There is no single type of leadership, but that does not mean that any single manager can’t have more than one style of leadership. In these dynamic times, the business environment changes, sometimes dramatically and with little notice. And in some of those cases, leaders must not only change directions, but must often alter their leadership style.
In times of stability, a leader is looked to for safety and security. Why rock the boat? Gaining consensus for example is frequently the best pathway to achieving optimal results. At Bravura Partners, we refer to this as an “asking not telling” leadership style. Consensus versus control. But business is not a democracy. Sometimes supervision needs to take on a much more authoritative stance. At Bravura, we refer to this as a “telling not asking” leadership style, or the “benevolent dictator” approach to management. Control versus consensus.
When a client or audience of ours hears the words “benevolent dictator”, they are more than just taken by surprise. These words are meant to make the clearest point possible about what type of leadership is needed when crisis hits or there’s a sales or profit opportunity that’s simply too good to miss but needs to be acted upon quickly. The key to making this work and not cause irreparable damage to a leader’s reputation is communication. Taking the relatively small amount of time to communicate what the crisis or opportunity is maintains the trust bridge between employee and supervision. And without trust, there can be no mutual respect. All in all, without explaining as much as possible about the changing circumstances, company culture can be permanently damaged.
Bravura Partners’ plug and play leadership solutions come in many forms, because each situation requires a different approach. Luckily, we have an extensive pool of different leaders available, each with their own style that can be properly matched with our clients’ short and in some cases long-term needs.
