conviction. You need to be able to speak with conviction - meaning that you need to use creative images, rhetoric and messaging in order to get others to buy into your vision.

If you'd like to improve your ability to be more creative and to stand out from the crowd, you should try these five scientifically proven tips ( BBC Science):

Change how you do things - Altering your daily routines can help you because more innovative.

Removing distractions - You should try to create an environment around you which doesn't have distractions - visual or audio -.

Spend time on mundane tasks - You can spark your creative mind by engaging in tasks, which require less thinking.

Improvising and taking risks - Risk-taking can boost creativity together with improvisation. If you can play an instrument or you like drawing, spend some time doing it without an objective in mind.

Allowing your mind to wander - You shouldn't be afraid to just sit around and allow your mind to think freely.

How to become a charismatic leader

One thing charismatic leadership emphasizes is the nature of your charisma. While it might seem charisma is a 'natural' quality you either have or don't have, the reality is that many charismatic qualities can be learned and reinforced. Joyce Newman, president of the Newman Group, told in a Forbes interview, " We are not born charismatic - we cultivate it in many ways". Furthermore, Joyce pointed out that becoming charismatic is a "trial and error process" and " once you have your charismatic status, you can lose it ".

In his 1989 book The Charismatic Leader: Behind the Mystique of Exceptional Leadership, Jay Conger proposed a four-step model for charismatic leadership. The model is a good guide for anyone looking to improve his or her charismatic leader characteristics.

Step 1: Regularly assessing your vision and the environment for achieving it

First, you need to create a vision, which fits the current environment. If you are working in an organization, you want to understand where the company is heading and where it could be heading with a new vision. You must understand the different parts making the vision a reality, such as what type of employees do you need, what must the organization focus on and who might be able to help you out.

Once you have formulated a vision and a framework for achieving the vision, you need to outline to others. But even after the vision is out in the open, you need to have the clarity to keep assessing your environment to ensure the vision is attainable. While you might not change the end objective, you might need to adjust the framework on how you get to the goal

Step 2: Improving your ability to communicate this vision

You need to be able to articulate your vision to the subordinates and other stakeholders in a clear and concise manner. The above points on characteristics should give you tips on improving your communication skills. But there are two other strategies you need to focus on: motive arousal and persuasive language.

In order for subordinates to buy into your vision, you need to find what motivates them to perform the required tasks. Notice that in an organization, different people might find different motives appealing. For example, the idea of more power might appeal to middle management who are driven and ambitious. On the other hand, employees with less motivation and ambition might find a vision of financial gain as motivating

Your language must be persuasive. Again, understanding the person's motivations help, but you also need to utilize role-modeling for inspiring the person to act. Setting an example can act as a powerful motivator for subordinates.

Step 3: Creating a trustworthy and committed environment

Coercion is not an effective part of charismatic leadership. Instead, you should focus on building relationships that are based on trust. This can lead to the creation of a committed environment where subordinates are inspired to work hard towards the goals.

You need to be able to ensure the vision you've set out is viable. This means you need to be accountable for the actions the organization takes, you must be willing to take risks and you need to showcase high levels of expertise. These will help you create more trust, not only in your vision, but also on yourself as a leader.

Step 4: Achieving the objectives

The final step is about achieving the vision you have set out using the chore tactics of charismatic leadership. This includes role-modeling and empowering your subordinates with motive arousal. Charismatic leadership provides the ideas and tools to lead people, but it also understands the differences in the situations. Therefore, achieving the vision is the key, not following a rigid set of rules in order to get there.

Finally, watch the below TEDx talk by John Antonakis on the topic of why charisma matters in today's world.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

Charismatic leadership is among the leadership theories that can be both a blessing and a curse to an organization. A strong vision with emotional influences can be a force for positive change, such as the example of Martin Luther King's civil rights movement, but it can lead to darkness as well.

Advantages of charismatic leadership

As mentioned above, charismatic leadership can at its best, be an inspirational style to lead. A successful, charismatic leader is able to create a vision, which attract subordinates to the cause. The ability to motivate and empower people through this vision can eventually lead to more success.

Consider an example of a failing business. A charismatic leader can utilize the tools of charismatic leadership and create a vision of an organization that leads the industry. The message of the better future, and the confidence the leader shows towards subordinates can guarantee the employers are motivated to work together towards these goals. As the examples and research data above shows, the right type of motivation and vision can boost people's ability to get the job done more effectively.

Furthermore, the shared vision provides another big advantage of the theory: better workplace cohesion. Since everyone in the organization is aware of the same mission and objectives, everyone is essentially working to achieve the same goal. No one is gaining anything more, as the motivation isn't about punishments or financial gains - rather; the whole company shares the same objective. Knowing that everyone is essentially looking forward to the same achievement can create a stronger sense of togetherness and unity.

The visionary way to lead can lead to better results because it ignites people's passion. It's hard to be a charismatic leader without strong convictions and therefore, the leader is passionate about getting things done. As many entrepreneurs tend to say, "it's the passion that gets you up every morning". In addition to the passionate approach to doing things, charismatic leadership also encourages risk-taking and thinking outside of the box. Together, these qualities can drive change in an organization and have a meaningful impact on the operational efficiency of the company.

Since the emphasis is on achieving the objectives and working towards the shared goal, charismatic leadership tends to flourish learning behavior. Mistakes are not used for punishment and disasters are not shrugged under the carpet. Instead, charismatic leaders and therefore the subordinates examine the mistakes and learn from them in order to move forward. For a business, learning from past mistakes is a crucial part of avoiding the issue second time around.

The clarity in the objectives and vision are especially beneficial in situations where a company might be facing a crisis. As House and Weber argued in their theories, charismatic leadership works especially well in crises. If work morale is low and the company is lacking direction, a strong, charismatic leader can provide the organization a needed boost and positive vision for the future. The focus on individuals and their self-esteem will also provide an instant boost in employee morale.

Overall, the above can boost employee moral and productivity. The workplace can become a more invigorating and exciting place to be, with the possibility of larger social change on the horizon. The company's profitability, productivity and longevity can therefore improve.

Disadvantages of charismatic leadership

But as we briefly mentioned at the start of the section, charismatic leadership is not always transformational in a positive manner. The vision, envisaged by the charismatic leader, is not always universally positive and in the darkest examples of the human history, it can be deadly. If you consider the essence of charismatic leadership - dominance, confidence, strong convictions and the ability to get followers on your side - then one example of charismatic leader from history could be Adolf Hitler. He was able to paint a vision of a future for people, which they took at face value.

