I find myself using different leadership styles for different kinds of groups. When it comes to friendship groups and social groups i take the leadership role early and often. I find my friends to be very indecisive, so to eliminate wasting time, i take the lead and get the show on the road with planning and decision making. But when leading my friends, i have to be more accommodating to their needs, preferences, and wants. And it's only natural that in these social situation to have the most awesome person lead a group to the ultimate goal of having an awesome time.
In groups at work i tend to take the leadership role when im managing a crew, obviously, but i allow the crew to work autonomously. I let them know what the goal is, tell them how i would like to reach that goal as efficiently as possible, and then let them work. If i notice someone struggling I will jump in and help and lead them back on track.
When working with the partners in the company i work for, i take the back seat and watch and listen as they drive towards the goal. They have many more years of experience than i do so i like to learn and follow when working with them. Although, i do contribute whenever possible, because i have experience and knowledge of my own that may help in certain situations.
When im with my family, since im the youngest, i tend to just chill and let things happen, lending a helping hand whenever i can. I very rarely jump into the leadership role because i have a brother that will try to battle for dominance regardless of rationality or logic. But, i guess that what big bros do.
When im with a group for class, i like to survey the people in the group and see if anyone is itching to jump into the lead. This usually takes a few seconds....if no one does, then i take the lead, and get it started. I don't like to waste time establishing roles, everyone is going to contribute, but a leader gets the ball moving.
I enjoy learning from other leaders. Successful leaders have a lot to offer. Their style has proven to work, so taking notes (mentally) for usage or imitation can be useful. But, different leadership styles and techniques are not universally compatible, and that's what this course is about, learning the techniques and styles, and when to apply them.
I feel like we have similar leadership styles from reading your blog. I take the lead in a lot of situations because it seems like no one else is going to, and it helps to get things started. But in situations where others have more expertise, I let them take the lead. When you were younger, was it ever difficult for you to take on the leadership role? (since you are the youngest in your family, and that was what you were used to)
ReplyDeleteI think "taking the lead" or "letting someone take the lead" are different than "taking the leadership" and "letting someone take the leadership." The former do happen often in group work. A leader may choose to let someone else take the lead, and taking the lead does not make one a leader. On the other hand, I don't think the latter happen. That is, leaders do not become leaders by "taking" the leadership or because somebody else kindly lets them have it. Leadership is not assigned, but earned. Leaders are not given the position, but they emerge as leaders because they have what it takes to be leaders and they influence others to follow them.
ReplyDeleteAlong these lines, I have been wondering if there is such a thing as a bad leader. By now I am convinced that it is just a misnomer; a bad leader is not a leader at all.