Leadership & Management

The higher up in an organization an individual moves, the more they need to transition from technician, to manager, to leader.

It is critical for managers to understand (1) the significant differences between leading, managing, and technical work, (2) which of the three activities they enjoy most, (3) which of the three their job requires most, and (4) how to switch from one to the other depending on the task at hand. Failure to do so has its consequences, including:

• A tendency to default to the skills and behaviours that are most comfortable, even when they might not be the most effective
• Frustration from subordinates who fail to receive the style of leadership they need based on the situation they are facing
• Lack of awareness of how the manager/leader is dividing their time between leading, managing and hands-on technical work

Participants will learn to:

• Understand the different between leadership and management
• Discern whether they gravitate toward the manager or leader style
• Develop strategies to balance their approach
• Appreciate who they are and how they lead and manage
• Know when to lead, when to manage, and when to do it themselves
• Identify the barriers to strategic switching

Every one of us has the capacity to lead others, but we all do it in different ways. The problem is that many managers don’t know what their personal leadership strength is or how it influences the way they do their job. They lack understanding of how their style steers who they are and of how they think, feel, and behave.

The fact is that everyone tends to replicate the same patterns of behaviour. Understanding what those patterns of behaviour are and how they are unique to each individual is essential to effective leadership. Without this kind of self-knowledge, problems emerge.

This workshop will review what traits are, assess your traits and strengths that you should develop further to give you greater confidence and comfort in your role as a leader.

Participants will learn to:

• Cultivate a greater desire to know their personal leadership style
• Identify the patterns of behaviour that compose their leadership style
• Appreciate the strengths of their personal style
• Communicate more effectively to subordinates who have a different style
• Execute decisions more confidently and with less second-guessing

How can the same manager effectively lead such diverse people?

• …an employee who is eager and competent
• …an employee who lacks both aptitude and enthusiasm
• …an employee who is anxious to perform, but lacks important skills
• …an employee who is talented, but hesitant to take on a task due to lack of confidence

Unless the manager is equipped in the skills of follower-based leadership principles they will not know how to strategically change their leadership mode from situation to situation.

Participants will learn to:

• Know how the right leadership style can powerfully influence follower commitment and performance
• Diagnose quickly where an employee is in terms of ability and confidence
• Choose the most appropriate leadership style based on the aptitude and attitude of the employee
• Transfer what they have learned to the job