Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Leadership
E-book
EBW Leadership
It is not rocket science to realise whoever is at the top of the
team or organisation makes a big difference to their group or
company.
If it is true that poor or dysfunctional leadership permeates
down through the organisation, then it is also true that
effective, inspirational leadership also filters down through the
company or organisation.
What makes great leadership? Leadership research has looked
at any number of variables, including leadership style.
In other words, what do leaders do with others? What are the
emotions and behaviour that they show?
For instance, should leaders be more autocratic or democratic
or perhaps more task-oriented versus people-oriented?
This e-book provides some of the more recent research white papers from the EBW Knowledge library
that provide insight into how leaders need to manage themselves to have a positive impact on the
people they lead?
The EBW Emotional Intelligence System for Business is a unique global assessment and development
tool for Executive Coaches, HR experts and Psychologists.
Based on over 15 years of worldwide use and research, it enables you to get leaders and teams to
understand why they behave the way they do and use a highly effective coaching framework that
improves their occupational performance.
With a practitioner network based on 6 continents, all of whom are licensed to use the EBW System
we guarantee the EBW Emotional Intelligence approach empowers leaders and teams to transform
themselves and their organisations.
EBW
TM
www.ebwonline.com
The researchers suggest that these findings can be explained by the 'developmental reversal' effect,
which shows that children are far less likely to be swayed by different framing, regardless of whether
positive or negative. They are in effect, more likely to evaluate the options equally than adults. Reyna
and colleagues suggest that those with expertise are further along the developmental trajectory than
others.
In essence, this research suggests that experts or leaders who perceive themselves as knowledgeable
authority figures (experts) are more likely to allow the context or framing of a problem to affect their
decision making and choose rash or riskier paths for potentially greater gains.
These findings suggest that those with expertise might make snap decisions which carry greater risks.
We can see a number of high profile examples of poor leadership decisions which clearly indicate that
these decision-making processes take place at all levels within the business world:
1. Jurgen Schrempp: The CEO of Daimler-Benz made the decision to pursue a merger between
Chrysler and Daimler even though those around him explained the high level of risk involved. Yet
because the rewards were potentially vast he continued on this path which nearly led the entire
company to ruin.
2. Steve Russell: Took the UK health care store Boots into a new strategy which hoped to separate
it from other brands by venturing into direct health care such as dentistry. Despite the obvious
risks of taking an established brand into a different industry, he took the gamble, which resulted
in him losing his job as chief executive.
3. Mike Lazaridis: Who helped make design choices for RIM's Blackberry line of mobile phones
which, rather than building on its niche, took the approach to emulate and attempt to compete
with Samsung and Apple touch phones. The risks were huge and resulted in RIM losing millions
of customers who wanted an alternative, not a carbon copy.
So, what does this mean for leadership decisions and why bad decisons are made? The most important
lesson here is that anyone is capable of making the wrong decision. Making a good decision is not only
about evaluating the situation/context and the available options, but also understanding your emotional
and behavioural drives towards the considered choices.
Research shows that 16% of leaders have a strong emotional drive to be the decision maker, but may
not always leave enough time for decisions or want to listen to others when making a decision. They
may feel uncomfortable if they are not allowed to take responsibility for their decisions or if they are
forced to leave a decision unmade because of others views or the situation. What makes them feel
comfortable (less stressed) is driving a decision to its final outcome quickly.
Whereas, some leaders have a different emotional drive and feel more comfortable taking time to make
a decision or like to make considered decisions. They may be happy but unclear about decisions that are
made (wishing to keep things quite woolly). They are likely to feel quite uncomfortable (at times
stressed) if they have to make quick decisions or decisions where they feel they do not have enough
information. They may at times, put off making a decision altogether, preferring not to make a decision
rather than make a decision where they do not feel they have enough information.
Making the right decision is about understanding how your emotional drive to make a decision can act
as an inhibitor or activator to the way you make decisions. Understanding how your decision making
processes are affected by your emotions when you are outside your comfort zone (stressed,
overworked etc.) or you are very passionate (positive emotions) about your work, is the first step to
understanding how to ensure you do not make a bad decision.
When working with others, understanding not only what your emotional drives are when making
decisions, but also what drives others' decision making is the key to better leadership, making better
business decisions and working with others successfully.
While the tasks set out by the researchers dont necessarily transfer to a typical workplace activity, the
results are interesting and have a lot of potential. The implication, in particular, of the role of leadership
style vis--vis the developmental stage of a team needs to be studied further. This research points to the
importance of leaders understanding the dynamic processes within a team - where members stand in
relation to one another and the team as a whole.
Understanding & managing the dynamic of a team is a delicate art. There are 3 simple steps that leaders
can do to make it easier:
Emotionally loaded statements (i.e., "I dislike working with that group.")
Generalizations (i.e., "People won't buy into that idea.")
A lack of interest (i.e., "Is this really a top priority?")
Inherent conflict (i.e., "We don't problem-solve well.")
Provide feedback that shows your team members the impact of what they are saying and encourage
them to reflect on how they can change their behaviour.
Using BEI (Business Emotional Intelligence) and adapting ones leadership style depending on the
interest, skills, and abilities of ones team members is crucial to achieve high performance. Leaders who
have developed their BEI and learned to adapt to a changing environment definitely have an edge in the
workplace..
The research supports the view that leaders with Emotional Intelligence who are self-aware and have
the sensitivity needed to recognise when to apologise will have the respect of their team members and
will build trust quickly. Building trust in the workplace results in employees who are happier, and
importantly, are more productive.
By issuing a superfluous apology, Brooks and her team write, the apologiser communicates that he
has taken the victims perspective, acknowledges adversity, and expresses regret. They add that
apologising shows concern, thereby increasing a persons trust towards the one who apologised.
How do you apologise in the workplace? Here are some tips:
1. Take responsibility for the mistake youve made and apologise to those who have been affected
by it, even if theyre your underlings.
2. Express regret and explain what you plan to do to move forward.
3. Encourage your team to observe changes and give you feedback on your progress. This shows
your sincerity to change for the better.
4. Always keep in mind to be authentic. Commit only to things you can honestly do. If you have a
naturally extroverted personality, for example, its not realistic to say you will become an
introvert.
Leaders who have the courage and self-confidence to admit mistakes (even if they are not theirs) and
apologise for them, will win the respect of their team members. It may not be easy to do and
recognising when it is appropriate is key. That is why successful leaders develop their Emotional
Intelligence, to enhance their self-awareness and the sensitivity needed to understand others'
emotional needs and to use that knowledge to drive their success..
As a consequence, he suggests that transformational leaders turn to those employees who are low on
energy, sluggish, and melancholic, because for them, the leadership style really makes a difference.
However, this may not always be easy because research also found transformational leaders to tend to
be extraverted and thus, higher on positive affect by nature. Therefore, they may prefer to turn their
attention to those who they are similar to (those who are already high on positive affect and energy),
instead of those who need their attention.
Historically, leadership experts have pushed the benefits of transformational leaders and for good
reason. Transformational leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King,
Jr., played crucial roles in transforming peoples' identity and aspirations.
However, what this research suggests is that leaders need to tailor their transformational actions
accordingly, rather than use a one-size-fits-all, group-directed, transformational style.
Leaders need to understand and assess their followers and the situational context in which they work.
They need to develop their BEI (Business Emotional Intelligence) as the nature of the workgroup/team
may well determine how effective any leader can or could be at motivating and directing their charges.
To find out how to develop your leaders' and managers' Business Emotional Intelligence; so they really
understand others and are able to control negative emotions & behaviours contact an EBW Facilitator.