What comes to your mind when you think about an effective team?

You might picture a team that works seamlessly as a whole.

Everyone brings unique talents and strengths to the table, no-one is playing politics or bickering, and there's just enough competitive spirit to bring out the best in everyone. Work gets done effectively, and everyone contributes to the team's goals.

It can be a challenge to reach this level of effectiveness if you're putting together a new team, or if you're developing an existing one.However, it's much easier if you have a plan in place.

This article highlights a common-sense, step-by-step process for building and maintaining an effective team.

'll also be able to spot problem areas, and this will help you think about how you'll improve your team's overall effectiveness.

The building blocks of an effective team.

An effective team has a number of ‘building blocks’ in place.

Clear objectives

There are mutually-agreed aims and objectives, and everyone has a clear understanding of these.

Balanced roles

There is a good balance of skills, abilities and aspirations. Team members have a clear understanding of each individual’s role in achieving overall team objectives.

Effective processes

There are good processes for making, communicating, implementing and reviewing decisions. There are effective information systems and co-ordination of resources.

Good communication

Meetings are productive and there is effective communication up, down and across the organisation.

Appropriate leadership

The team trusts the team leader and feels that it is led in an appropriate way.

Support and trust

People help each other by listening, evaluating, offering ideas, encouraging experimentation and giving support.

Openness and conflict

People express themselves openly and honestly. There is a willingness to work through difficult situations or conflict constructively.

Mutual co-operation

There is a readiness to be involved and committed. Individuals’ abilities, knowledge and experience are pooled and used by the team. There is acceptance of each others’ strengths and weaknesses.

Individual development

‘Mistakes’ are faced openly and used as a vehicle for learning. Individuals are given opportunities to develop new skills and experience.

Sound inter-group relations

The team enjoys good relations with other teams, departments and agencies, each valuing and respecting the other.

CREATIVITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE

I have spent some time recently thinking about "being creative," and about "creative people." I've also spent quite a bit of time thinking about how creativity functions in our lives and how we use creativity even in the simplest of problem-solving situations, like figuring out how to unlock the passenger-side door from the driver's side of the car without walking around the car on an icy parking lot.

I don't know that what I've come up with is really all that groundbreaking, but I hope it's an interesting look at how we use our creativity.

**"Creative" vs. "Non-creative" People**

There seems to be a widespread belief that there are "creative" people and "non-creative" people, and that only the former use creativity on a daily basis, while the rest of the world exists in some kind of creativity-free zone where nothing creative happens.

I just don't believe that. 

Not only do I not believe it, I know it is not true.

I know this because I happen to know some people who don't fall into the category of "creative" as most people see it. Let's take my fiancee as an example. He's about as left-brained as you can get. He's a computer programmer by trade. Most people don't think of computer programming as being a creative profession.

But it is, if you think about it.

I realized this some time ago when I asked him to design a database for me. I couldn't figure out what to put in it or how to organize it. Watching him, I realized that he was literally designing, creating, this database. There was nothing, and then there was a computer database holding all my data exactly the way I wanted it. It was really amazing.

There are people whose work is more overtly creative, or who do more obviously creative things, than other people. And yes, it makes sense to call these people "creative." But I don't like the term "non-creative" for other people. How about "less obviously creative" instead? 

Works for me.

**What is Creativity?**

My favorite definition of creativity comes from Dictionary.com:

"Characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative"

I think it's important, in talking about how we use creativity, to focus on the originality and expressiveness of creativity.

In this sense, a computer program can be as original as an oil painting.

I deeply believe that auto mechanics are some of the most creative people alive, because they can hear a description of a problem and *imagine* what might be causing it. Heck, I can't even imitate the noise right, let alone know that it's coming from my rocker plate, or whatever.

If we broaden our definition of creativity so that it includes not just "traditional" creativity, but all types of originality, expressiveness, and imaginativeness, we can begin to see that everyone, every day, uses their creative genius to accomplish their goals, or at least to pursue those goals, whether it be the artist working on a new landscape or the toddler trying to reach the cookie jar.

