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MANAGING DOWNWARD
in Leadership Environment
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Lifezone Training
Newsletter
MARCH 2010 - Edition
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Most people have the opportunity to
lead in today’s work environment, even at the lowest status
of management. As you move upward in organizations, these
opportunities increase with the role, responsibility and authority
that you possess.
Regardless of whether you are responsible for organizing the efforts
of a few or the entire enterprise, your ability to lead will become
the defining characteristic of your performance. The central
question is, are others inspired enough to follow your lead? Those
above you in the organization are looking for leaders who inspire
loyalty and engender outstanding performance from their followership.
As we begin to attain promotion and start ascending in our career,
it is highly important to check how we are affecting those beneath
and around us. Our Leadership quality does affect the work quality
and output of our sub-ordinates.
We can truly rise above the ordinary managers functionality by
building motivating team of followers. Great leaders have followers
who are ready to go beyond the ordinary when asked to do so. We need
to increase the chances of advancing higher than our peers through
strong followership. |
Managing downward encompasses mainly
people management and resource utilisation.
Leader has to ‘serve’ =
What is that sets a leader apart?
It boils down to choosing serving others over self-interest.
Majority of leaders have an overriding need for self-interest than
to serve the key purpose.
There is a distinct difference between the leader who desires to
serve first and lead in order to server others as opposed to those
who want to lead first. Followers are keen to learn if they are
appreciated or valued as this enables their growth and cooperation.
This leadership style encourages subordinates to take responsibility
for their actions, take reasonable risks, and be committed to work.
Serving Leadership means embedding key behaviours required
through:
Role-modelling – setting the
standards, ethics for your sub-ordinates to follow and serve as
examples of acceptable behavior in the organisation. If you get out
of control – like anger and act out emotionally to identifiable
problems, then we must not be surprised to see this same behavior
from our followers. Therefore same concept applies to
communications, planning, problem solving, decision making, and
other critical interactive behaviours.
Empowerment –
This is the ability to enable followers to reach their
potential by helping them take responsibility for their work and
themselves. This factor interprets into:
• Communicating a preferred vision and purpose
• Setting: behavioral guidelines, goals, work methods
• Establishing boundaries for certain tasks and expectations
• Encouraging responsible risk-taking with outcomes projected so
they can become learning opportunities
Consistency –
This is accomplished by doing what you say you are going to
do, and acknowledging when you are unable to meet a commitment. This
is the ability to show consistency in your approach, attitude and
ability to show commitment to your role and team. To do so one will
need to apply self-restraint, develop discipline, and practice
respect for others. These personal practices assist in cultivating
the respect for consistent leader.
Self-Discipline
– to serve our sub-ordinates, it will require intentional
effort. Hence, Leader must learn to restrain emotional reaction long
enough to apply reason and logic before acting in order to minimize
impulsive or wrongful reaction. This becomes especially important in
volatile situations. Gaining mastery over our reactions and teaching
ourselves to be focused will take time and self-control.
Respect others
– This factor means the follower will
listen with an open mind and aim to implement what is required
rather than becoming defensive or resistant to procedures or
instructions. Recognise the value and worth of others which can be
difficult in today’s work environment where individual
accomplishment and achievement are highly sought after and rewarded.
We tend to judge others quickly without giving them a chance or
opportunity to show their potential. It is vital to discuss the
difficulties we may feel that causes irritation or discomfort in
others - leading you to becoming a caring and understanding leader.
Communication and Inter-personal
Relationships: Two factors
play the starring role when managing downward. These two dimensions
are interrelated and dependent on each other; if one is lacking, the
other will suffer. By focusing on these two critical dimensions, you
can determine how effectively you are managing downward.
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Action Plan:
Assess your leadership through the following self-evaluation:
I am motivated to lead others… :
a) Out of a need to serve others first.
b) Primarily for self-interest.
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Rate
yourself now
and set what level you should achieve
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Low
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High
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My followers agree that I set the example for them. |
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My followers agree that I empower them. |
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My followers agree that I show consistency to commitment. |
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Write out your
Action Plan for each category as to what steps you will take to
achieve the set standard. |
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Compiled &
Designed by Bip Parmar
Copyright © Lifezone Training U. K.
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