page: 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19

Beyond the Cain-Abel Culture, page 9
 

The Pacesetting Leadership Style

A pacesetting leader sets high performance standards, which he exemplifies himself. He is committed to improvement, goal setting and accomplishment and expects others to follow his example.

That all sounds very good. However, the style is a killer for climate in most situations and not very effective.

It may work well in environments where everybody is self-motivated, highly competent and without much need for direction or coordination, like in a research team. Another situation may be found at the opposite end, where little skill and variety is required to do a job, like stuffing envelopes or moving furniture.

However, in other cases the expectation of the pacesetting leader that people follow his example appears to be a downside. When looking a bit closer, leading by pacesetting has a lot of coercive elements. The pacesetting leader expects the people to follow the example that he/she sets. When people fall short of this expectation, he quickly takes over and does it right. People who don’t measure up repeatedly are replaced.

Also, while the leader may have a clear understanding of the goal, he doesn’t usually communicate it well. “People should know, it’s not that difficult.”

Like the coercive one this style has a real bad effect on all aspects of climate. As the leader doesn’t communicate any other way than by example, clarity suffers. In the eye of the leader there is no need to innovate, thus flexibility suffers, too. People receive little feedback, thus rewards are scarce. According to Goleman’s observations, in terms of its effect on climate and thus on the results, this style settles right beside the coercive style.

There are situations where it is effective and even required - just like the coercive style. However, it is important to notice when its end has come.

The Coaching Leadership Style

Coaching requires a commitment to an individual and its development. A coaching leader helps his people to discover their strength and weaknesses. He encourages them to make long term goals and plans for their development. Of course, this has to occur within the context of the individual’s roles in the operation.

The leader who coaches a person usually gives a lot of instructions and feedback. Even though the focus is clearly on individual development it can improve the effectiveness of a team. The reason for this is probably that it requires constant dialogue and feedback, which has a positive effect on climate.

An argument against coaching is that it requires that a leader spends a lot of time with an individual. But the time spent increases the commitment of the individual to the operation which certainly is a desirable effect. Also, the time required for coaching tends to decrease after an initial effort.

Of course, the style is not effective with people who don’t want to learn and change. Also, if the leader doesn’t have the experience and knowledge to help a person develop coaching doesn’t work.
 

Copyright © Cultural Communications, foreignlands.org, 2005 - 2008. All rights reserved.

the old man

Best viewed with: