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Writer's pictureNick Bailey

Leadership Styles: More than just the Alpha


How Do You Lead?


Nick Bailey and Dr John Jupp OBE discuss the merits in many different styles of leadership and uncover why many potential great leaders don't put themselves forward....



Leadership traits - the good, the bad, the ugly


The nature of leadership, I think, sometimes from people who feel that they are on the "outside - looking in" is that leadership is not for them, and neither do they want it!


I've coached people who've said to me, "I don't think of myself as a leader" because they've been in environments where they have looked around at how leadership was being performed and by whom and they do not see themselves with those traits, those backgrounds, those skills.


In some circumstances they have not been asked for an opinion, whereas for others whilst they may have not been excluded, they see the exercise of leadership around them - was very, very big. Bold. Alpha. Knowing. Certain.


This can leave people of the opinion that "oh, that's for them, that leadership thing,  that's for them, and they're very good at it. I'm sort of in awe, but that's not  for me, I just get on with my job."


One woman that I mentor was of this opinion, yet, when I asked her about herself, she rattled off a chronological list of all her achievements, one  by one, which were which were outstanding! And she has still given the best business presentation I've ever seen in  my life. And I've seen a lot! So during a coaching, I focused on this leadership perception of the skills required, I asked her to think about her credentials and we talked about how we  construct an identity within ourselves. I then asked her to revisit her perception of what makes a good leader with this alternative view now presented.


Leadership is very individual

It's important to remember that leadership is very individual. You don't have to lead in the big bold alpha style to be a good leader. You can have the authority just by being exceptional at what you do.


And a person who can listen to others and see what was going on around them, encouraging opinion, insight, knowledge share - that's a great way to lead. It gains the trust of your people hand over fist.


It's important to remember that as a leader you don't have to have all  the answers.

During crisis, you do have to have AN answer - it might not be the right one at the end of the day, but to start with you've just got to get people going and inspire them to get going.


But once the course of action is underway, being able to listen and invite opinion and adapt the direction to get to the right answer, is an essential quality of a good leader.


Where leadership failure and poorness can really come in is when a leader cannot let go, they set the course and refuse to adapt.


For the full interview....

You can view the entire conversation by signing into our Member Resource Centre and viewing "Leadership Interviews".





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