Reflection 1: How Did the Whole Programme Go

‘Understanding Leadership’

Workbook

Introduction

This workbook will help you to passILM Unit 308 – ‘Understanding Leadership’. Completing this workbook as you go through the programme will significantly reduce the amount of work you have to do to pass the assessment. Typically, we cover the content required to complete this workbook in Modules 1 & 2 of your programme. Please check with us if you are not sure about anything.

1: Choosing the best style

Good leaders will change their leadership style and behaviours to suit each situation. You may use a commanding style in one scenario, with one person or a more coaching style with another person. The key leadership skill is picking the best style rather than doing what comes naturally to you. This first exercise asks you to describe the factors you could consider when choosing the best style for different situations.

Factors to Consider - the ‘3T’s & Me’ Model

The ‘3T’s and Me’ model says the factors we consider when choosing the most appropriate style could include: Time, Team, Task & Me.

TASK 1: Pick 2 of the remaining 3 factors below. Describe how the factors below might change the leadership style you need to use. Give a workplace example to illustrate this.

Time

/ How much time is available.
How does time affect the style you choose?
Workplace example

Team

/ The characteristics of the people you are leading
How does the team involved affect the style you choose?
People are different and need to be treated differently. Some people will have more skill or experience and they need to be treated differently to a new starter. People also enjoy different things, so I might need to ask them to do a task in a different way than those who dislike doing something. The same people can be in different moods on different days and again a style that works on one day might not work on another
Workplace example
Anne is a more experienced technician. I just need to set her a target for the end of the week and she can be trusted to work to hit that target. I just need to check in every now and again to see if she needs support. Mike is a new graduate engineer working in the same area. I tried the same style with Mike but he fell short of the target and then felt bad about it. I needed to adopt a more coaching style with Mike.

Task

/ The type of task or activity involved
How does the type of task affect the style you choose?
Workplace example

Me

/ Your natural, most comfortable leadership style
How does your preference affect the style you choose?
Workplace example

2: How your leadership style can affect performance

Daniel Goleman identified 6 leadership styles that we can choose from to suit the situation. His styles are below.

In a nutshell / When the style works best
COMMANDING / “Do what I tell you.”
Giving people orders. Telling them what to do / When risks are very high. When there is an emergency. In a crisis, to kick start a turnaround, or with problem employees
VISIONARY / “Come with me”
Aligns people toward a vision or goal and gets them moving towards it / When changes require a new vision, or when a clear direction is needed
COACHING / “How could you improve?”
Develops people for the future rather than focussing on a result now. / To help an employee improve performance or develop long-term strengths
SUPPORTIVE / “People come first.”
Building emotional bonds, helping to build harmony / To heal rifts in a team or to motivate people during stressful circumstances
DEMOCRATIC / “What do you think?”
Asking people for ideas or opinions. Letting them have their say. / To build buy-in or consensus, or to get input from valuable employees
PACESETTING / “Do as I do, now!”
Setting targets and using personal energy to get others to perform – then raises the bar again. / To get quick results from a highly motivated and competent team

TASK 2: When you are using each of these styles, what effect could they have on the person or team you are leading? Pick 3 from the table and describe the possible effects this style could have.

Commanding

/ Positive effect on others
People are clear about what needs to be done and can take action immediately. They don’t have to think too much about things.
Possible negative effect on others
People generally don’t like being told what to do. They might rebel. People stop thinking for themselves and don’t take responsibility. Or they might do what I say but only what I say and nothing else. If I use it all the time they might even leave.