Unlike ethical leadership, charismatic leadership doesn't make judgments on whether the vision is good or sustainable. Therefore, there isn't much room for inner moral conflicts within the leadership theory. The problem is that a charismatic leader might be driven by self-interest or poor judgment, instead of showcasing values that cherish other people's wellbeing.

In a less-sinister manner, charismatic leadership can slip into arrogance or tunnel vision. The leader, along with his or her followers, can simply focus on the vision, without re-evaluating or re-examining its validity or attainability. For an organisation, this could be devastating, as resources might be better spent in a different manner.

Since charismatic leadership doesn't work without the support of subordinates, the obedience levels of subordinates can go on unchallenged. In essence, this means the leadership model's apparent strength can simply be down to "yes-men" around the leader. Instead of questioning or challenging the leader's ideas, subordinates merely follow the orders.

Finally, charismatic leadership is based on the relationship between the leader and his or her subordinates. If, and when, the leader moves on from the organization, the company might suffer consequently because a strong leadership base disappears with him or her. The organization either needs a new charismatic leader, who has to spend time establishing his or her relationship with the subordinates, or implement a wholly new leadership structure into the organization. As the subordinates have based their trust in the vision of the charismatic leader, there is no leadership development within the organization to guarantee the next generation of leaders are able to take over.

EXAMPLES OF CHARISMATIC LEADERS

As mentioned in the previous sections, charismatic leadership has plenty of historic examples in a range of fields. There are the political examples of Martin Luther King and the other extreme example of Hitler. But you also have charismatic leaders in the field of social justice and business.

The below examples will hopefully outline the characteristics of charismatic leaders and the ideas of the model in a tangible manner.

Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa might not be a conventional example of a leader, but she perfectly fits the definition of a charismatic leader. Mother Theresa, who was born in Macedonia, became a Roman Catholic nun and started working with the poor.

She left her teaching position at the St. Mary's School for Girls in 1946 in order to start serving the poor in the slums of Calcutta. In the 1950s and 1960s, she established different facilities in the slums to help the poor survive disease and malnutrition. Later, she also opened charities elsewhere in the world - all helping the poor.

Mother Theresa was dedicated to a single cause and she had a vision to help the lives of those that don't have much. She inspired others to follow her example and she dedicated her life to empowering the less fortunate. In essence, she showed what good charismatic leadership could achieve.

Mother Theresa once said, " I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. " This highlights one of the important parts of charismatic leadership: having others following you. Without the followers buying into your vision, you won't succeed as a leader.

Charles Manson

But as we've mentioned above, charismatic leadership is not always a force for good. For all the world's Mother Theresas, there are examples of leaders who've used their charisma for doing bad. Charles Manson is one such example.

In 1969, the US uncovered a cult called The Family, when the police found nine bodies in Los Angeles. The cult's leader was a charismatic Charles Mansion who had managed to captivate the attention of young girls, only to end up killing them.

Interestingly, Manson's leadership skills and charismatic nature wasn't just natural characteristics. He did, in fact, take a course on leadership and self-improvement during his time in prison. His ability to manipulate and influence people came from a highly popular book: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Manson used the learned techniques of promising people things, boosting their confidence just slightly and creating a vision of the better future, where he was the only saviour. Unfortunately for the world, his vision was dark and involved taking the lives of innocent people. He took proven leadership qualities and turned them into a sinister manipulation. Yet, his example shows how charismatic leadership works when it's efficient.

To find out more about Dale Carnegie's book and its message, check out the below Slideshare presentation, which summarizes the ideas in the book. Despite the bad press, the book is still one of the best in the field of leadership and worth reading if you'd like to improve your communication with other people.

Jack Welch / General Electric

Charismatic leaders have also appeared in the business world. General Electric's (GE) CEO Jack Welch is a good example of a charismatic leader. Welch had a sporting background and he used the lessons he learned as an athlete during his time in business.

After graduating from college, Welch found himself working as a chemical engineer at GE in 1960. In 1981, he became the company's youngest CEO. His approach to his position as a CEO was about creating personal and meaningful relationships. He met with the employees and the customers, talking with them to create a positive atmosphere.

Nonetheless, his charismatic leadership style didn't mean he avoided working towards the vision. He didn't hesitate to cut costs, even if it meant laying off employees, because his ultimate vision was about creating a valuable and respectful business. He wanted to create an organization that would beat its rivals and in order to do this, he had to weed out mediocrity from his company. While this meant certain people had to go, it also improved the company's communication, its development and ultimately its bottom line.

In a telling quote, Jack Welch once said, " The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important - and then get out of their way while they do it. " The idea sums nicely the essence of charismatic leadership and especially the idea of the motive arousal.

Steve Jobs / Apple

Finally, another example of a highly charismatic leader in the business world is the late Steve Jobs. Whilst Jobs was not universally liked as a leader, he was effective and persuasive - he even got the people who didn't really like him to continue working for him.

Jobs clearly highlighted strong conviction and vision. He wanted particularly designed products, often forcing the designing team to great lengths to achieve it. He kept mentioning his key objectives and ideas in almost all of his speeches and ensured everyone in the company knew what the vision was.

Furthermore, Jobs didn't just apply a single communication tactic with his subordinates. He changed his rhetoric and figurative language according to the audience. Just as a charismatic leader would in order to find the right motive for his or her followers to participate in the vision, he was able to sense what his crowd wanted and needed from him. A study into Jobs' use of rhetoric, Loizos Heracleous and Laura Klaering from the Warwick Business School found leaders could take advantage of Jobs' skills and " employ them to increase followers' belief in their charisma as well as their effectiveness as a persuasive speaker ".

Jobs used different images and examples as part of his discussion. For example, IBM was the evil player in the game, while Apple would come and save the day - you can see the charismatic vision and motive arousal working for his favour.

Below is a clip of Steve Jobs' biographer, Walter Isaacson, talking about Jobs' leadership style:

FINAL THOUGHTS

Charismatic leadership is another trait-based leadership theory, which emphasizes the leader's ability to convince the subordinates to work towards a specific vision. It's often related to other leadership theories, especially since it relies on personal characteristics of the leader. But it is a powerful theory on its own and charismatic leaders can help create lasting changes in an organization.

