The current context sharpens the corners that were there before corona. Sensitivities are greater and stress levels are higher – in everyone. Handling this well as a business owner or manager requires more conscious leadership. We now often translate that into
result-oriented leadership
: choose goals, take action and go! But unfortunately, this proves insufficient: in this world full of social distancing, employees lack commitment.
In fact, personal leadership includes three more aspects: vision, empathy and structure. With that combination, you can truly engage your employees and will achieve sustainable results together. Especially in times of crisis. Here you will read how to combine these four types of leadership and, most importantly, how to train them with Insights® methodologies.

Personal leadership can be developed

First, strong leadership is not in our DNA. You are not born a leader. Some are given drive, others naturally charisma or a great capacity for empathy; but only embedded in a full set of skills do those traits come into full play. Only then do they contribute to results for an organization.

Such a complete set of skills makes everyone a good leader for employees. Indeed, leadership is a skill that can be learned, trained and fine-tuned. And that is precisely where the shoe pinches in many organizations. Because what often happens?

  1. Experts who excel at their craft, who know their métier inside and out, get to run their department and lead their colleagues. And then something extraordinary happens.Or actually not. Because those who become executives overnight just continue doing what they scored with for years: being experts. Not only for their own duties, but now for everyone they are responsible for. And that’s how you get micro-management.
  2. In fast-growing organizations, visionary entrepreneurs must then recruit employees to structure and scale their growth. They could enthuse a small team and quickly change direction, but as that team grows larger … that is much less evident.Employees begin to balk because they are not given enough framework and structure, and the entrepreneur feels misunderstood.
  3. Executives in large companies often have goals they must or want to achieve at any cost. The way is not important. Employees must slavishly follow what is instructed to achieve results.Because the “together” element is lacking, employees lose their sense of commitment. As soon as an opportunity arises elsewhere where their input might be valued, they leave with the sun.

Whatever can happen: a tiny virus puts the world on pause. The result: orders stay out, processes stall and employees disconnect.

Leadership coaching brings method and technique to resetting that situation and helping you get everything back on track.

What without leadership coaching?

Novice managers so often turn out to be schoolmasters or petty despots. Understandable, because no one has explained to them that their primary job is suddenly to care for their employees. That the core of their new role is to motivate and make colleagues better, listen to their ideas and meanwhile provide the framework and direction.

Ditto for established entrepreneurs who feel they are on their own. They must learn to work with a different type of employees to ensure they can continue to grow in a world of war for talent. If they do not adapt to the more relational side of collaboration and thus bring in more psychology and empathy, those employees will walk away.If you assume that those skills will come spontaneously, things will go wrong. Especially as this world changes more and more under the influence of corona. Because with all these digital tools, social media and remote working, interaction is becoming increasingly difficult.

75% of all employees experience dealing with their supervisor as the most stressful thing in their job.

Leadership development and training according to Insights® method

So the best sailor does not spontaneously become captain of a ship without training or coaching. It is smarter to support him. And we prefer to do that with the
Insights® method
.Insights allows trust to grow, enabling open dialogue between employees. Exactly that openness produces better cooperation – and thus better results.

The Insights leadership method first takes you on a journey of discovery. Through insights into your own behavioral preferences, you will gain a clearer picture of your personal leadership style.

After all, by nature you prefer to work in one of these styles:

  1. Results Oriented Leadership

    Results-oriented leaders set clear and compelling goals. They maintain commitment from start to finish. Tenacity and emotional resilience are critical to keep going even in tough times.

  2. Visionary Leadership

    Visionary leaders see possibilities, create options by looking ahead creatively and gain enthusiastic followers by communicating visions inspiringly.

  3. Relational Leadership

    Relational leaders encourage collaboration and engagement to maximize the potential of people and teams. These leaders demonstrate great understanding and insight and emphasize relationships in which mutual respect, encouragement and mutual cooperation
    central.

  4. Centered Leadership

    Centered leaders have both feet in the here and now. They are authentic, with integrity and purpose. They say clearly and honestly what they mean and mean what they say. They quietly reflect on their own beliefs, values and motivations that underlie their leadership style.

Of course you are who you are. And every leader responds differently to challenges. The hallmark of good leaders is that despite a personal behavioral preference, they are still able to work with their teams from a variety of leadership styles. This is how they motivate their people to offer just that little bit more to their customers, making a difference from their competitors.

Insights® therefore teaches to recognize what others need and what they get their energy from. When you know that, you can really connect. Through that enhanced interaction, you will also succeed in making others truly better.

Finally, in doing so, the Insights® method will provide several tools and ways to achieve better results and work together more effectively.

Insights® teaches you through self-insight. To use the right leadership style at any time. Thus, personal leadership becomes an easily accessible tool for more effective collaboration!

You are not born a leader. Therefore, it is extremely important to continue to train yourself in leadership, especially as the world changes. Just as athletes continue to train every day to get better at their discipline. Leadership is top sport, better and better every day.

Want to learn more about the impact of personal leadership? Concrete tips for keeping your employees engaged?

Review JDI’s webinar:

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