Exploring My Personal Leadership Style: Insights and Learnings
Leadership is a fascinating and complex topic. It involves not just the skills and behaviours that make someone an effective leader, but also the personal values, experiences, and traits that shape their leadership style. For anyone looking to become a better leader, exploring their own personal leadership style is a valuable exercise. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses, your preferences and tendencies, and how you interact with others, you can become a more self-aware and effective leader.
Understanding Personal Leadership Styles
There are many different models and frameworks for understanding leadership styles, but one of the most well-known is the Situational Leadership Model developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. According to this model, effective leadership depends on a leader’s ability to adjust their style to the needs of their followers, depending on their level of competence and commitment. The four main leadership styles in this model are:
– Directing: providing clear instructions and supervision for followers who are new or inexperienced.
– Coaching: providing support and guidance to followers who are starting to gain competence but still lack confidence.
– Supporting: providing recognition and appreciation to followers who are becoming more competent and confident.
– Delegating: giving responsibility and decision-making authority to followers who are highly competent and committed.
Another popular framework for understanding leadership styles is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This personality assessment tool classifies individuals into one of 16 different personality types based on their preferences for how they interact with the world and make decisions. Each type is associated with different leadership strengths and challenges. For example, an extroverted leader who prefers intuition and feeling may be well-suited to a leadership role that involves inspiring and motivating others, while an introverted leader who prefers thinking and judging may excel in a role that requires detailed analysis and strategic planning.
Identifying Your Personal Leadership Style
To explore your own personal leadership style, it’s important to reflect on your experiences, values, and traits. You may want to ask yourself questions such as:
– What do I enjoy most about leading others?
– What are my biggest leadership challenges?
– What values and principles guide my leadership approach?
– What strengths do I bring to the table as a leader?
– What areas do I need to work on to become a more effective leader?
It can also be helpful to solicit feedback from others, either through formal performance evaluations or informal conversations. Ask your colleagues, direct reports, and mentors for their honest impressions of your leadership style and areas for improvement.
Developing Your Leadership Skills
Once you’ve identified your personal leadership style, you can focus on developing the skills and behaviours that will make you a more effective leader. Some common areas for development include:
– Communication: developing clear and concise communication skills, active listening, and empathy
– Vision and strategy: setting goals and objectives, developing a clear vision, and creating strategies to achieve them
– Emotional intelligence: understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others
– Decision-making: evaluating options, weighing risks and benefits, and making decisions with confidence
– Change management: managing change effectively, communicating vision, and mitigating resistance
There are many resources available to help you develop these skills, including books, seminars, workshops, and coaching programs. Seek out opportunities to practice your skills in a safe and supportive environment, such as through volunteering or taking on leadership roles within your organization.
Key Takeaways
Exploring your personal leadership style is an important step in becoming a more effective leader. By understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, you can develop the skills and behaviours that will help you lead effectively and inspire others. Whether you use a structured framework like the Situational Leadership Model or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or simply reflect on your experiences and seek feedback from others, taking the time to understand and develop your personal leadership style is a valuable investment in your own growth and development.
