How Do You Lead? 6 Standard Approaches to Leading

Every leader has a Standard Approach to Leading (SAL). This is the way a leader leads most often and most naturally. While there is no perfect or correct SAL, there can be consequences to each of them. Here are 6 of the most common approaches to leadership.

You CARRY people.

Leaders who use this SAL are known for not holding people accountable. The leader instead chooses to take on another person’s responsibilities or place those responsibilities upon others. Carrying others is a good thing when a person is experiencing a difficult season of life. Afterall, that is what the Bible calls bearing someone’s burdens. But it is not good leadership when it happens too often or for too long, especially at work. Other team members can begin to feel penalized by being given even more work, and it can divert the attention of the leader away from things he or she should be doing.

You PUSH people.

This is when a leader uses authority to get people to do what they are not doing or do not want to do. Leaders who use this as their standard approach are known for getting things done but are also known for using intimidation as their go-to technique. There are times when using your positional authority is essential. Sometimes a team member may need a nudge to understand the importance of what is needed and that it is not optional. But when this is your SAL, it will ultimately create a culture of fear rather than long-term performance.

You INSPIRE people.

This one is a bit tricky. After all, who can argue with using inspiration as a motivator? Inspiring leaders really do great things, and people love them for it! But if this is ALL a leader does, they may unintentionally shortchange their team because some people are not motivated by inspiration or their response is short-lived. Does inspiration alone motivate your kid to get out of bed, go to school, and pick up the dog poop? If you are an inspiring leader, keep it up but realize you may need a different approach depending on the circumstances and the team members.

You INCLUDE people.

There are many benefits to including others in discussions, idea generation, and even decisions. This is often called a democratic approach. But there are times when a decision needs to be made, and it is needed now, not next month. The leader whose SAL is including may be too insecure, fear taking responsibility, or value being liked by others too highly to make the hard calls.

You MOBILIZE people.

A leader with this SAL is gifted at recruiting talented people, building a great team, and sharing a compelling mission. They create an environment that is attractive to talented people and empowers them to accomplish the vision. What could possibly be wrong with the Mobilizer? When it succeeds, sometimes the leader who mobilized the team can end up harming it because his or her leadership abilities are no longer effective at managing the very growth they helped to produce. And, sadly, there are some leaders who “mobilize” so that they do not have to do anything themselves!

You MANIPULATE people.

This is a far more common approach to leadership than some leaders would want to admit. Leaders whose SAL is manipulation commonly compliment and reward those from whom they want something and marginalize or undermine those whom they do not like or do not want to succeed. You often see this in politics, but even organizations like churches and nonprofits are not immune. Some people are wise enough to identify a manipulative leader, but some cannot until they are blindsided and bruised from the painful side effects. While manipulation can seem expedient in the short term, it never is healthy and can quickly ruin the character and reputation of leaders.

So which is your SAL? Perhaps it is hard to pick only one. From my experience, you most likely have one or maybe two that others would use to describe you. But remember, most leaders will use many of these over the course of a year, even if infrequently. And all of them (except for manipulation, of course) have value when used in the right circumstances and with the right people. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” The best leaders are skilled in how they lead. They have awareness of themselves, acknowledge their weaknesses, focus on their strengths, and recruit people as good or better than themselves. Take some time in a team meeting to discuss each of these Standard Approaches to Leading and perhaps you may find another one or two to add to this list.

Contact us to learn how our experienced coaches can help you grow in your leadership!

Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.