Discussion: Leadership Techniques: Identifying and Modifying Approaches Based on Demands
In the "Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement" podcast, co-hosts Professor Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer discuss the importance of adapting leadership styles in an organization's journey towards a team-based culture. They highlight four distinct leadership styles that can significantly impact an organization's culture and continuous improvement efforts.
- Crisis Style: This style is characterised by a leader who steps up to make tough decisions swiftly during high-pressure situations. The crisis leader takes responsibility, acts decisively, and fosters trust and camaraderie among employees, rather than acting as a cold dictator.
- Participative Leadership Style: In this approach, leaders actively engage in continuous improvement activities alongside their teams. This style involves leaders going through the same training as employees, participating in kaizen events, giving daily recognition, conducting work observations, and coaching one-on-one daily. This participation builds respect, humility, and equality, fostering a team-based culture.
- Team Style: The team style leader provides direction for teams, coaches, mentors, and equips teams with tools to be successful. This style furthers a team-based culture of continuous improvement.
- Style 4 Leader: While details about this style are not provided, it is emphasised that the Style 4 leader has time to look ahead, considering expansion and preparation for future downturns. The focus is on addressing problems that happen closest to the process.
The language used in the empowerment style (Style 4) is different from the language used in the crisis style. The goal when pivoting to other styles should be to have a time frame for returning to Style 4. Organizations should avoid rushing the progression from one leadership style to another.
Understanding and hiring the right leader for an organization's specific leadership needs is crucial. Using the wrong style at the wrong time can damage culture by causing mistrust or disengagement. On the other hand, applying the right leadership style, especially one that supports empowerment and teamwork, drives a collaborative, trustful culture that is essential for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Participative leadership, in particular, helps to build habits and expectations around respect, humility, and involvement, making continuous improvement a collective effort rather than a top-down mandate. Cultural transformations often begin at Style 1 and progress.
In conclusion, leaders need to be flexible and choose styles appropriate to their organization's current phase of development and cultural needs to promote sustainable improvement and employee engagement.
[1] Saleh, M., & Dyer, J. (n.d.). Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement. [Podcast episode]. [2] Saleh, M., & Dyer, J. (n.d.). The Impact of Leadership Styles on an Organization's Culture. [Podcast episode].
- To achieve sustainable improvement and operational excellence, it is crucial for leaders to employ a participative leadership style, fostering a culture where continuous improvement is a collective effort, facilitated by mutual respect, humility, and involvement.
- In the pursuit of a team-based culture that supports continuous improvement, leaders may find it beneficial to consult financial analysts and business strategists, ensuring they possess the necessary skills to progressively transition between leadership styles, balancing the need for decisive action in crisis situations with the fostering of trust and camaraderie in team-oriented approaches.
