The Many Faces Of Corporate Leadership
Employees’ happiness at work is more important in the workforce than ever before, and that feeling of fulfillment and engagement often comes from the top. If you are aware of what type of leader you are and how your leadership affects employees and clients, you can mitigate your weaknesses and discover your strengths to ultimately lead more effectively. Let’s take a look at a few leadership personas I’ve witnessed while coaching and what works best for each.
In-The-Weeds Leaders
Leaders who are “in the weeds” tend to spend too much time in the day-to-day. They get bogged down with what’s in front of them and don’t think outside the box. Without innovation, the company runs the risk of coming to a grinding halt.
These leaders need to delegate current tasks to their team members. They can then focus on finding new ways to drive the business forward. In-the-weeds leaders may even need an outside party to hold them accountable for setting and reaching these new goals.
Frustrated Leaders
These leaders know their companies can be better, but they’re upset because they can’t scale at the rate they want. They bottle up their grievances and aren’t sure where the disconnect is with their teams.
These leaders could seek guidance from a third party, whether that’s a friend or colleague. An outside perspective can help identify problem areas. They also need to hear out their team members and get firsthand accounts on what’s not working. Both perspectives can help turn frustration into focus.
Mindful Leaders
These leaders recognize that rapid growth is positive as long as they scale appropriately with formal organization and efficient processes. They are careful to avoid pushing forward blindly and losing essential parts of their culture and values along the way. However, they may take too long to think things through and miss new opportunities that come along because they couldn’t act quickly enough.
These leaders should make sure they are sticking to the systems they have in place while remaining open to new opportunities and evaluating them in a timely manner. It’s important to constantly reevaluate and adapt as the company grows and changes shape.
Control Freaks
These leaders can’t seem to let go of the wheel. They micromanage and don’t trust their team to get the job done, which fosters an atmosphere of frustration and mistrust. In this atmosphere, they can no longer lead effectively.
They should work with their teams to identify why the company exists, what motivates team members and why their work is important. That will not only help the leader and the team establish a better dynamic, but it will also help them both understand where the company is now and where it’s going.
When evaluating your leadership style, be honest with yourself. If you can pinpoint where you are on the leadership spectrum, then you’ll better account for your challenges and capitalize on your assets. And that’s how you become more self-aware and, in turn, a much stronger leader.
