Technique 1.107 Developing Leadership Skills
Introduction
"...leadership abilities are those that are utilised to organise others in order to achieve a common goal. Leadership abilities enable a person to motivate people to perform a sequence of tasks, generally on a schedule, whether they are in a managerial role or heading a project. Leadership is a collection of multiple diverse skills functioning together rather than a single skill. The best leaders are patient, empathetic, and capable of effective communications and feedback. In addition, they can be assertive and confident while still being able to listen to the ideas of the team. There are many different styles of leadership, but the most effective approach in the majority of cases involves being positive and taking the time to understand the needs and wants of each member of the team. At their best, leaders can get more out of the team, encouraging and motivating them while helping them move in the right direction. It's this aspect that makes leadership skills so valuable as well as difficult to teach, yet they can make a huge difference in the success of the business. Good leaders also have excellent problem-solving skills and a are capable of finding the best way to solve the problem and executing the solution successfully..."
StrategyDriven, 2021
Another definition of leadership skillsets refers to the ability to
"...- delegate authority and responsibility
- plan and support the development of others
- provide timely guidance and feedback
- gain acceptance of ideas and plans..."
StrategyDriven, 2021
Leadership skills are important at all levels of the organisation, not just for management. They are different from most other skills as they are not easily taught.
Leadership skills can mean different things to different people and organisations, ie it is very situational. For example, some organisations are looking for project managers who can direct existing teams; others want risk-takers to inspire creativity.
Most important leaderships skills revolve around emotional intelligence, ie
i) self-awareness
ii) self-management
iii) social awareness
iv) relationship management.
(for more detail see elsewhere in the Knowledge Base)
Some Leadership Assessment Techniques
1. DISC
"...is designed to assist their understanding of self and others, to learn how to build relationships, relate better with one another and learn how differing perspectives affect relationships..."
StrategyDriven, 2021
"...It is not a test or a judgemental process, ie it does not seek to praise or find fault with individuals..."
StrategyDriven, 2021
It is an assessment based upon 4 types of behaviour, ie
D = dominance (direct, strong-willed and forceful; introverted and task-focused; like to take on new challenges; aggressive problem solvers; tend to be hasty, impatient decisions-makers)
I = influence (sociable, talkative and lively; extroverted and people-focused; interactive and socially adept; good communicators; weaknesses are they need recognition; function and rely on people's approval as motivation)
S = steadiness (gentle, even tempered and willing to accommodate others' needs; introverted and people-focused; steady workers who take their time making decisions; cooperative; good in team environment as dependent on people, feelings and relationships)
C = conscientiousness/compliance (analytically minded, logical and private; introverted and task-focused; work at a moderate pace; play close attention to detail; are cautious in both work and social interactions)
NB in studies individuals under 2 domains, ie
- external (assesses how you interact with others and the external environment)
- internal (assesses how well you process your thoughts
(source: https://pmctraining.com/site/group-training/disc-personality-profile-workshop/)
It provides insights into how people act, perform and behave; identifies motivating factors and stressors, etc
The upper 2 quadrants represent assertive and extroverted people; the bottom 2 represent reserved and introverted individuals
The 12 distinct DISC personality types
i) Di (dominance/influence) - easily capable of convincing others to take action and prepared to do so themselves, even when presented with unfamiliar challenges
ii) iD (influence/dominance) - animated personalities who can inspire others to join their cause
iii) I (influence) - social personalities who perform well in large groups
iv) iS (influence/steadiness) - have a positive, light-hearted approach to life; normally don't act recklessly or impulsively.
v) Si (steadiness/influence) - quick to support colleagues, and listen to others' points of view where appropriate.
vi) S (steadiness) - calm, thoughtful, methodical and reliable
vii) SC (steadiness/conscientiousness) - an unpretentious, modest personality, taking things in their stride without making a fuss
viii) CS (conscientiousness/steadiness) - self-controlled and normally quiet and effective
ix) C (conscientiousness) - private individual who analyses before taking action
xx) CD (conscientiousness/dominance) - rational thinkers who don't allow emotions to cloud judgement
xxi) DC (dominance/conscientiousness) - determined and tenacious; not easy to dissuade once they have made up their mind
xxii) D (dominance) - forceful characters who like to be in control; usually not very tactful or diplomatic
2. Enneagram test (maps out 9 different personalities on a 9 point diagram describing the core beliefs and worldviews each of us operates from)
(source: https://millennial-grind.com/top-10-best-enneagram-tests/)
Nine Different Types
i) The Reformer (principled, orderly, perfectionist & self-righteous; leads by example; responsible and practical)
ii) The Helper (caring, generous, possessive & manipulative; leads through motivation; is supportive)
iii) The Achiever (ambitious, image-conscious, adaptable & hostile; leads with the goals)
iv) The Individualist (intuitive, expressive, self-absorbed, dramatic, creative & depressive; leads through vision)
v) The Investigator (perceptive, original, knowledge-seeking, detached, analytical & eccentric; leads through planning)
vi) The Loyalist (committed, engaging, defensive, loyal, paranoid & a devil's advocate; leads through collaboration, is committed and a good risk assessor)
vii) The Enthusiast (enthusiastic, accomplished, uninhibited, maniac & scattered; leads through innovation, is determined and experimental)
viii) The Challenger (self-confident, decisive, dominating, combative, proactive & rule-breaking; leads through strategic vision)
ix) The Peacemaker (peaceful, reassuring, diplomatic, empathetic, complacent & respectful; leads through mediation)
