How simple steps for generating self awareness helps in the growth of leaders
Each leader develops an individual style (s) of getting things done over a period of time. Experts in Leadership styles have mentioned many such traits such as affiliative, coaching, democratic, commanding, visionary and pacesetting etc. I see too many big words here, so have simplified the styles to micro management, complete delegation, consensus generating, playing favorites, threatening, dominating, asking for priority for their own work, talking more and working less, etc., as some possible styles of leadership traits.
So leaders pick up a combination of these styles and tend use them as a formula for most situations. This is not deliberate, but it just becomes a default way of doing things. This default way will work sometimes, but not every time. As they say, situations and circumstances are constantly changing, which means that Leaders will have to change.
Turning into a flexible leader will make you a more effective leader. The effective leaders are those who can modify their styles to bring results, instead of staying put in their default style.
One clear starting point in this journey is see one’s styles during the times that did not yield expected outcomes.
Therefore schedule yourself each week to review your style of leadership. One hypothesis to be used is : what worked and what slipped through your leadership style is a direct correlate of the work accomplished or not accomplished.
The next step would be to explore what more or less could have been done and which style could have been used. It is important to write it down and keep it with oneself. And remember to use it when ever the opportunity show up.
To be an effective leader requires near-constant reflection and self-evaluation to ensure you are serving yourself, your teams and your stakeholders well. This can only happen if there is a structure which encourages regular introspection of the default styles.
Here is a suggestion treat people the way they want to be treated, instead of how you would you like to be treated in similar situation.