TeamStyle Leadership

Team Leadership



It takes all styles to make an effective organization. Peter Drucker, the organizational analyst wrote, “The top-management tasks require at least four different kinds of human beings: the 'thought person' (Analytical), the 'action person' (Driver), the 'people person' (Amiable), and the ‘front person' (Expressive).”



Keep in mind there is no one style that fits all situations, or people. The qualities, characteristics, and skills required to be successful are determined by the demands of the situation.



The Driver (DR) Team Leader

The team leader is the key person in creating an environment that is conducive to meeting the needs of the individual team members while achieving the organization’s goals.

The tough-minded, hard-charging Driver Leader thrives on short-term challenges that will ensure the company’s goals of revenue and profit are realized. As a leader, the Driver is often viewed as decisive, a skilled problem solver who willingly takes command and directs others to get things done.

Expect DR Leaders to communicate in a forceful, get to the point manner asking direct questions such as:

What will the solution do?

What is the success probability?

How quickly can it be done?

What are the costs?

What is the bottom line?

They can be confrontational, tough, speaking forcefully and at a fast pace. Sometimes argumentative, they will debate for the sake of debating.

They are great at initiating projects, may have many projects going simultaneously, preferring to delegate the implementation so they can go to other projects. But when they delegate they expect it to be done with limited instruction.

Team members who report to DR Leaders are heard to say, “He demands the best from people. He has incredibly high expectations for himself and his team. The stretch goals he sets makes us reach goals we would never have attempted.”

However, the Driver Leaders’ decisiveness may be perceived as a know-it-all attitude; their competitiveness, desire to take risks and relentless pursuit of maximized profitability may be seen as too demanding and unrealistic about what it will take to accomplish the task. Other styles may experience tension if they are not confident all the relevant perspectives and alternatives have been considered.

Tips for the Driver Leader

Compliment your strong operations and administration abilities with a genuine interest in others. Make a dedicated effort to build your interpersonal relationships. It makes good business sense and will improve your effectiveness. Research shows that in leading organizations, the “do-it-because-I-say-so” boss has become a dinosaur.

Until recently, we had little data that showed a positive link between a business unit’s human climate and its performance. So, in practice, leaders could easily ignore their personal style and its effects on people they led, focusing instead on “harder” business objectives.

Considerable research has been done, extensive data has been accumulated and we now know that the people side of management can make a significant impact on:

·         performance

·         customer satisfaction and loyalty

·         profits

·         healthy work climate

·         leader's career growth and success

·         company’s reputation

·         job satisfaction and retention

·         personal and family life

“People join companies and leave managers…Interviews with 2 million employees at 700 American companies found that what determines how long employees stay – and how productive they are – is the quality of their relationship with their immediate boss.”

                                                                                                  – Gallup Organization

“Business acumen and technological knowledge is not enough and are just two cogs in the leadership machine. Even in a good economy, a leader must possess and practice the soft skills necessary to keep the team content and motivated. In a sputtering economy, ‘people’ skills are critical.’” – Korn Ferry

Build trust relationships by being open and showing vulnerability. Management guru, Patrick Lencioni, says that “trust lies at the heart of a functioning, cohesive team…that the most important action that a leader must take to encourage the building of trust on a team is to demonstrate vulnerability first.”¹ This requires that a leader be open, admitting when he or she is wrong and risk loosing face in front of the team.

Accommodate others’ styles by recognizing strengths that individual’s differences bring to the team and acknowledging his or her contributions

Monitor your impatience. Try be less directive and more facilitative; it is not only important what you say but how you say it.

Continue to delegate but provide direction and support depending on the needs of the employee. (See Delegation Guidelines in the Appendix.)

Acknowledge other people’s contributions.

Guidelines for Working with a Driver Leader

·         If you are an Amiable or Analytical, pick up your pace: speak louder and faster; address problems and decisions with readiness and speed.

·         Be prepared, on time, on schedule and on budget.

·         Ask for what you need but be factual, practical and brief in your request.

·         When communicating avoid qualifiers (e.g., maybe, possibly, try my best, if nothing gets in the way). Be explicit (e.g., I’ll have that cost report on your desk Friday morning when you come in.”) Say, “I think” vs. “I feel”.

·         If you don’t understand the goals, tasks or responsibilities, speak up. The Driver does and expects you to do the same.

·         Focus on the business at hand but don’t ignore the human issues.

1. P. Lencioni. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass, 2002.

The Ryan Group - Leaders in Human Capital Management Solutions