Natasha Morley
In small and medium sized businesses, we recognise that it is common for team members to take on a number of roles within their business. Performing the role of both a leader and a manager, for example, is quite common.
It’s also common to hear or read about leaders vs managers, where there are opinions that you are either one or the other. While we do acknowledge the characteristics of both roles, for farm and regional businesses to be successful today, people need to have both sets of skills – leadership skills and management skills.
Management focuses on the day to day, week to week, month to month (or operations such as coordinating the team, getting things done, task execution), while leadership focuses on month to month, quarter to quarter, year to year (or strategy such as providing direction, encouragement and inspiration).
Effective leadership and management can also be summarised by setting clear expectations, and leading and managing with integrity. This is where we reinforce the importance of not postponing important conversations. As leaders and managers, you need to confidently and courageously step off ‘some day island’ and manage situations where expectations or standards are not being met. Difficult conversations and decisions only get tougher with time. Following up and providing feedback, in a timely manner, keeps your team and business on track and maintains the confidence from your team in your ability to do this. Consistency is the key.
Stretching beyond your comfort zone to address blind spots in your own communication, decision making, stress management, conflict management and leadership style gives you practice and competence in leading and engaging others more effectively. To help you to identify the blind spots, or areas for improvement, consider using Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). The results of an MBTI® assessment will help you to understand personality preference and how such understanding can add value to the development of your leadership and management style.
There is no perfect personality type for leadership. Evidence suggests that the more successful leaders and managers are those who consistently adapt themselves to meet the demands of the tasks ahead, and people they work with. Personality type is not an impediment to successful management or leadership. Once you are aware of type, and how it affects your preferred style, you are able to use this knowledge to develop strategies to rectify unhelpful habits in order to become a more effective leader and manager. It also allows you to help others grow and develop too.
At Rural Directions, we have two certified practitioners available to deliver the MBTI® to individuals and groups. Carlyn Sherriff and I are certified to administer and interpret the instrument and access licensed reports and other supporting materials.
We can work with you to improve your understanding of, and interactions with others. We will work with you to highlight strengths, and potential blind spots, or areas of focus, coupling our skills and experience in people management and leadership and business management with the results that emerge from undertaking the MBTI® process.
What are you waiting for? Is this your year to develop an awareness of self, and an appreciation of differences, to more effectively lead and manage your team and business to further success?
Do you recognise any skills gaps? Contact us on 08 8841 4500 for how we can help. We can discuss practical ways of accessing and implementing tools to build your capacity to be an effective leader and manager.