Picture a workplace team - you have the quiet employees, the outspoken ones, the easily distracted, the focused workers, the high performers, and the independent thinkers. These employees come from different backgrounds and environments, hence they have their own preferences on how they like to be managed.
There are team members who instantly follow instructions when you assert authority, some who rebel against an overly authoritarian style which demotivates them, most prefer to be approached calmly and respectfully, and several respond best when you treat them as colleagues. The effective leader figures out that a calm, collaborative approach is usually most productive - the workplace is no different than any other environment.
As leaders, we may think that being intimidating is the most effective way of making your subordinates be more efficient. We may think that being intimidating strengthens your title as their leader or as their manager without even considering how dominating you are being over them, which only creates an unhealthy and unmotivating environment to work at.
It may have worked for the previous team that you worked with, but it doesn’t always guarantee that the following team will still like that leadership style. Remember, you cannot compare the past and the present. As a leader or a manager, you have to instill it in your mind that not everything is certain; times change. The technique that worked before may not work today because the future is uncertain.
You also have to understand and remember that the people you work with change. And in that change, you may encounter people of different ages and yet again, of different upbringings. Keep in mind that the approach that you use towards this particular number of people in your team cannot be applied to the other due to their differences – may it be in age, experience, and expertise.
While you’re in the process of figuring out how you can excel your leadership and management style, you may also figure out your own preference and style when it comes to leading and managing your people. You may prefer it when you can create a strong relationship with your team wherein you can still be friends outside of the workplace, or you may prefer the leadership style wherein you’re assertive, but you don’t like it when you’re fully authoritative.
As you continue to work with these people, you also learn what leadership style is more effective for them. You may notice that being calm and approachable works the best for them on a daily basis but being firm becomes more effective when the deadline is near for your team’s project and they need someone to steer them into productivity.
Being a leader can be quite a lot sometimes, especially if it’s your first time. But being an effective leader can be learned through time and experience – or maybe even through trainings. Being an effective leader does not only apply to being productive or setting your team straight, it’s also about understanding the people you work with and the environment where you work at.
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If you still find yourself wondering how can you understand your team and your environment at the same time while finding your preferred leadership style, you can join us on June 27-28 in “eXL Training: An Executive Leadership Training Program” via Zoom. You may inquire through this email: training@pvpi.ph.
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