The framework for charismatic leadership focuses on conviction, communication and commitment. You need to develop a strong vision and be able to motivate other people to follow you. Your qualities as a leader and your ability to create meaningful relationships with your subordinates are the carrying forces of charismatic leadership, not any specific process or structure of the organization.

Since charismatic leaders are willing to take risks and look beyond the horizon, they can have a positive impact on an organization or society. Unfortunately, the leader doesn't necessarily need to follow a strong moral or ethical vision. History has shown us that charismatic leaders can lead subordinates astray and cause havoc while working towards their vision.

Nonetheless, the leadership theory can be an effective way to motivate people and improve the way an organization operates.

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Charismatic Leadership Guide: Definition, Qualities, Pros & Cons, Examples

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"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people." - Lee Iacocca You've probably met a person who oozed of charisma.

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Very few leadership attributes have as dangerous a downside as charisma.

This is largely true because the outward signs of good charisma and bad charisma are similar. Here are three broad categories of dangerous charisma, and how to avoid them in your personal leadership.
1. Leaders can become addicted to charisma
This is a variation on the adage "absolute power corrupts absolutely." A leader who employs too much charisma can come to rely on this ability as an end unto itself. Picture a leader who can inspire a group, or promote a vision, or simply want to walk into a room as the center of attention, all with seemingly little effort. The recognition, validation, and basic positive feedback generated by charisma is a heady mix - and can tempt a leader to capture this reaction first and foremost, rather than face situations that are more challenging or unpopular. In essence, charismatic leaders can charm themselves.

Leaders can avoid this quagmire by making sure they don't take their charismatic capabilities for granted, or treat them lightly. Authentic leaders understand (and continually calibrate) the influence and authority they have by virtue of their position and personal attributes.
2. Organizations can become addicted to the charismatic leader
In short, they study themselves in the context of the practice of leadership. They learn to be better leaders over time by focusing not on what makes them compelling personally, but on what makes their organizations compelling as a whole.

Just as leaders are susceptible to their own charisma, organizations can become addicted, too. An overly-charismatic leader draws focus from the rest of the organization by demanding (subtly or dramatically) attention for him- or herself. When the focus shifts to the personal characteristics of the leader, accountability is diminished. The followers can become overly dependent on the leader for all manner of large and small directions and decisions. The most extreme example of group dependency? A cult.

A less extreme situation is often found in organizations where too many things must pass through the leader, and no one is ever quite certain what to expect as a reaction. The enterprise loses the ability to be resilient in the face of changing realities. It's too busy waiting for the leader to decide what to do, and believing that the leader knows best.
3. Charisma grows for its own sake and forgets its purpose

Leaders who want to avoid organizational dependency must ask themselves:

Do I spend my time empowering others to make decisions, or does my involvement force people to look to me for answers?

How often do I dive into details that belong to others?

How do my actions and attention help - or prevent - others from taking greater responsibility and accountability for their actions?

This is what happens when both the leader and the organization are addicted to charisma.

Typically, organizations with big visions are led by people who display significant charisma in order to keep the vision moving forward. In many cases, the bigger the vision, the more the organization tilts towards the "visionary," thus increasing the risk of charismatic addiction and organizational dependency. Young or smaller companies are especially vulnerable because they have no other center of gravity outside of the charismatic founder (or co-founders).

The challenge expands if the company grows, because followers tend to believe that the charismatic leader is responsible for any success. After all, haven't these same followers endowed the leader with tremendous power? The leader must supply more charisma to keep the dynamic humming; the need shifts to growing charisma, not the organization's ability to grow itself. (By growth, I don't mean growth in revenue, headcount, or products, etc. I mean growth in organizational maturity to face and respond to the challenges of the future.)

A current case study is Facebook, with several recent reports portraying the breadth of its founder-centric focus. All-hands meeting are described as "part religious revival," the movements of the CEO include involvement in a dizzying range of details, and the running narrative (the company mythology in- action) is that everyone feels the CEO is extraordinary because he is exceptionally "smart."

While most companies will not achieve the size and scale of Facebook, the example of an extreme focus on the leader is useful to every company. If you find yourself influencing others for the wrong reasons, ask

How am I drawing attention to myself, and away from others?

What is the organization missing while it's focusing on me?

If my company relies on me too much, what happens if I need a break, or become ill, or want to do something different?

What do I do when I don't know what to do and have not built up others to contribute?

What do I do when all my old tricks of charisma or being "smart" don't suit some future challenge?

What happens if my moral compass becomes shaky, or if I did not develop one before becoming the charismatic leader everyone adores?

If I have created this reliance on me, who will help me recognize this and change?

Charisma is a capability, not an answer. If you are a charismatic leader, everyone knows it, and there is no need to overplay the role. You will do well to tread lightly, and wear your charisma gently. Have the courage to see charisma as an attribute, one of many, and strive for more graceful leadership that requires you to attend to the higher needs of the organization, and not just you.

If you focus on leading with the greatest regard for your responsibilities and highest esteem for your followers, it is less likely that you or your organization will be undone by your own charm.

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Very few leadership attributes have as dangerous a downside as charisma. This is largely true because the outward signs of good charisma and bad charisma are similar. Here are three broad categories of dangerous charisma, and how to avoid them in your personal leadership. 1.

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Executive Search | Executive Recruiters * Y Scouts

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Charismatic leadership involves a sense of style, flair, and confidence.

These charismatic leaders have a quality which is hard to pin down, but which attracts followers and inspires people to action. Transformational leaders are often highly charismatic because they are capable of initiating and maintaining a significant level of change in the organization.

The following are some of the most prominent characteristics of charismatic leadership.

1. Communication

Charismatic leaders have extraordinary skills in communication. This helps to motivate employees through tough times and also help them stay grounded when things are good. The leaders are equally comfortable communicating one-to-one or in a group setting.

2. Maturity

Though they have a very powerful personality, a charismatic leader also has maturity and character. They don't believe in empty showmanship, but they draw on their wisdom and knowledge which they have accumulated over the years of life and business experiences. They behave in a mature and responsible manner on all occasions.

3. Humility

Charismatic leaders also have a sense of humility. They place a lot of value on each employee, and have the ability to truly listen to their concerns. The charismatic leader is able to convince the employee of the value that they bring to the organization, and show them how their contributions impact the strategic interests of the company. They inspire great loyalty from their employees.

