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Leadership behaviours
06 April 2009
As a business coach and executive mentor to many business owners and directors in the Midlands and London, one of the areas that all of my clients ask about is Leadership Styles. Leadership styles come in many different forms and varies hugely for different personalities and this article that I wrote after reading “Global Challenge” by Humphrey Walters, Peter & Rosie Mackie and Andrea Bacon – story of World’s Toughest Yacht Race around the world the wrong way against the wind – involves leadership across the board.
After browsing this list you will:
- have a good idea of what sort of team leadership is required under severe stress
- understand that leadership of teams is about individual leadership
- have a really good list of leadership traits that you can discuss with fellow directors and staff
- realise that there is a huge wealth of leadership in many of your staff that has gone undetected
- recognise that leadership qualities can be seen in many individuals who are not normally thought of as leaders
Leadership Styles and Behaviours for High Performance Teams
Taken from “Global Challenge” by Humphrey Walters, Peter & Rosie Mackie and Andrea Bacon – story of World’s Toughest Yacht Race around the world the wrong way against the wind.
1. Information search – gathers many different kinds of information and uses a variety of sources to build a rich informational environment in preparation for decision-making in the organisation.
2. Concept Formation – Builds frameworks or models or forms concepts, hypotheses or ideas on the basis of information. Becomes aware of patterns, trends and cause/effect relations by linking disparate information.
3. Conceptual Flexibility – Identifies feasible alternatives or multiple options in planning and decision making. Holds different options in focus simultaneously and evaluates their pros and cons.
4. Empathy – Uses open and probing questions, summaries and paraphrasing to understand the ideas, concepts and feelings of another. Can comprehend events, issues, problems, opportunities from the viewpoint of others.
5. Teamwork – Involves others and is able to build co-operative teams in which group members feel valued and empowered and have shared goals.
6. Developing People – Creates a positive climate in which staff increase the accuracy of their own strengths and limitations. Provides coaching, training and development resources to improve performance.
7. Influence - Uses a variety of methods (persuasive arguments, modelling behaviour, inventing symbols, forming alliances and appealing to the interest of others) to gain support for ideas and strategies and values.
8. Building Confidence – States own “stand” or position on issues; unhesitatingly takes decisions when required and commits self and others accordingly. Expresses confidence in the future success of the actions to be taken.
9. Presentation – Presents ideas clearly, with ease and interest so that the other person (or audience) understands what is being communicated. Uses technical, symbolic, non-verbal and visual aids effectively.
10. Pro-activity – Structures the task for the team. Implements plans and ideas. Takes responsibility for all aspects of the situation even beyond ordinary boundaries for the success and failure of the group
11. Continuous improvement – Possesses high internal work standards and sets ambitious, risky and yet attainable goals. Wants to do things better, to improve, to be effective and efficient. Measures progress against targets.