Let’s be honest. We all want to know how to be creative on days that seem completely dreadful and leave us feeling totally uninspired and stuck. Either thewords just aren’t coming or the visual concepts are unreachable.

It just seems like any or all of the ideas are at a stand still. But don’t worry, it’s normal, it happens—so let’s move on. The real question is, “How to be creative, even on my off days?” Let’s look at 20 different ways to bring continual creativity into your life, blogs, and marketing.

20 WAYS OF BECOMING CREATIVE IF YOUR NOT

How To Be Creative When You’re Feeling Drained And Uninspired

1. Change Your Environment

The very first thing I do when I feel uninspired is to change my physical environment. While routine can be a great thing for personal productivity, sometimes it can kill your creative spirit. You get too used to the way things are and need a change to spark new thoughts and ideas.

2. Take A Walk

Stanford researchers have found that walking improves creativity. On average, creative thinking increases by 60% when there is walking involved. Not only does inspiration form while walking, but then it continues to come even after you return to your desk.

3. Make Something For Play

Think back to some of your most creative years in life. Most of us think back to our early elementary years. At the age of five, you’re at 80% of our creative potential as you’re inventing all the time.

Remember the finger painting, drawing, snowmen building, tree forts, and everything else? The only difference between then and now is that back then you allowed yourself to just play. There was no plan, no set goals, just an idea and the freedom to make whatever you wanted.

Give yourself room to play. Just do it. I promise you won’t regret it.

4. Try Something New

Lately when I hit a creative road block, I find a new hobby to pursue in order to give my creative thinking a new perspective. For me as a graphic designer, that means playing with watercolors, hand lettering, woodworking, video, and other forms of creative mediums that I wouldn’t consider myself to be a pro at.

For you, it might mean writing a short story, cooking a new recipe, or going to a new class on the weekends. Do something new to not only grow your creative background but to give a refreshing break to your usual practice.

5. Take A Trip

Maybe it’s not enough to change rooms or even change buildings for that matter. Maybe you just need a trip out of town to be around a new culture. Take a trip with some friends and enjoy your time together.

“New sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations, and sights spark different synapses in the brain,” according to a study done by Adam Galinsky. Even new experiences that are totally unrelated to creativity can bring new ideas and perspectives when you return to the office. Designer Stefan Sagmeister closes his studio once every seven years to do just that.

6. Have A Mentor

Creative mentors are some of the best mentors. Mentors can range from a friend, a hero in the industry, or to someone else at your workplace. Mentors are there to listen to the problem at hand and lend their expertise to help you move forward.

They can also introduce you to others that might be able to help you, making for awesome new connections and further expert advice. After all, networking is critical to finding a job you love—and one you could possibly be even more creative in.

7. Read A Book

At ITM-UGEP, we have several team building activities, but one of my favorites is our Public speaking club. Once a week, we get together and go over a chapter in the book that we’re reading through as a team. We discuss anything and everything that we’ve found interesting. That leads to a great conversation with a variety of topics that often influences our work through actionable steps.

Start with this awesome list of creative books. Find a book that’s interesting to you and learn through another’s story. You may even find blog ideas from reading.

8. Listen To A Podcast

There’s a podcast for almost anything. Podcasts are great for car rides, but also for a music replacement while you work. Instead of listening to your favorite music stream, check out a podcast that will bring new insight as you work.

9. Collect Creative Sites

While Pinterest is arguably the world’s largest inspiration site, there are several other places that may suite your industry best. 

Whatever you enjoy, find those key sites that you can bookmark and refer to for creative reminders when you hit your creative road block.

10. Collaborate With Other Awesome People

When we hit a problem, most of us try to solve it ourselves. But sometimes the solution will only be found when you talk it out with someone else.

The answer might be at the tip of your tongue or in the back of your mind, but without speaking through the problem, the solution will be left buried in our internal thoughts. 99u found some awesome facts about collaborating together that can seriously boost your creativity. Find someone nearby, talk it out, and collaborate on finding a solution.

11. Look To History

There’s a reason that history is remembered. What once was important or imaginative, might very well be the key to what you need to move forward.