4. Compassion

Successful charismatic leaders are also compassionate. Charisma alone may not be enough, because there's a very real possibility that it can disintegrate into mere hero worship. Compassion, integrity, honesty, and fortitude are also qualities that successful charismatic leaders exhibit.

5. Substance

Charisma can exist without substance, but only for a very short time. Flashy and glitzy behavior may capture the attention of people, but eventually they will want something substantial beneath the facade. A charismatic leader must not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. Charm gets him the face time, and substance closes the deal.

6. Confidence

It goes without saying that charismatic leaders are truly confident. They are the glass half full kind of people, and are comfortable with who they are. They understand themselves well and do not try to be anyone else. Charismatic leaders are secure and confident enough to be comfortable in their own skin.

7. Positive body language

One of the first things that you'd notice about a charismatic leader is their warm, open, and positive body language. They make eye contact with were that they are talking to, smile, and introduce themselves to strangers with the genuine joy of making a new contact. They have an endearing swagger, and they are authentic.

8. Listening skills

Charismatic leaders are extremely good listeners. When they listen to you, they don't fidget or look distracted. A charismatic leader pays attention to what is being said, and listens with interest. They are engaged in the conversation and act with empathy.

9. Self-monitoring

One of the attributes of charismatic leaders is that they often tend to watch themselves. They are aware of their powerful personality, and the fact that their followers are watching them constantly. For this reason, they consider it important to portray a good image of themselves to their followers. This can be achieved only with self-monitoring.

10. Self-improvement

A charismatic leader understands that he has certain qualities that make him different from others, and that these are the qualities that get him attention and make him charismatic. So he also knows how important it is to continually improve himself.

Additional Resources:
Curious about your characteristics? These resources will assist on your journey to self-discovery:

Contact us if you are looking to find your next leader!
Y Scouts is an executive search firm that helps nonprofits and social enterprises find exceptional leaders. We believe the right leaders make all the difference. We have pioneered a revolutionary approach to identify exceptional leaders and match them to the positions you need. We're passionate about the power of the right connections. Contact us if you are looking to find an exceptional leader. Or, to be considered for exceptional leadership opportunities with our clients, please take the first step by joining the Y Scouts Leadership Community.

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These charismatic leaders have a quality which is hard to pin down, but which attracts followers and inspires people to action. Transformational leaders are often highly charismatic because they are capable of initiating and maintaining a significant level of change in the organization. The following are some of the most prominent characteristics of charismatic leadership.

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The 5 Characteristics That Make a Charismatic Leader | Entrepreneur

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Personality and charm, not external power or authority, are what count most for the “it factor.”

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6.4.1 Trait Theories

Trait theories of leadership identify the specific personality traits that distinguish leaders from non-leaders. They are based on the premise that leaders are 'born, not made' (i.e., that leadership is largely innate, rather than being developed through learning). Early research (Mann, 1959; Stogdill, 1948) focused on the relationship between personality and leadership, but reported little supporting evidence. Nevertheless, research interest in this area continues, with Judge and Bono (2004) reporting that 12% of all leadership research published between 1990 and 2004 included the keywords 'personality' and 'leadership'.

In order to review the evidence of a substantive relationship between personality and leadership, a meta-analysis was conducted by Lord, De Vader and Alliger (1986). This included the studies originally reviewed by Mann (1959) and subsequently published studies. Lord et al. (1986) demonstrated that there were significant meta-analytic correlations between leadership perceptions and intelligence, masculinity and dominance. It is important to note that these characteristics were associated with leadership perceptions, rather than leader behaviours or performance, and so do not reflect personal characteristics that may be related to leader effectiveness. A later meta-analysis, conducted by Judge, Bono, Iles and Gerhardtl (2002), found that the Big Five personality dimensions (i.e., agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness) were significant predictors of both leadership emergence (explaining 28% of the variance) and leader effectiveness (explaining 15% of the variance).

One of the major criticisms of trait theory is its simplistic approach; that it fails to take account of other factors that will influence the development of a successful leader (e.g., situational and environmental factors). Recent research, based on identical and fraternal twins, was able to estimate the heritability of leadership emergence at 30% (Avery, Zhang, Avolio, Kruegar, 2007). This means that the remaining 70% is accounted for by situational factors (e.g., exposure to leader role models) during one's career. Nevertheless, many organisations use personality assessment as part of their selection procedures for managerial or leadership roles.
Use of Personality Assessment by the UK Government for the
appointment of Senior Civil Servants
As part of the selection procedures for the UK Civil Service, candidates complete a personality questionnaire, the '16PF5' personality measure, in order to assess the individual's working and leadership style. The questionnaire is multiple-choice and comprises 183 questions, with instructions and examples on how to complete it. It is an electronically administered questionnaire that is completed and returned through an email attachment.

The resulting personality profile is discussed with the candidate as part of an initial one-to-one interview and assessment with an occupational psychologist. This discussion is intended to provide insights into the candidate's leadership style.

The leadership qualities against which the candidate is assessed are as follows:

- Results - focus on impact, challenge and improvement, engage stakeholders;

- Integrity - self-awareness, self-confidence, team-working;

- Capability - cultivate innovation, get the best from everyone, grow from experience;

- Direction - inspire with vision, seize opportunity and take tough decisions.

Source: www.dfid.gov.uk/recruitment/files/psychometric.pdf . (c) Crown copyright 2009, Department for International Development.
A quick task: Which 16PF traits relate to the leadership qualities highlighted? Do you think any of the other 16PF traits would be associated with leadership? Why?
The trait approach has not only been applied to identifying good leaders, but also leaders who 'derail' (i.e., progress well, but then stagnate in their careers, get demoted, fired or leave the organisation). Hogan and Hogan (2001) argued that failed leadership is linked to 'over-played' personality characteristics, which, thus, become dysfunctional:

SCHIZOID: emotional coldness, detachment, indifference

PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE: indifferent to normal occupational performance, irritated when told to do something don't want to

NARCISSISTIC: arrogant & haughty, grandiose sense of self-importance

Although some research has focused on personality traits, which are dispositional factors, the concept of 'derailment' can be understood in terms of the person, his/her behaviour and the context within which they are operating. One of the important aspects of 'derailment' is that managers demonstrate poor interpersonal skills and the inability to manage their team.
A quick task: Can you identify some aspects of good leadership that also have the potential to cause harm to organisations and their employees?

