Customized Leadership
One size does not fit all. You have heard that over and over. You know its true when you try to buy clothing that is labeled “one size fits all,” which means that this size fits some. You may try it on and see that it is too tight, too loose, too short, too long, or whatever it might be. It obviously does not fit you.
Leadership is the same way. There is not a predefined “one way” to lead all people. Trying to do that will result in conflict and frustration at best and outright rebellion and heated words at worst. I know. I have fallen into that rap. I have seen tough times come because I try and lead everyone the same way.
A leader has to bend and shape his or her leadership so people can be encouraged, engaged, energized, and mobilized in a way that works for each of them individually. It is not easy, but it does pay off.
But you cannot change everything for everyone all the time. That is called anarchy. Some things have to be firm and in place. You cannot be flexible in everything just as you cannot be unchanging in everything. A leader has to recognize and change as needed and when it is appropriate. And it is hard to know when to customize your leadership. Get it right and things click. Get it wrong and things get rough. Just as customizing your software can make you a better performer, customized leadership can make your team work better.
Things To “Not Change Much”
Notice I did not say “never change.” There are many things that should not be allowed to slip. Even small slips, if left uncorrected, can soon spawn more slips and slides that deteriorate the entire efforts of all.
Expectations of Quality. Some say never sacrifice quality for any reason. I wholeheartedly agree for things such as healthcare, safety, child protection, data security, and many more. Holding the line and setting the bar high is needed in many, many areas. Leaders set the pace and often allow a slip in quality to happen without realizing it. Keeping a focus on quality will improve every area of your team’s efforts.
Expectations for Level of Effort. Make the level of effort match the need for quality and completeness. Like a BIM model, sometimes level of effort needs to be dialed back a bit because the return on infinite detailing is small. Keep the focus on what is needed to achieve the goal. Expect more and you will get more, I have been told. Expect your team to put out a high level of effort on every task they approach.
Expectations of Professionalism. Respect, honesty, trust, graciousness, helpfulness, humility, and sharing of knowledge are a few things that should be on your list of expectations. Everyone deserves to be treated professionally. Every person that you and your team interacts with should be treated as someone who deserves the best you have to offer at all times.
Expectations of Customer Service. Excellent service and extra efforts from those who you lead should be something they all strive for. Service focus that goes beyond just what is expected and moves toward exceptional support and contributions. Providing more information, explanation, support, assistance, and provisioning approached with vigor, under budget, and delivered as agreed. Go the extra mile.
Expectations on Deliverables. Leaders should put forth the expectation that all deadlines will be met or exceeded with the expected delivery or even more. On time, under budget, and high quality as agreed. If a deadline and quality expectation is defined and agreed to, strive to exceed those expectations on every task or project.
Things That Should Be Customized
Customizing your leadership to fit the person or situation has been suggested by many authors. It is what the best leaders do. They adapt and shape their leadership based on the people they lead and the project, task, or their environment.
What do they adapt?
Methods of Communication. I have seen this in action and it works great. When I am trying to interact with people, I try to adapt my communications to fit the audience. I will use different wording and tools. I have some that will reply to emails. Others that instantly get back to me via texting. And still others that respond well from their desks using Instant Messaging tools.
You should look at how you communicate and the tools you use. Change it up a little and try different methods and wording to see what might work for some groups and use others for the next team. See what works and move toward that method.
Methods of Production. Setting the goals and targets that need to be hit along with the deadlines really does make a leader into someone to follow, but there may be times when the “how” of getting things done needs to be left to team members. They may know something you do not. They may have processes that will get the job done better than what you are thinking. They may have shortcuts and tricks that seem outlandish, but produce the outcome you desire. Let people be creative in how they get things done.
Methods of Interaction. Just like communication, your methods of interacting need to bend and shape to the need. Some like meetings; others hate them. Some will respond to thinking independently and then presenting to the team. Some might want to run everything past you as they move forward in an iterative process. Some may want to break into smaller teams of two or three people and work together to set the pace. Letting people work in ways they enjoy and in which they can be productive will unleash new energies.
Methods of Motivation. Just like people wanting to define how they work, many like to define the way they are rewarded. Each and every person will respond to motivation options in differing ways. Some may go for money. Some may want time off. Some may want advancement or to be put on a specific team or project. Some may like gift cards. Some may want to be introduced to your contacts. Some may want to just sit and pick your brain. The list is endless and varied. Don’t try to put everyone into the same bucket for motivation.
By being flexible and customizing your leadership you can achieve more. By changing things up a little, you can go a long way.
