I thought finding a wrist brace for my injured right hand would be easy. Isn’t it bad enough to struggle doing all with my left hand? Or at most contort my grip so that I don’t feel the excruciating pain? Sure – I just spent what felt like a half hour in the pharmacy isle finding the right support for my sprained wrist. There are big ones, small ones, some with “breathing materials”, others with extra support, reversible, expensive and more expensive. Oh – and just when I find the one I like, they only have it for the left hand. Just my luck.
There are so many items in our lives that are adjustable, reversible and “made to fit”. Even the “one size fits all” Baseball cap needs adjusting. If only we could approach issues in our lives just as simply. Or can we? We adjust our behaviors to those around us depending on the situation. For example, we don’t treat our new co-workers or boss the same way we treat our life-long friends or family. We adjust the way we behave to an optimal level for the situation.
As far as leadership goes - is it a “one size fits all” or completely “adjustable”? No doubt leadership requires a firm vision and clear direction. However, it also needs to be flexible –
ready to adapt to the person or people we intend to lead. Although the wrist guard ultimately had to be rigid and supportive in order for it do its task of helping me heal – it also had some adjustability. Lastly, the plethora of shapes, styles and sizes are a testament to the fact that we are all different, and have different needs to how things suit us best.
Some of us may have already heard of “Situational Leadership”. For those of us who haven’t, it is based on a great and simple concept that everyone has “peak potential”. As leaders, it is up to us to meet them there. How? To get the entire picture of this, I highly recommend the quick read “Leadership and the One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard (http://www.blanchardlearning.com/templates/group.asp?group=5). It’s based firmly on the two “basic” leadership styles of “Directive” and “Supportive”. These styles are also known as our behaviors towards those we intend to lead. The amalgam of the two behaviors yield a “4 x 4 matrix” where the Styles are now known as: Supporting, Coaching, Delegating and Directing.
As I struggle to keep this entry brief, there is no way I can capture the entire “beauty of gray” which is Situational Leadership. If you read my profile, you will see that I love to draw with pencils, and there is so much that can be told with the gray scale (like black & white pictures – classic). However, if I want to continue with a visual analogy, I will have to be a little more colorful. Like two basic colors forming a palette of in-between colors, less of one means that you see more of the other and vice-versa. Try to picture watercolors canvas. If Delegating were blue and Supportive were red, the levels of purple would depend greatly on where the “follower” is in terms of competency and commitment.
For example, if the person is a new employee where is competence is low, but has high commitment (since it’s a new job almost everyone is excited and ready to show their best) the Directive behavior may need to be high and not require much Supportive behavior on your behalf. Why? You need to give clear direction on what and when things need to be done and watch them closely. There is no need for listening or support – yet – in order to solve issues and/or make decisions. This style is known as “Directing”. For those of us who are still thinking in colors, this would mean it’s a “blue with light wash of red”, yielding a dark purple.
Let’s say that in time, that same person’s competency will increase and their commitment may dwindle (since they’re no longer “new” there and feels established). Now, the directive behavior can be low because they already know what and when things need to be done, but may need more Supportive behavior on your behalf. Like what? The support and encouragement needed to keep them remain focused push themselves to do their best. In my 2/7/10 entry, I mention everyone’s basic need of feeling important. A little encouragement goes a long way. This style is known as “Supporting”. Still thinking in color? The “light wash blue and red” will yield a light purple.
So – what happened to “Delegating” and “Coaching”?
I guess it’s not just for sports anymore. Coaching is the “perfect mix” of high support and high direction. The last, and most basic mixture of pure red and pure blue mixed in equal amounts to yield basic purple. You still need to give them clear direction as to what is going on and the full support to encourage them as they learn. This is style is best when the person has some competence, but is still relatively new at the job and is still learning. The “high” commitment may now be “low” since the job is no longer “new” to them.
Last, but definitely not least, Delegating is the “light wash red and light wash blue”: low support and low direction (yielding a light washed purple). How come? When you get to the point of delegating, this means your follower is very competent, and very committed. They do not need day-to-day direction nor support, since they know enough of their job and the business that they take initiative. You will practically partner with them on decision-making and let them take charge.
As you can see, not only are the different styles for different people, but can be for the same person at different stages of their carrier. Also, we have a nice range of “purples” to choose from.
In closing, there is also “Situational Leadership” based on the surroundings and the environment in which the leader is operating in. I will go into detail on that next time.
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