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Trait theories of leadership identify the specific personality traits that distinguish leaders from non-leaders. They are based on the premise that leaders are 'born, not made' (i.e., that leadership is largely innate, rather than being developed through learning). Early research (Mann, 1959; Stogdill, 1948) focused on the relationship between personality and leadership, but reported little supporting evidence.

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What is authentic leadership?

It continues to surprise me how many leaders attempt to be one way at work, while their "true" personality emerges outside of work. Once a CEO reminded me, "Leadership is acting." And it surprises me when these same leaders seem shocked or confused when their employees don't trust them, don't like them, and can't really wait to work elsewhere.

Authenticity has been explored throughout history, from Greek philosophers to the work of Shakespeare ("To thy own self be true." -Polonius, Hamlet). Authentic leadership has been explored sporadically as part of modern management science, but found its highest levels of acceptance since Bill George's 2003 book, Authentic Leadership.

But what is authentic leadership?

While different theorists have different slants on the concept, most agree that:

1. Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine. Authentic leaders are self-actualized individuals who are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They also show their real selves to their followers. They do not act one way in private and another in public; they don't hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak. They also realize that being self-actualized is an endless journey, never complete.

2. Authentic leaders are mission driven and focused on results. They are able to put the mission and the goals of the organization ahead of their own self-interest. They do the job in pursuit of results, not for their own power, money or ego.

3. Authentic leaders lead with their heart, not just their minds. They are not afraid to show their emotions, their vulnerability and to connect with their employees. This does not mean authentic leaders are "soft." In fact communicating in a direct manner is critical to successful outcomes, but it's done with empathy; directness without empathy is cruel.

4. Authentic leaders focus on the long-term. A key tenet in Bill George's model is the company leaders are focused on long-term shareholder value, not in just beating quarterly estimates. Just as George did as CEO of , and as Bezos has done for years at Amazon, leaders realize that to nurture individuals and to nurture a company requires hard work and patience, but the approach pays large dividends over time.

__________

What are your motivation triggers? Take the "Your Engagement Profile Quiz" to find out.

Check out Kevin Kruse's new book, Employee Engagement 2.0, and discover how to turn apathetic groups into emotionally committed teams.

Kevin Kruse is a NY Times bestselling author and serial entrepreneur. For insider tips and exclusive content, join his newsletter at kevinkruse.com.

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What is authentic leadership? It continues to surprise me how many leaders attempt to be one way at work, while their "true" personality emerges outside of work. Once a CEO reminded me, "Leadership is acting." And it surprises me when these same leaders seem shocked or confused when their employees don't [...]

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Model the Way: Leaders establish personal values and establish standards of excellence while then setting themselves as the example for others to follow. Leaders focus more on "showing" how it...

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A model consisted of five components (Purpose, Inclusive, Empowering, Ethical, and Process) that focuses on a group or organization's positive social development and advancement. Each component can be applied into the Knowing-Being-Doing framework of an exemplary leader.
What are the Components?
Purpose - Having an individual commitment to a goal or activity while establishing a common ground with others who share a similar purpose.
Inclusive - Involving not only everyone but also everyone's ideas and different viewpoints.
Empowering - Giving others the ability to not only be involved but feel involved in group decision making.
Ethical - Being 'fair' to yourself as a leader, other leaders, and to the process you take to achieve your goals.
Process - The path you as a group decide to go in along with how well you stay together, communicate, solve problems, and achieve your goals as a group.

Knowing? Being? Doing?
Knowing - The skills needed to perform and knowing process of how to manage yourself and others to achieve goals.
Being - Self awareness of personal beliefs, values, and goals while understanding that your actions can have significant effect on others.
Doing - Using the knowledge and self awareness to lead a group to achieving previously stated goals. Knowing the skills needed is not enough to be a leader, one must be aware of the influence he can potentially have on others. Similarly, being aware that you have the potential to lead is not enough if you don't possess the knowledge of skills. The combination of skills accompanied with the process of doing completes the framework of an exemplary leadership.

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A model consisted of five components (Purpose, Inclusive, Empowering, Ethical, and Process) that focuses on a group or organization's positive social development and advancement. Each component can be applied into the Knowing-Being-Doing framework of an exemplary leader. What are the Components?

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A glossary or IT Management terms and topics for CIOs, and other senior technology managers.

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Ten years ago, businesses were racing to understand and capitalize on concepts such as data mining, search technology, and virtual collaboration.

Today, digital transformation-which describes how digital technology is fundamentally changing the ways businesses operate and deliver value to customers-rules the roost and is disrupting companies everywhere, from their operating models to their infrastructures.

But that's only part of the equation. "Digital transformation is actually a human transformation," said Brian Solis, principal analyst at consulting and research company Altimeter. "We've learned that people have mistakenly overemphasized the role of technology in change. What this comes down to is leadership."

With that in mind, we spoke with nine executives and thought leaders about what makes good leaders great, the habits that inform success, and specific skills they must hone to realize this transformation.

1. Be Empathetic
Truly great digital transformation leaders understand how human dynamics-fear, politics, ego, sabotage, and safety-play into people's feelings about change. They don't assume their teams see the world their way. Rather, they see how others might perceive things, then "bridges between how they see it and what you're trying to do," Solis said.

"It's not about getting people to follow you. It's empowering people to lead their own initiatives and collaborate with you and others," he told CMO.com. "It's about unification of a bigger movement of getting people to bring about change because they want to-not because they have to."

Amid all that change, when products and processes are shifting, leaders are tasked with ensuring that they weave humanity into every touch point, said Leesa Wytock, senior director of experience at brand strategy and design firm Siegel+Gale. That's difficult to do without empathy.

"Empathy is what allows you to get the best work out of your team, it's what makes you a good partner to work with, and it's what makes your digital transformations successful," she told CMO.com. "A lot of user experience work deals with behavioral science and empathy. You need to put yourself in the user's shoes to get a product or process right."

2. Step Outside Your Box
According to Jeffrey Brandt, CIO at national law firm Jackson Kelly, seeking out connections, experiences, and information outside of your particular industry can help light on what other businesses are doing in their digital transformations.

"It's important to look at other industries and what's impacting and challenging them, how they're solving problems or implementing different techniques and workflows, and how all that may be applicable to what I'm doing," he said. "Sometimes you discover an approach to something that you never would have thought about."

