Leadership Is Not A Trait., A Skill., An Ability. It Is A Process.

As a leader, you are only ever engaged in two types of behaviour: Direction (telling people what to do and how to do it) and Support (meeting their emotional needs as they do it). Your Leadership Style is determined by your preferences in these two behaviours.

• Director

  The Director is primarily focused on goal achievement. They give very specific and detailed instructions on what is required and the manner in which tasks are to be completed. They believe that productivity leads to happiness.

• Supporter

  Supporters are patient and place a heavy emphasis on the emotional needs of their followers. As a result, goal-orientation tends to be much lower with them. They believe that productivity is derived from happiness.

• Delegator

  The Delegator offers very little support or direction. They place their followers in charge of achieving goals, and give them full autonomy to do so.

• Coach

  The Coach is driven by goal achievement and meeting the needs of their followers in equal measure. They seek input from their team but like to retain final decision-making authority.

While every leader has a preferred style, servant leadership dictates the leader alter their style to meet the needs of their follower so that the follower can in turn meet the needs of the organization. This can become complicated when you realize that the needs of each follower will change based on their level of Mastery to meet the organization's needs versus their Motivation to do so.

• Internship

  Here the follower lacks both the Mastery to meet the needs of the organization as well as the Motivation to leave their comfort zone and do things they're unfamiliar with. They require the full Direction and Support associated with a Coach.

• Stewarship

  Here the follower is someone who continually needs their course reset. They have the Mastery to meet the needs of the organization but lack the Motivation to do it in a way that is fully aligned with bigger picture objectives, requiring continuous Support.

• Apprenticeship

  Here the follower lacks the Mastery to be effective on their own, but have the self-drive and Motivation to improve. They often thrive 'learning at the side of a master' and therefore do best with Directors.

• Ownership

  Here followers embody both Mastery and Motivation. They have a need to put their mark on their projects and tasks and therefore work best with a Delegator leader who is both willing and capable to step aside and let them run.