Ask yourself:

• Has someone else created something similar?
• Have there been similar stories written?

Look back at what those before us have accomplished to see if their process can help you with yours. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to make it better.

12. Borrow Ideas

Let me repeat, borrow ideas, not copy. As French author François-René de Chateaubriand wrote, “The original writer is not he who refrains from imitating others, but he who can be imitated by none.”

Sometimes you just need to start somewhere, look to what you know, and then see how you can make it better. Even Steve Jobs started with the idea of the personal computer from a Xerox prototype and then ran with it.

13. Start An Inspiration File

“Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.” That’s what Austin Kleon said in his awesome book, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative.

And it’s true!

Collect as many ideas as you possibly can so that you can use them as a reference later on. This might take shape in a Pinterest Board, Evernote folder, or physical collection of clips and snippets. But any way you do this, it’s incredibly important to start collecting now. Start now, and watch it grow.

Bonus: Use the Evernote Web Clipper directly with CoSchedule to collect ideas!

14. Sleep On It

Salvador Dalí once said, “All of my best ideas come through my dreams.”

Whether to get inspiration from your dreams or to simply take a break and clear you mind, having a good night’s rest can be key to creativity. Believe it or not, we need to have a balanced life outside of work so that when it comes time to think, we’re fully prepared both mentally and physically.

Eat well, exercise, and get some sleep.

15. Embrace Constraints

Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, was challenged by his publisher to write a book using only 50 words. Green Eggs and Ham was the result.

Today, we can fall into creative fatigue not because there’s not enough choices out there, but because there’s just too many! Try to limit yourself in some shape, way, or form to challenge the way in which you’re thinking.

50 words was quite a limitation for Dr. Seuss, but that very limitation made a masterpiece! New connections will be formed when the clutter of choices is eliminated.

16. Make Mistakes

Not only can you make mistakes, but I’m giving you permission! Please, by all means, make mistakes. If you aren’t taking risks, then you aren’t making mistakes, which means you’ll never reach that new awesome idea that you’ve been waiting for.

Do I need to remind you of all our heroes who failed before they found their success? Make mistakes, fail, fail fast, and then keep going.

17. Combine Opposites

“Creativity is just connecting things,” Steve Jobs said. If connecting familiar ideas isn’t working, try connecting opposite or unrelated ones.

This is often the equation comedians use for humor, and if it works for them, why not you? Some of the most successful ad campaigns I’ve ever seen have been made possible by connecting an unrelated emotion or story to the one they’re trying to convey. Opposites can be very powerful, so try them out.

18. Keep An Ideas Notebook

Take a notebook with you on your morning commute and start sketching. Fill it with quotes, doodles, a record of what you did that day. Write a story!

Let this notebook be your place to play and relax while on your trip to and from work. Athletes use this similar ‘warm up and cool down’ approach in their daily workouts. To heighten your creativity, treat this notebook like your personal workout. Warm up with sketches on your way to work, and cool down with doodles on your way home.

And remember, don’t overthink it. Just let your mind wander and play. An idea notebook will really show you how to be creative throughout daily life.

19. Ask New Questions

Sometimes, we can hit a creative road block simply because we’re asking the wrong question or not asking any questions at all.

When we assume we know how to solve the problem, we ignore the several other possibilities that could be the idea we’re looking for. Instead of taking the assumed, common approach, start by asking questions and let that direct you to your creative inspiration.

20. Do Nothing

Austin Kleon believes, “Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing.”

Yep, that’s right. Take some time to do nothing, nothing at all. Every task at hand needs a break, no matter how great it might be. Relax, enjoy yourself, and come back to it later. Time away might be exactly what you need in order to come back completely restored and inspired.

Stand Out From the Crowd: How to Define your Unique Selling Point

Never underestimate the power of a good USP. It can make or break your business. Here’s how to define or redefine your company’s image so that you stand out from the crowd and grow your business.

List the Features and Benefits That Are Unique To Your Product or Service

You need to know the features and benefits of your company’s product or service. So, for example, you might try doing a Google search for your competitors and compare their products and services to yours. What do they offer that you don’t? And, what do you offer that they don’t?

