Leadershift: Leading Individuals the Way They Like to Be Led

What makes someone an effective leader?

Take a moment and think of the person whom you have most admired or enjoyed having as a leader. Consider not only your work experience, but also your volunteer activities, religious affiliations, and recreational pursuits.

List the personal attributes and specific behaviours this person demonstrates which you consider to be the source of their leadership effectiveness.

Next, ask two or three of your colleagues, friends, or family members to go through the same process with someone they respect as a leader.

Finally, compare your lists.

My guess is that while there are no doubt some commonalities, there are probably some significant differences. And even the commonalities (for example, “caring” is an attribute I hear a lot) may mean very different things to each of you as you discuss what that actually looks like in behavioural terms.

The point of this exercise is simple. It demonstrates that people like to be led in different ways: ways that are natural to their interpersonal preferences. The results of failing to adapt to others’ preferences (miscommunication, resentment, irritation, and lack of commitment) bear directly upon productivity and quality. Conversely, adapting to others leads to greater buy-in, motivation and understanding, all of which positively affect the bottom line.

There exists a widespread myth that there is one right or best way to lead. Much of the current literature on leadership supports and promotes this myth. However, my experience as a leader and as a leadership development specialist suggests otherwise.

I believe that leadership effectiveness arises out of the combination of two key factors: (1) actions that are appropriate to the dynamics of the circumstances, and (2) an interpersonal approach that is appropriate to the individuals being led.

In this article, I want to address briefly the second factor for leadership effectiveness, an interpersonal approach that is appropriate to the individual being led.

Although there are many frameworks that can give us valuable insights into others’ interpersonal preferences, the one I want to employ is a model of personality type called Social Dynamics styles.

A Social Dynamics Styles Primer

I define a “Social Dynamics style” as a pattern of acting and interacting in social situations in order to achieve a desired outcome. Like other models of personality type, one’s Social Dynamics style is about preferences, not abilities. This model of type describes four distinct patterns of interpersonal behaviour that are consistent over time, but adaptable in the moment. I believe that a person’s Social Dynamics style is innate, a part of their “hard wiring.” It has a strong bearing on whom you find it easy (or challenging) to relate to and work with.

The following chart gives you a glimpse of the essential characteristics of each Social Dynamics pattern. Taking these preferences into account is the key to leading individuals the way they like to be led.

The 4 Social Dynamics Styles

Mover

Core drive: An urgent need to achieve results, complete tasks and accomplish goals.

Desired outcome: Tangible, doable actions that can be taken quickly.

Decision-making approach: Rapid decisions based on assessment of what needs to happen immediately or in the near future.

Cluster of strengths:

Seeing things that can be done or achieved expeditiously
Quick, but realistic, decision-making
Taking immediate action
Willingness to act based on rapid risk assessment
Noticing what isn’t working
Overcoming problems, challenges, or obstacles to action
Staying focused under tight deadlines or in a crisis
Talking in a straightforward manner about issues, problems, concerns and conflicts

Involver

Core drive: An eager need to gain everyone’s active involvement in an interaction.

Desired outcome: Enthusiastic agreement by everyone involved about goals, actions to be taken and tasks to do.

Decision-making approach: Consensual decisions based on the active input of all individuals in the group.

Cluster of strengths:

Bringing a positive, engaging energy to the interaction
Facilitating group discussion
Creating energy and activity to get things going and start everyone participating
Guiding the group towards consensus and gaining buy-in from everyone involved
Keeping motivation levels up as the team does its work through enthusiastic participation
Recognizing when someone’s energy has dropped, or they have become disengaged
Seeking to make things fun (but not frivolous)

Mapper

Core drive: An earnest need to formulate an effective course of action to achieve a beneficial goal.

Desired outcome: Clarity around the most useful goal and a clear and practical path to accomplish it.

Decision-making approach: Carefully considered decisions about the most desirable action or goal.

Cluster of strengths:

Gathering adequate information on which to determine goals and plans
Conceptualizing and articulating clear goals
Analyzing options to determine the best course of action to take
Anticipating problems, roadblocks, challenges and reactions
Organizing, sequencing and outlining timelines, actions, milestones and procedures
Refocusing individuals and groups on the course of action
Guiding others to assist them in moving ahead

Integrator

Core drive: A persistent need to integrate multiple sources of information in making choices.

Desired outcome: Useful information that can lead to the highest quality choice, output, or action.

Decision-making approach: Informed decisions based on accessing high quality information from others.

