Sometimes you need to give them what they want

In general I encourage the view that leadership is a process interwoven with teaching.  I believe that people should help coach and guide those employees, peers, or team members they work with to help them learn more, and therefore perform more effectively in future projects.  Effective leaders realize that teaching is an investment of time that results in a future of greater efficiency.

But what about those situations which necessitate taking charge.  Leaders frequently encounter them and they must be addressed.  Dan Rockwell, at the fantastic blog Leadership Freak, gives a ten question survey to identify if this is a 'Leader Take Charge' situation:

1) Employees expect direction. This may not be the determining factor but it matters.
2) Situations require direction.  Beginnings require more direction than middles or endings.
3) Tasks are once and done rather than frequently repeated.
4) Situations are highly ambiguous.
5) Uncertainty is high.
6) Organizational structure calls for authority; formal authority is high.
7) Team members lack skills, education, or experience and they need time to develop.
8) Tasks are highly complex.
9) Failure is high impact and public.
10) Job satisfaction is a function of the group rather than centered within the individuals.  Military organizations generally illustrated a need for highly directive leadership styles where job satisfaction is closely tied to the group.

(read his post here)

These times exist and failure to take charge is not an example of a caring and effective leader.  Rather its an example of a leader who is incapacitated and unable to accept responsibility.

For a leader who frequently is trying to help teach and develop, these times of directive leadership can feel like a bit of cognitive dissonance; you're always striving towards one way of thinking and suddenly you feel you are working in the opposite direction.

How can we maintain our effectiveness when we switch our leadership styles?

First of all, acknowledge the situation.  Identify the situation for what it is and inform your people you are going to take a more directive, or hands-on approach, for this project or goal.  Remember to choose your words carefully.  You do not need to tell someone 'You lack the skills necessary to perform this project,' when you could just as easily say 'This project requires a large skill set and I'm going to be more involved in it'.

Secondly, acknowledge your involvement.  Make sure to inform your team you're going to be more active in this project.  Take this as an opportunity to be in the trenches with your group and experience the same everyday minutiae they must go through.  This experience is a great relationship builder.

Finally, narrate the project.  Use meta-communication at times to encourage people to look at what they are doing or how they are doing it.  Its true you need to be involved for this specific task, but will the be ready to accomplish the next one?  Highlight specific points and areas that were done well or could become potential obstacles and explain why.  This is where the teaching comes in.

When done effectively a switch to directive leadership style won't feel like a substantial switch at all to your people.

"Are you the Expert? Then I'll just say nothing"

Before this school year began, I met with my teachers to get our rooms prepared, talk about the upcoming semester, and discuss ideas we had during the summer.

While putting away the bookshelf, I mentioned an idea I wanted to introduce, having a new question each week to get students more conversationally fluent with a variety situations rather than the typical 'How are you?' and 'What is the weather like today?' Seeing her begin to process this I launched into an explanation of the whys behind this idea. Pretty soon I had a response.

"Of course, your right"

That was it, and she meant it. But it wasn't exactly what I hoped for. Though I achieved the end goal of introducing this activity into our lessons I realized I had achieved it as an expert. Her nonverbals in the first few moments indicated she was still thinking it over, and I never allowed her that luxury. Instead she simply agreed assuming I would know what was correct.

Its difficult to introduce a new idea or begin a new project when you're seen as an expert.

On one hand its easy, everyone wants you to take the reigns to tell them what to do. You already know what should be done so just tell us all and we won't waste anyone's time. Experts are confident. Experts have all the answers.

But does anyone learn this way when an expert is your leader? If you're the leader of a team, will your team develop further if you take the expert mentality? Sure you may achieve your goal quickly and maybe even without trouble, but will anyone have learned anything throughout the process?

Yes there is learning at the end, upon completion. But there is also learning that occurs throughout the execution of your goal and there is learning that occurs when starting the project.

Beginnings are always great learning opportunities for leaders to use.

So, what are some simple ways to begin that won't cast you in an expert role?

1) Ask their thoughts. Ask their ideas first and truly listen to them. Give them time to think and time to answer. Most likely they'll need more time than you to collect their thoughts.