Identify the benefits that set you apart from your competitor.

Let’s say you sell tool box foam supplies. What makes your supplies different from others in the industry? Maybe you’re the only company that offers such a product. Or, maybe you’re the only company that machines your foam so that tools fit more precisely in the carrying case because you form-fit all foam to fit the customer’s tool set.

Most companies in this industry only have a standard toolbox, with either magnetic or generic non-slip rubber padding.

Decide What Emotional Need Your Product or Service Fills

Think about your product or service from the perspective of your customer. What emotional needs does this product fill? For example, does this help them feel more secure or does it help them relax?

Let’s say you sell high-end beds and bedding. Why do your customers buy from you? What emotional need does your product fill? Maybe it’s that your customers are getting a better night’s sleep, so it makes them feel more rested. Because of that, they feel more energized during the day. Those are emotions you can sell to your customer.

If you happen to sell vehicles, as in a car dealership, you might sell peace of mind or the feeling that the customer is getting a great value on the automobiles you sell. People love getting a good deal when they step onto a car dealer’s lot. This is an emotion you could sell in this industry.

Create Short Phrases That Describe What You Do

You must know what it is that you do. Create 25 (minimum) short and simple words or phrases that describe your company. Keep them clear and concise. Incorporate emotional words that you used to describe how your customers emotionally benefit from your product or service.

Also, incorporate your differentiator – that thing that distinguishes you from your competition.

Avoid the use of industry or technical jargon. If you say this phrase to a potential customer, they should be able to understand what it is you do, and how they will benefit from doing business with your company.

Identify Things About Your Company’s Product or Service That Competitors Cannot Imitate

If your competitors can imitate what you do, why should people buy from you? Answer: they shouldn’t and they won’t. People tend to take the path of least resistance, so if you’re competing with other companies in the same industry, you’re taking business away from them. You had better have a feature and benefit that your competitors cannot match.

Describe what’s In It for the Customer

At the end of the day, customers want to know “what’s in it for me?”

Make this point clear, direct, and to-the-point. For example, if you’re selling pizza, you might say something like, “You get the lowest price in xyz town. Guaranteed.”

Or, maybe you could take a page out of Domino’s Pizza’s playbook, “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30-minutes or less or it’s free!”

The retail giant Target uses a simple statement to grab customers’ attention: “Expect more. Pay less.”

And, the international shipping company has a statement that sets them apart from its competitors, “When your package absolutely, positively has to get there overnight.”

Think about these statements for a moment. If you needed to get your package delivered to a vendor or customer quickly, and a company promises to do it, and builds a reputation for coming through for its customers, you’re more likely to want to do business with them, aren’t you?

Likewise, if you’re hungry now, and you don’t have time to make dinner, wouldn’t you want fresh, hot, pizza in 30 minutes or less?

What about when you do go shopping? You want high-quality goods, but you don’t necessarily want to pay more for them. You want a deal (who doesn’t?). You want to “expect more” but “pay less.”

Think about what you can offer your customers and blast that message out to them. Take a cue from the big brands, but make your statement unique to your company.

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5 Steps to Make Your Success Create More Success (Even When you’re Not Always Successful)

People who don't know me ask me what I do for a living.  I say, "I run my own company."  With that answer, the follow-up questions are about the work that I do and what kinds of clients I have. People who already know me ask, "How's business?"  In both cases, I always include something like, "It's going extremely well."  And then I follow-up with some concrete proof such as, "I have a current client with whom I am partnering on an organizational development program, I'm running a leadership development program with another, and I have a number of coaching clients in various stages of progress."  

The goal is to link my past successes with your future success.

For all of us there are ups and downs. I can be very busy with clients one week and not making money the next. When I was in a corporate office full-time, some weeks were wonderful with lots of accomplishments and other weeks were mired with office politics, a mistake in a presentation, or a boss in a bad mood.  

It's not always easy. For anyone. 

But the trick is - you focus on your successes and wins both to keep your confidence levels high and to inspire others.

When someone (a work colleague or potential networking opportunity) asks you how things are going, talk about all of the great things that are going on.