Kathy Schneider, CMO at IT infrastructure company Sungard Availability Services, finds outside connections and opportunities at roundtable events.

"The dialogue and discussions are always immensely useful, and there's a great amount of peer learning," she said. "Talking with executives from other companies gives you perspective about what's working for them and what isn't, and how you might apply that where you are."

Equally important is finding these experiences and opportunities for your team, Wytock added. Siegel+Gale, for example, brings culture hackers or thought leaders into the office for Ted-Talk-style discussions.

"Bringing in outside influences helps shake people out of their day-to-day and inspires them," she said. "It's been great for everyone and has even resulted in new product ideas."

3. Hone Your Communication Skills
Communicating effectively-that is, knowing what to articulate, how, and in what context-is key to leading effectively, said Dominic Siano, digital marketing and transformation consultant at business and technology services company Cognizant. This means consciously reducing digital and technical jargon when you're presenting to business stakeholders or with customers.

"In all of your communications, you want your audience-whoever it may be-to feel like they're on your level and that they can participate in that conversation," he said. "Learning to convey complicated messages simply takes time and practice but pays dividends. Other leaders and employees will find you more approachable, easier to talk to, and fully understood, which is key in leading a digital transformation."

Another tip: Watch the room when others present or pitch ideas, Sungard Availability Services' Schneider said. Look for techniques that are well-received, and note which ones fall flat.

"Communication, especially during a digital transformation, is so, so important," she said. "It requires buy-in from executives and teams from across the organization, and knowing how to finesse your style and frame the argument for why you're doing this and why it's important is key to your success."

4. Ask 'Why?'
At the core of every transformation should be an "insatiable" curiosity-"whether it's about a new technology, the results you're seeing, or understanding what people are struggling with," according to Chris Hall, VP and GM of customer experience at Adobe (CMO.com's parent company).

"As leaders, we're presented with a lot of information about the 'what' when we really need to understand the 'why?'" she said. "For example, being told we fell short of our goal is not enough. We need to understand why did we miss? Are other markets experiencing something similar? What are the factors that are impacting it? If the answer is, "That's the way we've always done it,' then ... you need to challenge the norm."

Transformation, she added, can be "big and messy," accompanied by plenty of fatigue. "The faster you can arrive at a hypothesis and test for the 'why,' the more you can focus on the thing that really matters," she said. "Curiosity and focus are two things that differentiate most leaders. These need to be pervasive. Anchoring around curiosity and focus will get you beyond the 'what' to understand the 'why.'''

5. Tune Out The Noise
A digital detox might seem like a counterintuitive move for digital transformation leaders, but doing so has helped Jeff Pundyk, chief strategy officer at Techonomy, find more time to focus on strategy, innovation, and big-picture thinking.

"I cut my social media to a bare minimum and removed Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter from my phone. For me, these are all very low-value, high-time applications that, over the past 12 months, have sucked up an enormous amount of time and energy," he told CMO.com.

That's not to say social media doesn't have value; understanding these technologies is important for any successful digital leader, he said. It's important, however, to acknowledge and act when they-and other time-sucks-become too consuming.

"You have to be disciplined," he said. "Not only does it take up time when you're using it, but it takes up headspace when you're not. In the moments when you could be thinking big thoughts, you're on social media. Those are missed opportunities."

6. Develop Emotional Intelligence
While it may be a trendy buzz-phrase in business today, emotional intelligence-the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others-sets leaders apart, said Michael Heiser, IT director for the Wyndham Hotel Group.

The term was coined in 1990 in a research paper by two psychology professors, and later put in business context by Rutgers University psychologist Daniel Goleman: "The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree in what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It's not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter, but ... they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions," he wrote.

Heiser, who started his career as an engineer, said that honing his emotional intelligence has helped him develop and fortify his relationships with his engineers.

"They don't respect leaders who can't understand the technology that they're dealing with," he told CMO.com. "You need to know the right things and the wrong things to say in certain situations. You need that emotional intelligence to be a competent leader."

Empathy, mentioned earlier, also plays a role. Digital leaders need to identify with others' feelings-while also understanding their own-and use that information as a guide when making business decisions.

7. Think Like A Futurist
Because the future is anything but certain, digital transformation leaders need to stop ruminating about what may or may not happen as an absolute, said Jacob Morgan, author of " The Future of Work."

"When it comes to digital transformation, business leaders need to remember to think in terms of different scenarios and time horizons instead of thinking in terms of one outcome during one time period," he told CMO.com.

Focusing on the "transformation" piece of digital transformation and what businesses should do to prepare limits thinking, Morgan added. Instead, digital transformation leaders need to think about what they can do to build the future of work they want to see.

"This ... allows digital transformation leaders to go from being passive participants to being active creators," he said. "Everything we do is about choice. It's a chess match where each move we make can lead down a different path."

Keeping that in mind will ensure that business leaders are prepared for any uncertainty that comes their way, Morgan added. "We no longer work for factories," he said. "We work for laboratories, and those who can run the most experiments the most often will win."

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The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Transformation Leaders

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Taking a business on its digital transformation journey requires great leaders. We spoke with nine executives and thought leaders about what makes good leaders great, the habits that inform success, and specific skills they must hone to realize this transformation.

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EI is the ability to perceive, recognize, and manage emotions in oneself and others.

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emotional intelligence: the key to successful leadership #infographic

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visualistan: emotional intelligence: the key to successful leadership #infographic

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Emotional Intelligence: The Key To Successful Leadership #Infographic

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Conventional wisdom holds that business success is a simple product of hard skills, clear thinking and bold risk taking. Recent research suggests that emotional intelligence - sometimes derided as "soft" - is a key ingredient in a leader's effectiveness and the success of a project or business.

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Transformational Leadership Theory EDSI 9962

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Trait and Behavioral Leadership Theories

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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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Anyone trying to come up to speed on emotional intelligence would have a pretty easy time of it since the concept is remarkably recent, and its application to business newer still. The term was coined in 1990 in a research paper by two psychology professors, John D. Mayer of UNH and Peter Salovey of Yale. Some years later, Mayer defined it in HBR this way:

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How Emotional Intelligence Became a Key Leadership Skill

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A reading list to bring you up to speed.

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The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence. So, let's look at each element in more detail and examine how you can grow as a leader.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel, and you know how your emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-aware when you're in a leadership position also means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses, and it means behaving with humility.

