The impact of the situation
How does the situation affect how a leader engages followers?
The situation is paramount in determining what is needed at any given time. A true leader has the ability to read the circumstances or personnel and provide what is needed most.
Absolutely Donald! As a leader having the ability to read the situation and the tools to choose from to react are essential to success. Great insight!
The situation determines the actions that the leader must take in order to motivate and inspire the followers. Not all situations are the same, consequently not all leadership actions should be the same.
John Lucumi.
Very insightful, John. This is one of the reasons why those who manage and lead with a limited skill set have a hard time adapting. What do you think?
I am in agreement. One of the most critical characteristics of a leader is the ability to be able to adapt quickly to different environments. Internal and external factor are constantly changing our business.
John Lucumi.
Very insightful again, John. The only constant is change. Successful leaders have to not only read the situation quickly and accurately but adapt on the fly.
I agree, the situation requires a leader to determine what has happened and how to proceed. It therefore changes with every person involved, since everyone brings something different to the table. You may begin to approach a problem with one plan then you must adjust accordingly when the situation requires it. A leader must bend without breaking, in order to show the team a positive outcome is possible.
I really like your analogy of "bend without breaking". This awareness and flexibility are essential for leadership success. Can you provide an example from your past on how you "adjust accordingly" when the situation requires it.
An example of this can be seen in my current situation, having a new team to manage. I have a certain set of expectations from my experience and my former team that is not matching the reality of the new team. I must "bend" to give the team direction and help them make positive changes, but I can not "break" to the point that I am sacrificing what I know is right or make consessions becuase "that's the way it's always been". It will take time, but together we will work towards a new set of expecations we all share.
Great example, Christine! So your previous experience is formed, in part, by the people on the team. The recognition that things may not work exactly the same way (with the new team) is valuable to help a leader adjust their strategy. Thank you for sharing! This is an excellent scenario. Continued success!
To motivate and inspire staff you have to be willing to laugh and enjoy getting to know your employees. Once you see staff as a diverse individual you can discover their motivation and lead with such.
Excellent point, Leslie. Understanding each person's motivation and building trust are essential elements to great leadership.
I agree, the situation requires a leader to determine what has happened and how to move forward. What will happen is that this will change with every individual involved since you have so many different personalities and traits that are being brought to the table. You will have to assess the situation more than once and probably have to change the angle that you go in with more than once as well!
It sounds like one of the traits you appreciate in leaders is their ability to adapt to a situation successfully, John. I couldn't agree with you more. I'm curious, how you've adapted your approach to accomodate the situation in the past?
I agree, change is a constant. You have to know that and be ready not only to adapt your leadership style and approach to different challenges, but also to know the strengths and motivators for each member on your team. Not all employees are readily adaptable to change. Some you need to motivate and get their buy in, otherwise they can negatively influence the rest of the team.
Great insight, Sandi. You've acknowledged that change is constant and a leader must be ready to adapt, but you've also highlighted another important element - not everyone on your team may be ready for change. It sounds like you speak from some experience, would that be a fair statement? I'd love to hear how you motivate those resistant to change to get their buy in.
Sudden eventualities can derail pursuit of a company's mission if not handled appropriately and properly communicated to the followers. As a Leader in a company (or any other group), assessing the impact of any given situation and how best to address or mitigate that impact, is, of course very important. However, determining how to then deliver the message to the followers in order to best inspire, motivate and still keep on track with core goals can be a tall order. At times, bolstering the confidence of the team while demonstrating how well prepared they are for the journey ahead can greatly reduce any disruptions or loss of focus.
It is important for me to stay as positive as I can no matter what the situation. I notice that my influence is dependent on it.
Great observation, Kathleen. Your attitude really can have a tremendous amount of influence on a situation. What are some tricks that you use to stay positive in a difficult situation?
