|
Correlation Between Leadership Styles & Affect on Climate
We've all worked for leaders and know there are good ones and there are those we would rather never work for again. We sense there's something some people do in their attempts to lead that work well, but we're not sure what it is or how to develop it in our own hope to become effective leaders.
Identifying those elements has been the goal of this series. With that in mind, I discovered research completed in the USA by Hay/McBer, published in the Harvard Business Review (March-April 2000), that confirms how Climate (see previous articles in this series) is affected to one degree or another through a variety of leadership styles; and how these styles spring from an individual's personal values. When these styles are applied well they appear to have a direct and positive impact on the working atmosphere of a company, a department or team and - the bottom line.
To date, we've established that the best leaders are flexible rather than rigid in seamlessly applying up to four different leadership styles as appropriate to the situation or group of people they are working with at the time (see previous articles in series). This ensures they have maximum and effective impact on the key elements of corporate "Climate".
If you remember the original matrix, here is how the research correlates the degree of effectiveness (+/-) of Leadership Styles on Climate.
|
Dictator |
Field Marshall |
Conductor |
"Move now!"
"Do as I say!"
-0.26 |
"Come WITH me!"
"I have a vision!"
+0.54 |
"People come first!""Let's make music.
+ 0.43 |
|
Balancer |
Pacesetter |
Coach |
"What do YOU think?"
"Let's work together."
+0.46 |
"Come on, keep up!"
"Reach for the stars!"
-0.25 |
"Here's how, you can do it!"
"Just keep trying!"
+0.42 |
From the results of the research we are able to apply their results to the "styles" developed and see that all styles are effective, but some, as they say in George Orwell's Animal Farm, are "more effective than others but all styles can be effective when applied appropriately.
The most effective leaders affect Climate by selecting a leadership style based on the issues and situation they are dealing with presently and move between styles as appropriate to bring the best business results.
Next week Darlene will look at "The 6 Key Elements of Climate and Leadership Styles"
 Darlene Richard specialises in reviewing and improving telephony-based sales and service channels. She has over 20 years practical experience building, managing and consulting with organisations dependent upon non face-to-face business helping them produce results that are effective, business smart and most of all, people practical.
She's an educator and frequent speaker on relationship marketing and call centre sensibility. Read more about her new book, The Customer Response Management Handbook and order it on-line today. Just click here. | 