So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

Keep a journal. Journals help you improve your self-awareness. If you spend just a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a higher degree of self-awareness.

2. Self-regulation

Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a leader's flexibility and commitment to personal accountability.

So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

Hold yourself accountable. If you tend to blame others when something goes wrong, stop. Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the consequences, whatever they are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and you'll quickly earn the respect of those around you.

Practice being calm. The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very aware of how you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else? Practice deep-breathing exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all of the negative things you want to say, and then rip it up and throw it away. Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing them to anyone!) is better than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps you challenge your reactions to ensure that they're fair!

3. Motivation

Self-motivated leaders work consistently toward their goals, and they have extremely high standards for the quality of their work.

How can you improve your motivation?

Re-examine why you're doing your job. It's easy to forget what you really love about your career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this job. If you're unhappy in your role and you're struggling to remember why you wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to find the root of the problem. Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a new way. And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on this, see our article on Goal Setting.

4. Empathy

For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else's situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them you care by being empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

Respond to feelings. You ask your assistant to work late - again. And although he agrees, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond by addressing his feelings. Tell him you appreciate how willing he is to work extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about working late. If possible, figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for example, give him Monday mornings off).

5. Social Skills

Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence are great communicators. They're just as open to hearing bad news as good news, and they're experts at getting their team to support them and be excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and resolving conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they don't sit back and make everyone else do the work: they set an example with their own behavior.

So, how can you build social skills?

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership - Learning How to Be More Aware

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Relating to others is vital in today's workplace. Learn how to build your emotional intelligence (EI) with this article.

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The term "servant leadership" was coined nearly 50 years ago in an essay written by Robert K. Greenleaf; and since then, the business world has slowly but surely embraced this concept of empathy in leadership.

Over the past few years, we've seen top-notch companies like Zappos, Whole Foods and the Container Store publicly proclaim their affinity for this philosophy. And, in late 2016, Starbucks joined the ranks when it called its brand-new CEO a "true servant leader," explaining that he embodies characteristics the company wants to see in all its leaders.

Servant leadership certainly seems to be growing in popularity, but it also continues to be quite misunderstood.

So, what exactly is servant leadership?

Some people see the word "servant" and mistakenly assume that servant leaders are slaves to their employees, pushovers who say "yes" to everything and are willing to sacrifice the company's well-being to give employees what they want.

In reality, though, servant leaders are very much in charge of their companies; they just aren't authoritarians who boss everyone around. Instead, they're great listeners who are humble and empathetic -- but still successfully balance organizational growth with these feel-good attributes.

In short, the "servant" approach to leadership creates the type of atmosphere that promotes both personal and professional advancement. Employees know they can speak freely and be heard -- all while being mentored by a strong, trustworthy business leader.
Related: 7 Secrets to Employee Happiness
Not surprisingly, servant leadership results in high engagement, low turnover and even increased returns. Further, it builds a positive reputation around brands, and that attracts top talent. According to a 2015 Accenture survey, 60 percent of graduating college students who participated said they were willing to accept a lower salary if that meant the chance to work in a terrific environment. This is why you see companies like Zappos and Starbucks going out of their way to tell the world they follow this philosophy.

Here are three servant leadership techniques you can begin using today that will help you retain employees:

1. Show your face.

Regardless of how busy you are, find time to be present with your employees outside of companywide meetings and performance reviews. A Gallup study revealed that engaged leaders are 59 percent more likely to have engaged teams.

I love sitting in on my team's brainstorming sessions. This is something Bill Gates did as a young leader, joining Microsoft programmers as they conceptualized many of the products that make the company what it is today.

When I join my own company's brainstorming sessions, I make sure employees know I'm not there to drive the conversation. I tell them I'm there to listen with an open mind and provide input only when absolutely necessary. If they have any questions about how their ideas fit into the company's big-picture goals, I'm happy to chime in and let them know. Otherwise, I'm a passive observer.

2. Facilitate, don't micromanage.

There's a fine line between being a facilitator and being a micromanager, and it's a line that can be very easy to cross. Everyone knows micromanaging is an unhealthy leadership style that ends up hurting employees and companies, but at the same time, leaders don't want their team members to feel that they're stranded on an island without any guidance.

When I find myself wanting to jump in and micromanage my team through a tough scenario, I remind myself that mistakes are part of the journey and provide some of the best opportunities for learning and growth. If the team takes a wrong turn, there will be knowledge gained that makes the detour worthwhile. Humility is also a key element here.

Once you're comfortable with the fact that you don't know everything, it's easy to take a step back and let the experts on your staff handle the decision-making.
Related: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Team
Don't go completely mute, though.According to this 2014 infographic, 65 percent of employees desire more feedback from their leaders. This is where being a facilitator comes in handy. See yourself as a resource they can turn to as they run with their ideas. Help them with strategic input, empower them to take action and then get out of their way. According to The Elements of Great Managing, a book published by Gallup, companies that empower their employees experience 50 percent higher customer loyalty.

3. Serve everyone's strengths, and make it personal.

Your tendency might be to focus your servant leadership toward inexperienced or underperforming employees, your assumption being that they are the ones who will benefit from your attention the most. However, as entrepreneur and business coach Jim Rohn said,"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."

In other words, servant leaders serve their entire staffs -- even the top performers who seem to have it all figured out. Commit to providing tools, resources and guidance that betters everyone's skills, because everyone can stand to improve.
Related: How to Motivate Your Team Members by Putting Their Needs First
For me, a key element to servant leadership is helping employees improve as human beings, not just as professionals. The more they grow their own unique personal capabilities, the more they can bring to the professional table. One of my company's core values is "People Over Profit." We spend a lot of time and energy during our recruitment process identifying candidates' personal strengths and interests.

By the time they're hired, we're ready to help them grow in ways that are relevant to them -- not just us -- and this keeps them engaged with their work. According to a Gallup poll, when employees feel that they are leveraging their personal strengths on a daily basis, they are 15 percent less inclined to leave their jobs.

The best leaders in the world aren't know-it-alls who walk high above their subordinates; they're humble servants who understand that companies can only thrive if their employees feel fulfilled.