People want to work with and be around successful people.

It's like putting a Facebook message on your situation.  Who puts lots of the bad stuff up on Facebook?  Success breeds succeed.

Success breeds confidence which brings more success. There's a mindset associated with success.  I've been there before and done well, so I will perform well again.  Having had success with other clients in many difficult situations, I feel very confident telling other people that I can be successful with you in overcoming your challenges. Even if I don't know everything about your challenge, I come from a place of confidence that by asking the right questions and being creative, I will work well with you, too.

People will want to work with you:

·         People want what others have.  I want people to think, "Marcy has developed and implemented a powerful leadership development program or has worked with other professionals and partnered with them in their successful career transition or coached them into their next promotion, I want that, too. If someone has seen success in working with her, there's a good chance I can have that success, too."  Which leads to....

·         She must be good.  Decision-makers want to hire people who are tried and true -- people who have demonstrated success before.

Remember THE GOAL:  To link your past successes to someone else's future success.

How can you use this?  Toot your own horn! Many find this incredibly difficult. My women clients, especially. Here are five steps to start:

1.  Think about and document your successes with a focus on results.  What great accomplishments do you have that illustrate the value you bring?  What results did you get from them?  Make sure to tie together the actions you took and the outcomes you generated.

2.  Build a few success stories. Now take those actions and outcomes and prepare a few stories that succinctly explain what you're good at and the results you have accomplished.  

3.  Learn about others' challenges or what they care about. Like all good influencers and networkers, it's imperative that you understand what's important to the other person and what they care about.  This information will provide the path to link your past successes to their future successes.

4.  Relate your successes to what other people care about. Now bring it all together. Choose (and on the fly modify) your story to create the link. Reflect on what you have heard:  "I hear that you have leaders in your organization that do not know how to communicate well and they are unhappy."  Link those facts to the results that are important to the other person:  "It sounds like that challenge is creating difficulties in achieving the results you desire."  Link your past success to their desired outcome:  "I worked with an organization much like yours and coached their top leaders on communication. As a result of the work, leaders understood themselves more clearly which enabled them to work more effectively with each other. They hit their numbers in Q4 with a greater sense of accountability and all have noted feeling better about themselves in their work environment."

5.  Make an offer. Here's your chance to make some type of offer.  It can be offering to listen more and be a thought partner, it could be to provide some high level advice from your experience, or you could go as far to offer of your expertise on a deeper level.

In a corporate setting, this approach is how people move to new positions, take on new responsibilities, or get tapped for promotion. For those successful in professional services, this technique is how they sell more business.

How can you use your own success to be more successful?

  

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5 Steps to Help You Build Your Entrepreneurial Dream Team

No true leader is an island. It is rare and practically unheard of for a successful entrepreneur to survive as a solo operation, even in the age of the Internet. Eventually, and often sooner than later, you will need to call in support to grow your business. This can be tricky if you haven’t managed employees or contractors before; and the learning curve is steep unless you educate yourself in the process.

It may take some trial and error to find people who are reliable and willing to work as hard for your business as you do. It may take time to let go of your need to control every detail. But the best way to ensure you are building the kind of team that will improve and inspire your brand is to follow these five steps as you create your dream team.

1. Listen to your gut.

First impressions really can be everything. And you may not want to judge your prospects on this, but you will want to be crystal clear about the image you want your team members to portray -- especially when you're weeding through a lot of applicants.

Depending on your business priorities, "first impressions" may not mean appearance so much as attitude. So, listen to your gut when you meet with interviewees and let your intuition give you that extra edge when candidates' resumes make them seem equally qualified. What energy do you want to be surrounded by day in, day out?

2. Focus on character first.

Skills can be acquired and nurtured far more easily than character. The truth is that integrity, honesty, loyalty and all-around good character is harder to come by than skill or talent. This is certainly not the quick and easy way to decide on a candidate, as it may take you longer to find a good fit. Yet you will save yourself time and frustration in the long run when you hire an individual based equally on his or her qualifications and character.

