I’d like to tell you about a new style of management; the ‘flip flop’ style. This isn’t about hairy toes being displayed by managers who should know better on ‘dress down Fridays’. This is about managers (who should also know better) who ‘flip’ into being aloof, directorial and ‘out of touch’ with their team and then ‘flop’ into being too friendly and too concerned with how their staff view them. The result is a team who is left confused about what is expected of them, unsure how to ‘be’ around their manager and uncertain about what good leadership looks like. Sound familiar?
I often find when I start coaching managers that they use this ‘flip flop’ style. It’s like they see these two extreme styles of management as the only ones available to them.
Through working with managers, they are soon able to see that it isn’t this black and white.
The style of management we advocate leads and develop high performance. To do this you need to display both high challenge AND high support at the same time.
To test this out for yourself, see how you would handle the following scenario:
The performance of your team, and the relationship between you and them is good. However, you are starting to feel a little left out of things, and miss the direct involvement. Would you…
A Leave things as they are
B Discuss the situation with the team and then initiate changes in ways of
operating
C Take steps to ensure that you re-secure your direct involvement in all
decisions
D Take the opportunity to provide more advice to team members
If you have answered anything other than A, you need our help! Contact us to find out more about the High Challenge/High Support style of leadership and hear about the results this can bring to you and your organisation.
Kate