Learning to Lead in the Moment

Source: Partner Insights

The following includes excerpts of an article, reproduced with permission, by Lee Froschheiser*.

Situational leadership means having the skills and understanding to assess a scenario you're facing and manage it with the right leadership style. Considering that there are three basic types of leadership — authoritative, participative and hands-on — a good leader acts in the moment, choosing the best style for the challenge at hand.

Situational leaders know how to adapt their leadership style. They can mask fear, panic and worry with a great sense of self-confidence both in themselves as well as those they must inspire and motivate. But to assume the role, they must become great believers in whatever leadership approach they've chosen.

Like good actors, good leaders “become” the character in that moment, and their success depends greatly on the purity of their belief. If they don't believe in what they are doing and the type of leadership role they've adopted, they'll come across as a fake. Ironic but true, good acting is one of the strategies good leaders use to communicate with credibility, build trust among their people, and motivate others.

The role that's played depends on the situation at hand, yet to evolve into a truly good leader, you must learn to thrive in the moment presented, managing it with purposeful grace. Doing so is a talent, for sure, but it's also a practice, one that most any impassioned individual can learn given time, experience, self-belief, and a genuine confidence in this “art” as a business strategy.

For the complete article, click here.

From Partner Insights, Aquila Global Advisors, LLC, August 23, 2010, http://www.aquilaadvisors.comwww.aquilaadvisors.com.

* Lee Froschheiser is president and CEO of Management Action Programs (MAP). Lee is also co-author of the best-selling book “Vital Factors, The Secret to Transforming Your Business — And Your Life.”