Spencer Schar is company president of The Club at Bella Collina, a luxury lakefront golf community in Orlando, Florida. This article will look at business leadership, providing pointers to help executives identify and adapt their own leadership styles.
Leadership skills are some of the most in-demand competencies in any workplace. Effective leaders inspire each individual team member to give their all and reach their full potential, while simultaneously helping the business to achieve important goals.
According to Harvard Business School, leadership styles combine three key components:
- Leadership imprint: the impression leaders make and how others perceive them
- Leadership functions: how leaders mobilize colleagues to get work done
- Motivational drives: the incentives, desires, or stimuli that motivate leaders themselves
Self-analysis, i.e., examining themselves through each of those three lenses, helps leaders to be more self-aware. The more an individual knows about themselves, the easier it is for them to adapt to challenging scenarios.
First, they must examine their leadership imprint, i.e., how they are perceived by those they work with and lead. The leader needs to consider whether they are approachable. Are they authentic and warm? Do they demonstrate emotional intelligence? Approachable leaders empathize with colleagues, building rapport and making them feel comfortable coming to them to report issues or ask questions.
Another essential aspect is credibility. The credible leader is seen as authoritative and knowledgeable. Employees trust them to establish and communicate direction and make difficult choices for the overall good of the company.
Leaders also need to consider whether they are aspirational. Do they inspire colleagues to set high expectations for themselves? Do they instill the confidence coworkers need to not merely meet but surpass their goals? Do they believe in their team and their ability to achieve ambitious organizational goals?
Great leadership requires a fine balance of approachability, credibility, and aspirational thinking. Leaders need to motivate and mobilize others, providing support and development as well as structure and direction. Motivating other people requires introspection. Business leaders must look inward, identifying what it is that motivates them.
There are two primary drivers in the business world. External factors, such as salary, recognition, and perks, and internal factors, including the desire to learn new skills, feel a sense of belonging, and rise to new challenges. Most people are motivated by a combination of internal and external factors, the importance of each changing as they advance in their career. For example, a more junior employee will typically focus on career progression, while more established employees may prioritize a sense of belonging and purpose.
In addition to motivation, encouragement, and accountability, great leadership also requires trust, empathy, goal-setting, team building, and a lifelong commitment to self-improvement. The best leaders are those who are capable of responding to the moment, adapting to different contexts, situations, and business needs. By identifying their leadership style, including any aspects where they may be falling short, business leaders can help their company adapt to rapidly changing environments while keeping employees motivated.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to business leadership. However, effective leadership requires an ability to respond to the moment, adapting approaches in line with business goals and employee work styles. The most common need to pivot and adapt tactics arises from sudden changes in a business’s circumstances, in which case it is essential to maintain a cool head and allow the situation to unravel before making any important decisions.
From supply chain disruption to global pandemics to natural disasters, external factors can present business leaders with dire crises and critical challenges. In addition to consistent communication to keep everyone on the same page, such a catastrophe could call for a change in leadership style, maintaining openness and transparency to keep teams motivated and engaged.
