What sort of manager are you? Or as they are called today, a people leader.
When you ask employees what characteristics they most admire in a leader, words like ‘encouragement’, ‘caring’, ‘understanding’, ‘fairness’ keep coming up.
One of the main things was the ability to be heard and listened to. They liked leaders who had a vision and enthusiasm and lead by setting a good example.
Your job is to treat each person as a unique individual. People learn and behave in different ways, at different speeds, under different circumstances and for different reasons.
Some people need challenges, some need security and some need close instruction. Some learn best by example; others work best by being allowed to solve problems themselves.
What sort of people leader (manager) are you?
Here’s a handful of types to select from.
*AUTOCRATIC
“I tell, you listen and I decide.” Military-style.
*CONSULTATIVE
“I ask, you answer, I explain, and I decide.”
*DEMOCRATIC
“I raise issues, we discuss and we decide.”
*LAISSEZ-FAIRE
“You decide as you please – don’t worry me.”
*SITUATIONAL
“Let’s look at the situation first before we tackle the problem.”
Leadership should be based on the circumstances at the time.
There is a time to be democratic, a time to be consultative, a time to be autocratic such as in an emergency.
At other times you need to react according to the situation. There is no place for laissez-faire leadership unless you wish to be made redundant.
Today’s people leader is a developer, a coach, a mentor and a team builder.
Geoffrey Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)
“If you think your management skills are up-to-date, you are out-of-date!”
Source: “Survival Skills for New Managers” first published in New Zealand and in England by Kogan Page, in China by Yale Management, in Singapore by the Singapore Institute of Management, in Australia by CCH, and in South Africa by Francolin Publishers.
Another Handful of Tips 