Cluster of strengths:

Working continually to gain information in order to make the best possible decision
Quietly encouraging everyone’s participation
Asking open-ended questions and listening closely for answers
Holding on to a great deal of information at once
Refining terms, concepts, frameworks, values and priorities
Thinking through carefully before acting, in order to achieve high quality the first time

The above chart is meant only to introduce you to the very basics of the Social Dynamics patterns and dynamics. The model has much more to it, and I would again encourage you to read my booklet, Social Dynamics, to introduce yourself to the richness of this framework.

Social Dynamics Styles and Leadership Effectiveness

With regard to leadership effectiveness, the ability to adapt to the Social Dynamics styles of the individuals we lead greatly extends our capacity to gain their understanding, cooperation, and commitment.

For example, I have an Involver Social Dynamics style. As such, I naturally lead with lots of enthusiasm and excitement. My focus is on getting the energy going in interpersonal discussions and group interactions and I want to obtain a collaborative result (i.e., a result to which everyone wholeheartedly commits). I tend not to develop or be comfortable with a predetermined, detailed plan of action, and I don’t want to spend a lot of time discussing and refining details of an emerging decision. Finally, I am generally uncomfortable telling others what to do. I want them to want to do it, so I prefer to describe to them what needs to be done rather than prescribing their actions. These are some of the natural tendencies of an Involver Social Dynamics style.

While this style works very well for other Involver individuals, it can be frustrating and even irritating for the other three styles. For example, my lack of a predetermined and concrete plan of action can irritate a Mapper type, who may view my leadership as thoughtless, aimless, and overly expressive. A Mover staff member may view my desire for small talk and storytelling as a waste of time and see my lack of specific directives as a lack of clarity or as a lack of commitment to achieving results quickly. A person with a preference for an Integrator style may be frustrated with my “let’s move ahead as long as we have a general agreement” approach. They may experience my fast-paced, consensus decision-making style as a frustrating impediment to taking the time necessary to dialogue, research, and refine our ideas to get the best result possible.

My leadership effectiveness can be greatly enhanced by adapting my approach to try to meet the Social Dynamics needs and preferences of the person I am leading, rather than trying to lead him/her from my preferred approach. Remember, people like to be led in ways that fit their Social Dynamics style preferences.

Leadershift

Leadershift is the name I have given to the practice of adapting one’s own Social Dynamics style to that of others. Becoming proficient at “leadershifting” requires three skills. First, we must be able to identify correctly an individual’s preferred Social Dynamics style. This ability grows as we familiarize ourselves with the Social Dynamics styles model. Second, we must be able to shift our energy levels, communication style, and decision-making style to match those of the person we are leading. This comes with conscious effort and trying out new behaviours. Third, we must be able to evaluate how well we are adapting to others’ Social Dynamics preferences. This is best done by a combination of (1) observing others’ responses and (2) asking for feedback on our attempts to shift to someone else’s style.

What might leadershifting look like in practice?

Let’s say I am going to delegate a project to one of my staff members. As an Involver leader, my natural tendency when delegating would be to:

Connect with the individual on a personal level before getting down to business.
Explain only in broad outline what I want accomplished.
Explore collaboratively a variety of options about how to accomplish the objective(s).
Employ a relatively non-structured, but fast-paced format for the conversation.
Keep the conversation lively and upbeat.

I have decided which staff member I think is best suited for the project and I am going to speak with them about it. Using a Leadershift approach might involve the following actions.

First, I need to determine their Social Dynamics style. In reviewing the Social Dynamics styles patterns, I conclude my staff member probably has a Mapper style.

Next, I need to decide how I am going to adapt my natural tendencies to this person’s Mapper preferences when discussing the project and their responsibilities. This would involve at least the following shifts:

Limiting small talk and being more matter of fact and to the point.
Being systematic in how I explain the project’s objectives, timelines, requirements.
Explaining in detail the plan for accomplishing the project.
Pausing to allow them to absorb the details.
Inviting questions about the details.
Not interrupting while they are speaking.

Third, I will need to observe the person’s response to my attempts to shift to their preferences and adapt and learn. It’s easy to stereotype a different style and end up being patronizing, not helpful. So I will watch for clues (verbal and non-verbal) that tell me if I seem to be on their wavelength. And, of course, I can always ask them directly if the way I am explaining things is helpful or what I could do differently to make it better for them.

As you practice “leadershifting,” it will become more habitual, less conscious, and more effective. You will find individuals responding to your leadership initiatives with more commitment, greater understanding, and better results.

People Like to Be Led in Different Ways

People really do like to be led in different ways: ways that are in keeping with their natural interpersonal preferences. Social Dynamics styles is a powerful framework that helps us apply that truth for greater leadership effectiveness.