Q1: What type of leader are you?
Q2: Is your leadership style serving you well?
There are 2 critical questions that every leader must ask themselves constantly. Before we examine these 2 questions, we need to have a clear understanding of what leadership truly is. Leadership is defined as a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal. Based on this definition it is clear to see that we all play a role in the outcome of leadership, from being the influencer to being the influenced. The astonishing thing about leadership is that it can be experienced in various ways, it can be commanding as a lion’s roar or as calm as a summer breeze & be equally effective. On that note I have a challenge for you; after reading this article I would like you to answer the following question;
What is your personal leadership style?
Question #1:
What type of leader are you?
This question is extremely important for us to understand if we want to be effective leaders. Regardless of what type of leader we are there are things that are central to this position. For instance, leading by example, great leaders recognize that their actions and responses are not only relevant to the situation but are key in developing a train of thought and powerful teaching moments. With this in mind, we can either be a leader that embraces the role of a teacher or that of a boss. The “Leader-Teacher” and “Leader-Boss” possess different attributes and apply different philosophies to achieve their desired outcome. The Leader-Teacher is focused on cultivating an independent mindset while the Leader-Boss is centered on cultivating a dependent mindset. One creates room for more questions & mistakes for growth whereas the latter establishes a power structure to achieve results. Depending on the individuals you are leading and your short and long-term goals it is important to be mindful and reflective of your leadership style and its impact.
Question #2:
Is your leadership style serving you well?
Although “well” is a relevant term in relation to “not well” it is important to differentiate the emotions and outcomes associated to each. Based on this a leadership style that serves you well is one that spells out a clear end goal and keeps everyone connected to the desire to produce greater abundance. Great leadership brings to life the concept of “teamwork” and encourages each member to believe in the mindset- “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. Each member that is committed to the end (physical & emotional) result and feels a sense of belonging will increase their capacity and the capability of the entire unit. Innovation and commitment are born in these types of environments. That said if you are not establishing greater levels of trust and respect under your leadership style you are limiting your ability to elevate people. On that note the task of an effective leader is not always an easy one but consistently create environments that allow for people to thrive off of each other’s growth.
As your source for leadership development content we hope that this article was able to increase your ability to produce greater results and to possess more positive energy. Our goal is not only to motivate you as a leader but to enhance your ability to stimulate a higher levels of growth within those around you!
By Christoff Kyere