3. Make culture a high priority.

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s best-selling book, Delivering Happiness,speaks to the incredible power of business culture to create success.His research shows that companies with a higher sense of purpose outperform those without this sense by fully 400 percent.

The companies "with" purpose also display higher retention, an increase in sales and productivity, fewer sick leaves, less burnout and more. One need only look to Google and Apple for examples of how culture creates success. Will a potential teammate embody your culture and purpose? Lay the cultural foundation from the beginning.

4. Advisors are a necessity.

You absolutely need to add advisors to your team if you haven’t found them already. Business veterans old and young alike who have “been there, done that” can save you a lot of money and heartache along the way. Invest in coaches and mentors whose experiences may enrich your perspective.

5. Don’t be afraid to let go.

Firing people sucks. It just does. Especially if you happen to have a heart, which hopefully you do. Be sure to invest in some emotional intelligence training, and practice compassionate communication. When it becomes apparent that you have made a poor choice in your hiring, you will need to let go of teammates who just aren’t working out.

At some point that will probably happen, but rather than being dragged down by a poor team member, you should allow yourself to do what’s best for the company.  

After all, you are in charge of leading your team, so step up to the challenge and seek advice from those who have "been there" while still taking 100 percent responsibility for any breakdowns. You will thrive with the right team behind you; and so much more will be possible for your business and your life.

6 Management Styles

According to Hay-McBer there are six key leadership or management styles.

DIRECTIVE

The DIRECTIVE (Coercive) style has the primary objective of immediate compliance from employees:

• The “do it the way I tell you” manager
• Closely controls employees
• Motivates by threats and discipline

Effective when:

• There is a crisis
• When deviations are risky

Not effective when:

• Employees are underdeveloped – little learning happens with this style
• Employees are highly skilled – they become frustrated and resentful at the micromanaging.

LEADERSHIP NOTEBOOK – created to unleash a leader in you.

AUTHORITATIVE

The AUTHORITATIVE (Visionary) style has the primary objective of providing long-term direction and vision for employees:

• The “firm but fair” manager
• Gives employees clear direction
• Motivates by persuasion and feedback on task performance

Effective when:

• Clear directions and standards needed
• The leader is credible

Ineffective when:

• Employees are underdeveloped – they need guidance on what to do
• The leader is not credible – people won’t follow your vision if they don’t believe in it

AFFILIATIVE

The AFFILIATIVE style has the primary objective of creating harmony among employees and between manager and employees:

• The “people first, task second” manager
• Avoids conflict and emphasizes good personal relationships among employees
• Motivates by trying to keep people happy

Effective when:

• Used with other styles
• Tasks routine, performance adequate
• Counselling, helping
• Managing conflict

Least effective when:

• Performance is inadequate – affiliation does not emphasise performance
• There are crisis situations needing direction

PARTICIPATIVE

The PARTICIPATIVE (Democratic) style has the primary objective of building commitment and consensus among employees:

• The “everyone has input” manager
• Encourages employee input in decision making
• Motivates by rewarding team effort

Effective when:

• Employees working together
• Staff have experience and credibility
• Steady working environment

Least effective when:

• Employees must be coordinated
• There is a crisis – no time for meetings
• There is a lack of competency – close supervision required

PACESETTING

The PACESETTING style has the primary objective of accomplishing tasks to a high standard of excellence:

• The “do it myself” manager
• Performs many tasks personally and expects employees to follow his/her example
• Motivates by setting high standards and expects self-direction from employees

Effective when:

• People are highly motivated, competent
• Little direction/coordination required
• When managing experts

Least effective when:

• When workload requires assistance from others
• When development, coaching & coordination required

COACHING

The COACHING style has the primary objective of long-term professional development of employees:

• The “developmental” manager
• Helps and encourages employees to develop their strengths and improve their performance
• Motivates by providing opportunities for professional development

Effective when:

• Skill needs to be developed
• Employees are motivated and wanting development

Ineffective when:

• The leader lacks expertise
• When performance discrepancy is too great – coaching managers may persist rather than exit a poor performer
• In a crisis

The key to being an effective leader is to have a broad repertoire of styles and to use them appropriately.Rosalind Cardinal