2) Shift to Vision. Before giving all your wonderful ideas, share the vision you have for this project, not as a finalized statement but as an idea open to change. Ask what they think of the vision.

3) I'd like to try this. When it is an appropriate time in the discussion for you to say your thoughts, own your desire. Say 'I'd like to try such and such' and tell why. Then ask what they think.

With my counterpart I should have asked her thoughts on the upcoming school year first. From this I could have gained a reading of where she was in terms of preparation for classes to begin. After that discussion I should have shared my vision, in this case that our classes would help students reading, writing, speaking, and listening. From there it would be a natural segue to introduce an idea that would help our classes develop our commitment to English speaking and listening.

Invite discussion, share vision, ask for buy-in.

Using this strategy she would be actively involved in our discussion about to begin the school year, rather than accepting pearls of wisdom from the 'Expert'

Try this as you begin your next project. You may find your team has some ideas and perspectives you weren't expecting.

Teaching for Leaders: or 'Why Should I Care?'

An effective leader must have effective teaching techniques to accomplish their job.  An individual may have great ideas and the passion to work with others to put a plan into action.  But, if that individual is unable to effectively teach the people she works with she is not a leader.  She may be an enthusiastic participant, or an active team member, but not a leaders.  Leaders, to be leaders, must help others become better at what they are doing, and that requires teaching.

Teaching for Leaders is a site focused on helping leaders develop effective teaching techniques.  Our main premise is that every leader, whether they know it or not, is a teacher.  Every leader must convey difficult topics their team is unfamiliar with.  Every leader must communicate with a goal of reaching understanding.  Every leader is working towards a goal that will only be successful if their people are standing with them at the end.

The good news is teaching is simpler than leading.  Being a leader is a mindset, it is a way of viewing the environment that governs how you act.  But teaching-well that's just a skill set; there are many different ways and practices you can embrace to increase your skill at teaching.  And as you improve your teaching skills, you become a better teacher, and as you become a better teacher you become a better leader.

This site is for leaders wherever they may find themselves.  For the part-time employees just beginning to emerge as leaders and the managers with extensive experience.  For athletes looking to better lead on the field and and for chairpersons looking to have more effective committees. For the volunteer looking to motivate and the activist seeking community involvement.

For anyone who wants to be involved beyond taking direction, this site is aimed at you.

How Can Leaders be Good Learners?

If you asked people what traits they associate with a leader, you will usually get ideas such as taking command, making decisions, and initiating action.  With less frequency will you get ideas such as being flexible,  being an excellent listener, and being receptive to feedback.  'These are traits for our followers,' someone might think, 'I don't need to focus on these because I am the leader'.

That someone would be wrong.

A leader must be just as active in improving herself as she desires her team to.  Someone once told me 'If you're coasting, you're going downhill,' and if you are a leader who is not developing yourself you are becoming less effective.

But being in a learning environment can be difficult for someone who is so used to teaching.  When in  classroom, small group, or even one-on-one situations we are the the ones who must be learning.  And because of this unfamiliarity certain destructive instincts may come out.  We may try and be assertive of our own opinion and be unwilling to listen to other ideas that may challenge ours.  Or, we may try to project a subtle air of authority that will help us be viewed as above, or not needing, this instruction.  We may try and pretend we are already familiar and expert with the content being taught.

All of these possibilities can be expressed non-verbally, without saying anything.  These tendencies may come out independent of the leader realizing it, and they are all focused on preventing us from improving upon ourselves.  We must actively fight against them, and here's how.

1) Embrace your leadership instinct by committing to take a silent partnership role with the teacher.  Desire him or her to succeed in his or her goal.  Work with them to create a culture of understanding and curiosity.

2) Be aware of your body language.  Maintain eye contact and be conscious of your facial expressions.  Focus your attention where the teacher asks for it.  Smile.

3) Be an active and enthusiastic participant. If you are a leader, most likely other's will see you as such, so lead by example and ask questions, share difficulties you've had, and encourage everyone's involvement.

Taking an active role in being a good learner not only develops you as a leader, but it also indicates to others that you truly value those who are active learners, which strengthens your team.  Two benefits in one!