By becoming a servant leader, you create a positive work environment that attracts and retains great talent that accomplishes great things

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How to Retain Employees Through 'Servant' Leadership

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The term "servant leadership" was coined nearly 50 years ago in an essay written by Robert K. Greenleaf; and since then, the business world has slowly but surely embraced this concept of empathy in leadership.

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Situational Leadership theory was originally created by Dr Paul Hersey, a professor and author of "Situational Leader"

and Ken Blanchard, author of the bestselling "The One Minute Manager

.

This model states that in the modern world, a leader cannot just rely on one management style to fit all situations. Mangers and leaders must be flexible in their leadership styles , in order to get the best out of their teams and individuals.

The situational leadership theory argues that for leaders to be truly successful, they must adjust the way they lead their teams, to suit two factors:

The 'task maturity' of the people they are leading - That is, how competent a person or team is at the task at hand.

The details of the task -

In situational leadership theory, leaders place more or less emphasis on the task, and more or less emphasis on the empowerment with the people they're leading, depending on what's needed to get the job done successfully

The Situational leadership model represents four quadrants. Each quadrant denotes a different leadership style.

The diagram can be seen below:

Matching the Leadership Styles

The different leadership styles in situational leadership theory, range from S1 to S4 and vary in the level of leadership involvement direction involved.

This level of direction and control and ultimately, the correct leadership style to use, is understood by mapping the 'Development Level' (D1 to D4) of the team or individuals against one of the quadrants.

In other words, by asking, how competent the team/individual is at completing the task at hand, one can gauge a level from D1 to D4 in maturity. This then allows the leader to pick the correct style to suit the team / individual's competency levels, by matching the appropriate leadership style to their development levels.
Looking at the diagram:
D1 task maturity is mapped to S1 leadership style

D2 task maturity is mapped to S2 leadership style

D3 task maturity is mapped to S3 leadership style

D4 task maturity is mapped to S4 leadership style

The 4 Leadership Styles

(S1) Telling: Normally at this level of maturity, the individuals or team do not have much task knowledge. They are yet to learn the skills needed to be proficient and so they need clear direction and guidance. As a result, the necessity is to be told how to do something and what to do. To this end, the style reflects much of an autocratic behaviour .

(S2) Selling : This is the next step up in the development cycle and although the leadership style is slightly less autocratic, it still requires a good degree of direction from the leader, whereby he/she now begins to explain ideas and the reasons for such. This approach helps the individual / team to start to develop their skills and reasoning. With this style, leaders begin to sell their message to influence and develop the team.

(S3) Participating: At this level of development, the leader adjusts their style to reflect a more democratic stance and focuses further on relationships and less on task direction. He/ She allows the team(s) to create their goals but works with them to do this.

The main aim here is to develop the team further to take action and to think more autonomously, releasing the leash, if you like, and giving them greater scope for self-leadership.

(S4) Delegating: At this point in the cycle, the team are now competent. Their levels of development are high with the task at hand, and the leadership style reflects a hands-off approach. The manager now delegates goal creation and decision making to the team and as such, they competently get on with the task; setting goals, creating plans and executing them autonomously. The leader is normally kept abreast through regular updates.

Using the Situational Leadership Model

The whole idea of situational leadership is to be able to flex your style to suit the task and the individual's needs. This is based on tasks, so an person can easily be a D1 on one task and a D4 level on another. This person then should be managed differently, depending o ntheir task competency.

Knowing what level of competency each individual is at, is the key to the effective use of this model. Once understood, the leader has a good blue print to be able to use to constantly flex their style to suit the situation and the individual's / team's growth.

Your task as an effective manager is to keep developing your team through the cycle, so if an individual is at S4 (delegation level) for a specific task, try to add an additional level of responsibility and complexity, so they start back at S1, working with and leading them through levels 1-4 again.

This pattern is a continuous loop, and enacted correctly, the leader can develop empowered, energised and highly skilled teams.

For more information on how and when to adjust your leadership styles, and how to follow a system to get results, you can purchase our Ebook, The Flexible Leader System. It's packed with:

Examples and case studies to help you apply the concepts of flexible leadership

Templates to help you understand the situation and apply the correct leadership style in the workplace

Flash cards to help you remember the key concepts while at work.

A detailed step by step road-map on how to implement this situational leadership theory with your teams.Plus 5 Free Bonuses:

A Learning Journal to help you accelerate your leadership learning

A Skills Matrix to help you track your team's capabilities and improve them

The Daily Stand-up Meeting E-Workbook - How to engage your team and provide laser focus in as much as a few minutes per day

The Flexible Leader System Reference Card - for quick and easy reference when in your job

the Coaching Cheat Sheet - learn the 5 step process to coach your team affectively, and which is the exact system is use with my clients.

Flexible Leadership is Key

Growth and productivity effectively have a symbiotic relationship with good leadership. To get the best out of a team, the situational leadership theory suggests that a leader must understand to manage people effectively with reference the tasks they are set and their level of competency.

It would be suicide to introduce a novice and let them get on with a highly complicated task that requires years of training to become competent in. This person would soon become unhappy, stressed and demotivated. That is before he/she walks out!

So too, it is of just as much detriment to productivity and morale if a team member is so competent at a task that they can easily do it quickly, efficiently and competently, but they are still being micro-managed. This scenario will lead to feelings from the individual of being stifled in development, not trusted and even anger at the supervisor for being a bad manager.

It is clear that flexibility is critical for effective leadership to take place. As with the definition of leadership , the critical thing to do is to lead and manage individuals effectively so they can work in harmony with the team and achieve the objectives set.
The task of the manager therefore, is to:
1. Recognise the different leadership styles available in situational leadership theory

2. Be bold enough to adjust your style appropriately to match the individual's needs

3. Learn from your mistakes and develop as a leader - Practice makes perfect.

If you can master becoming a flexible leader using the principles from situational leadership theory, then your team can develop and improve and so too your team(s) outputs and goals.

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Situational Leadership Theory: Providing Leadership through Flexibility

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Situational Leadership theory was originally created by Dr Paul Hersey, a professor and author of "Situational Leader" and Ken Blanchard, author of the bestselling "The One Minute Manager. This model states that in the modern world, a leader cannot just rely on one management style to fit all situations.

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AASA | American Association of School Administrators

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The transformational leadership approach focuses on the ability of a leader to have a plan for the future and have charisma. A transformational leader tries to change beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of followers by determining what motivates followers. Leaders, under this approach, are supportive of followers and treat them well.