The leadership styles of all executives is a balance between autocratic and consensus builder. Each leader has made it to the top of their organization through an accumulation of success, knowledge, and skill in industry. Key executives are often driven by success and achieving results. Most companies, however, do not look so much at the path the executive took to achieve the outcome as they do the outcome itself.
The challenge is that sometimes these outcomes do not last. Unfortunately, some executives reach success quickly but then just as quickly fade away. Their results do not last. For the executive and his staff this fade is evidenced by burnout, high turnover, and employee morale problems to name a few. So why does this happen? What causes a high performing team to suddenly lose its edge and to begin underperforming? The answer can often be found in the leadership style of the executive.
Leadership Types
Early career executives are often evaluated based on their technical skill and ability to deliver exceptional products or services. As they move up the corporate ladder, they begin to be responsible for activities that fall outside of their technical expertise. They do not realize that they their responsibility is less about technical skill and more about being able to manage a group of people to achieve a goal. In my experience, I have observed that leaders fall into one of two types:
- Autocratic
- Consensus Builder
We talk about each in more detail below. Before we do, it is important to note that leaders rarely fall to either extreme. While it does happen, leaders are typically a blend of the two. An effective leader learns how to balance these types to achieve truly exceptional results. They understand that teams are more invested in decisions and achieve exceptional results if the team helps build the road to success.
Autocratic
At one extreme, leaders can be autocratic. They may get great results, but it comes at a cost to everyone in the chain of authority. Autocratic leaders tend to be authoritarian, direct, and there is only one right way. Have you ever heard a friend or co-worker mention that their boss is unreasonable? Or how about, my manager thinks his way is the only way to get the desired results? When the work environment gets to this point, staff members begin to give up. They become exhausted from trying to meet nearly impossible demands placed on them. They begin to experience burnout.
With burnout and fatigue, comes an increase in conflict among team members. Staff begin to get mad at one another because they perceive that the other person is not carrying their weight. Those who are already exhausted feel as though they need to work even harder. The longer this cycle lasts, the more devastating it will be for the team. In fact, it could be argued that a group like this is not a team at all. The team becomes each member looking out for their own best interest. As soon as the workplace is all about me rather than all about the team working together to achieve a result, outcomes begin to slip.
Consensus Builder
At the other extreme, leaders can be consensus builders. These leaders get results, but the people in the chain of authority end up very frustrated. Consensus building leaders typically pursue status quo, are indirect, and think there are many right ways. Consensus builders often come across to the staff as weak and indecisive. They are often content with the status quo and resist dictating direction on key strategic initiatives. Initially, staff may respond well to this form of leadership, but the high performers eventually become disenchanted with a seeming lack of accountability.
Consensus building is critical to building a team that works together well. However, this consensus building must be balanced with individual accountability. When an organization becomes too focused on building consensus, the high performers will begin to leave. The staff who leave an organization are typically the ones the organization need and want to keep. Let this go too long, and the organization begins to languish because too many of the staff are mediocre performers.
Leadership Learning
Leaders are a product of their corporate upbringing. They learn from the people who have managed them in the past. They learn from the leadership styles of different executive leadership teams. The challenge for the executive is that as responsibility increases, the focus and nature of the position changes. Often executives do not completely understand the changing nature of their role until they have had a bad outcome. Organizations must invest in helping their leaders shift from effective management to effective leadership. This can be a tough shift, particularly if a person advances in the same organization.
Finding the right balance of leadership styles will differ for each organization. Balance is dictated by the organization and where it is in its life cycle. Startup companies require a much different balance than long established companies. Companies that do not find balance find themselves on a slippery slope that is hard to stop. Like an avalanche, the longer it goes, the more momentum it builds. When it finally hits something, there is a lot of damage that is caused.
How Do We Achieve Balance?
In my experience the answer comes down to accountability. Staff must be held accountable for their contribution to the overall objectives of the company. One of the biggest challenges in any company is how to enforce accountability. In my experience, balanced leadership styles require effective leaders to hold all staff accountable at three levels.
Levels of Accountability
- Responsibility for achieving individual goals
- Contribution to team goals
- Team contribution to corporate goals
Goal Setting
- Communicate the strategic initiatives of the corporation
- Assign responsibility for strategic initiatives to specific teams
- Set individual goals that support the team initiatives
Effective Goals
- Each goal must be achievable and measurable
- Team goals identify responsible individuals
- Individual team members are accountable for personal goals AND team goals
As effective leaders, we must encourage team achievement and not shy away from dealing with those who are consistently not meeting their individual goals
Exceptional Results
Effective leaders learn to balance leadership styles and achieve exceptional results. Exceptional results are achieved when leaders learn to strike a balance that works with the culture and staff of the organization. There is not a specific mix of character traits that leads to balanced leadership. As discussed in the Three Keys to Effective Leadership, each company has its own people, program and culture. Successful leaders learn to adapt leadership style to the unique needs of the people, program, and culture that make up their organization.
Staff need to see a clear direction and reason for the strategic initiatives of the company. An effective leader will also be an effective communicator. Staff need to understand why a company is moving in a direction before they can see how they fit in to the overall strategic direction. Staff want to participate in the success of an organization. The more staff are invested in individual and organizational outcomes, the higher the level of performance. Effective leaders learn how to provide staff with the freedom to be creative in how successful outcomes are achieved. Obviously, this freedom also comes with clear boundaries to the amount of autonomy and flexibility they can express.
