Kevin's Blog | Helping Businesses Grow and Thrive

(This is an extension of “The Anatomy of a Leader” article posted previously)

There’s a common misperception that a leader must possess one distinct “style” or behavior in order to be effective. This belief couldn’t be further from the truth and the fact is, the most effective leaders utilize a variety of styles that are dependent on the situation.

Work in this area has been discussed in great length for the last 40 years by Dr. Victor Vroom of Yale University. Dr. Vroom has developed a model that states there are five behaviors:

1. Autocratic Type 1(A1) – The leader makes decisions entirely on his own based on information that is readily available to him. This style is effective when time is of the essence.

2. Autocratic Type 2 (A2) – The leader collects information from his followers and then makes the decision on his own without telling them why. This is useful when vital information is needed and commitment isn’t required.

3. Consultative Type 1 (C1) – The leader shares the problem and collects information independently from each follower but makes the decision alone. This behavior works when participation is needed but time is not critical.

4. Consultative Type 2 (C2) – The leader shares the problem to the relevant followers as a group and elicits their opinions but makes the final decision alone. This behavior takes time and is useful in gaining commitment from the group but protects against those that may not share the same objectives of the organization.

5. Collaborative Group Type 2 (G2) – The leader acts only a facilitator and tells the group that the decision is theirs to make and commits to live by the outcome. This style takes the most time but maximizes ownership and employee development.

(Click image to enlarge)

If you refer to the graphic above, you’ll see there are a series of questions on the bottom that you start answering as “yes” or “no” and as you follow the tree above them, it will eventually lead you to the style that is recommended.

Vroom’s research has demonstrated that if a leader follows this model within a “feasible range” of behaviors, he or she will be successful over 80 percent of the time. If the leader does not follow the model and deliberately chooses a style outside of the feasible set, their rate of success will be less than 20 percent. (For more detailed information about Vroom’s model and his “feasible range”, see his book, Leadership and Decision Making (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1973).

Leadership styles must be flexible and varied depending on the situation at hand. Leaders that adopt this philosophy will ultimately be successful at making important decisions quickly and effectively.

© Kevin Wunderly 2013 - Image Source: Unknown

(This is an extension of “The Anatomy of a Leader” article posted previously)

If there’s any organization that exemplifies the true meaning of leadership, it would undoubtedly be the United States military. The United States is as powerful as it is because its military’s leaders have the capability to maintain laser-like focus during the heat of battle and have a clear vision of the goal at hand. One wrong move on their part could mean disaster for an entire platoon and a failed mission. These leaders possess a trait called “focused vision.”

In business, the vision of a company is what paints a picture of where it wants to go and articulates the desired outcome once it gets there. A strong vision inspires and is what makes everyone excited about coming into work and playing an important part in making the company successful. Leaders ensure that the entire team stays on track and every decision that is made aligns with the vision. This is absolutely critical because a company can’t afford to make hasty decisions every time the market changes or the competition is nipping at its heels.

Leaders that keep their teams focused each and every day ultimately lead them to successfully reach their company’s vision. This focus is what keeps everyone on track and helps them minimize distractions so they maintain consistency with their actions. Individuals are then evaluated on their progress and rewarded based on their production of results which support the overall direction of the company.

Take a moment to think about how many times your team has lost focus and spent time on things that were out of bounds with the company’s vision. Did those efforts amount to anything worthwhile and was the organization better off afterwards? Most likely not. Events like this can be disastrous if they aren’t properly managed.

Oftentimes, distractions will disguise themselves as opportunities. If the organization isn’t disciplined enough to ignore them, it will eventually get off track and end up wasting considerable amounts of time, energy, and money. Always having a clear view of where your team must go and articulating this to them will ensure that their actions always contribute to the company’s objectives.

Leaders must also understand that their people will always see things from their own perspective and may comprehend things different than they do. This is why it’s absolutely essential that the leader is always fine tuning his focus and ensuring everyone moves in the same direction. If implemented successfully, the entire organization will reach the desired business outcomes. And everyone will get there at the same time.

© Kevin Wunderly 2013

(This is an extension of “The Anatomy of a Leader” article posted previously)

Of the many responsibilities that come with being in a leadership position, one of the most important is ensuring the actions of the leader are consistent with the expectations they have for their team. Almost everyone has experienced a leader that has a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude. They tell everyone that they need to start cutting back on expenses and the next week they are observed spending lavishly on dining and entertainment. Behavior like this quickly affects morale and gives their subordinates fuel to eventually have an “I don’t care” type of attitude as well.

As a leader, trust and respect are quickly gained when you prove that you follow-through with promises and corroborate expectations through your actions. Your attitude, behaviors and appearance must be of a high standard and your message must be consistent. Consistency shows your team that you believe in what you say and sets the tone for what you except from them. As time moves forward, their respect and confidence in you will start to increase and they’ll start understanding that every decision made must be aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization and that it’s everyone’s responsibility to maintain this standard.

Strong leaders make it a priority to get their hands dirty and “get into the trenches” with their team. How many times have you set aside a day in the last year to do this? If you watch the TV show Undercover Boss, you’ll see how incredibly effective this strategy is. Not only does it give the leader (boss) an excellent opportunity to work along his team and learn more about the company’s operations, but when they reveal themselves at the end of the show, they are far more respected because they’ve shown that they care and have taken time to get away from the “ivory towers” of the corporate offices.

Think of ways you can make yourself more visible within your organization and get the opportunity to show your people that you stand behind your own directives. If you tell your team that customer satisfaction is top priority and they observe you interacting with a customer in a positive light, they’ll not only start adopting your methods but begin to understand what you expect from them when they interact with a customer.

Leading by example not only gives your team a path to follow, but empowers them to make the right choices when they come across a fork in the middle of the road. Their decisions will naturally fall in line with yours and ultimately, with the organization’s.

© Kevin Wunderly 2013

Not all leaders are created equal. The best companies in the world understand that leadership is an organization-wide strategy that must be aligned with the goals and objectives of the company. In addition, the conflation of “leader” with “CEO” or “management” has made many believe that the only ones that can be considered a leader are the ones at the top. Many times, those that are in positions that are decidedly not leaders take leadership roles and prove this theory as being false.

So what makes one a true leader? What traits do they posses and what are some of the commonalities within those that step-up and take a leadership role when the time is right? Over the years, I have witness all types of leaders: the good, the bad, and the absolutely dreadful. Here is a list of the top ten traits I’ve observed the best leaders to possess:

1. They lead by example
2. They have a focused vision
3. They possess a variety of leadership styles
4. They effectively delegate
5. They take accountability for their actions
6. They recognize and utilize talent
7. They’re visible and approachable
8. They’re excellent communicators
9. They’re excellent listeners
10. They believe in continuous education and training

In future articles, I’ll be expanding upon each of these and give examples on how you can start applying these principles to your own leadership style.

© Kevin Wunderly 2013