When I run a program on the six styles, I like to use an activity to demonstrate the styles in action. The group is divided into 6 teams and a volunteer leader comes in to lead each team using just one of the styles. I set them a task that takes 30-40 minutes and then we debrief how it felt and what outcomes were achieved. The task is easy, so people are skilled. This is what happens:

The DIRECTIVE leader orders the team around, sets high standards and disciplines those who don’t meet the standard. I brief the leader beforehand to change his / her mind several times during the activity and also to take a phone call and leave the room. When the leader is out of the room, the team usually stops work – concerned about the consequences of continuing without the micromanagement. After the activity the team reports that they are frustrated, angry and disengaged. It is interesting how quickly the team loses enthusiasm and initiative under the directive leader. The leader reports that the style is “high maintenance – I felt like I had to be everywhere, watching everyone, it was exhausting”!

The AUTHORITATIVE (Visionary) leader sets the vision for the team, clearly and compellingly, then steps back and allows the team to work. The leader steps in from time to time to reiterate the vision if required, but that is all he / she does. The leader reports that the style was “easy – I didn’t have to do much and I could see how the style would free me up to operate strategically”. The team report enjoying the activity, and feel enormously proud of the work they have done, often getting out their smart phones to take pictures posing with their creation.

The AFFILIATIVE leader takes time helping the team to bond. They often sit down for a cup of tea and a round table sharing of stories. Often the activity is not even commenced as the team gets caught up in getting to know each other. More task focused team members often look around and get anxious when they can see other teams working. Sometimes one of those people will leap in and take control, effectively “sacking” the leader. The team reports that they enjoyed the sharing and relaxed atmosphere, but that they started to wonder when they would start work. The leader often reports that it was “challenging keeping the focus on team bonding – they started to get sick of me after a while”

The PARTICIPATIVE (Democratic) leader starts by asking all the team members what they would like to do, then voting on the options. They start in the car park, and I have on occasion seen the team vote to get a coffee and disappear. They are then startled to find when they return that there was an activity to do that they missed! Even when the team votes to come inside and do the activity the progress is slow as everything has to be agreed before action happens. Team members report that they enjoyed being consulted and having a voice in the decision making, but got anxious when they could see lack of progress compared with other teams. The leader reports that “it was easy – I didn’t have to make any decisions”.

The PACESETTING leader sets a cracking pace from the beginning. The team operates with high energy, engagement and motivation. The leader sets members tasks, but then takes the task off them if they are “not performing” and gives it to someone else. Despite this, the team members remain engaged, seeing this as a consequence of the high standards set by the leader. At the end of the task the team reports that they enjoyed the experience, are proud of what they achieved, but are exhausted. The leader is often exhausted too, saying “it was fantastic, but really challenging to maintain the pace and focus. I am glad we only had to do it for 40 minutes”!

The COACHING leader focusses on the learning experience. When a team member proves to be particularly good at an aspect of the task, the leader has them demonstrate and teach the others. The team gets absorbed in the learning and people are often surprised to hear that the time is up. They are engaged with and proud of their achievements, even though they often don’t fully complete the task. The leader often reports that they “really enjoyed working with the team and I’d love to have had more time so we could finish because we were doing a great job”.

It is a fascinating exercise that demonstrates clearly that there is no best style. The most appropriate style will depend on the people (their experience, values, motives) and the situation (stable/changing, new/seasonal team, short/long term focus). The key to being an effective leader is to have a broad repertoire of styles and to use them appropriately.

Rosalind Cardinal

Rosalind Cardinal is the Principal Consultant of Shaping Change, a Hobart based consultancy, specialising in improving business outcomes by developing individuals, teams and organisations.

Ros is a solutions and results oriented facilitator and coach, with a career in the Human Resources and Organisational Development field spanning more than 20 years.  Ros brings an energetic and proactive approach combined with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Her expertise spans leadership development, organisational culture, team building, change and transition management, organisational behaviour, employee engagement and motivation, strategic direction and management. Visit Shaping Change website and connect with Rosalind on Facebook.