Remote Transformational Leadership

Before mass media and the Internet, before the conference call leaders had very little other choices to communicate with their followers than by direct methods. Rhetorical communication in the form of journals and newspaper articles held some transformational qualities, but direct person-to-person communication was how we effected change in others.

Leaders of this forgotten world were prime-time, home run hitting, super communicators. Today, we are displaced, remote, and wide-spread. Governed by leadership that may very well be in another country, we rely heavily on electronically means of communication. Can we still be as influential via email? Can we still be masters of communication over the Internet?

A study on remote transformational leadership was conducted by Barling et al. in August, 2002. The purpose of this study was to determine if transformational and charismatic leadership could be effective in exacting desired response via email. The basis of this study was to challenge the known dynamics of transformational leadership involving a strong personal identification between leader and follower. The authors illustrated four main characteristics of transformational leadership:

• Idealized influence - participating in risks with followers, maintaining consistent behavior patterns, and being dependable.
• Inspirational motivation - bring meaning and purpose to the work being done, and introducing challenges and maintain motivation.
• Individual consideration - paying attention to individuals and providing support.
• intellectual stimulation - helping followers to develop new ideas, looking outside the box, and developing critical thinking methodologies.

(The authors defined charisma as the sum of inspirational motivation and idealized influence)

Two studies were conducted to discern if transformational leadership could transcend digital communications in much the same way as open and upfront methods. They hypothesized that recipients of emails would be able to perceive and accurately identify leadership "styles" in emails, and receiving emails with positive leadership messages (i.e. transformational) would be associated with positive outcomes. The second study sought to identify that individuals exposed to emails containing charismatic or intellectually stimulating messages would express higher levels of task motivation, thus demonstrating higher levels of performance.

The first study was conducted with a vignette approach using imbedded transformational messages. 132 undergraduate students read a hypothetical email from leader to follower and completed a questionnaire. This first part was performed to establish if transformational leadership could have an effect on interpersonal justice and job satisfaction.

The second study was performed by 105 undergrads to see if charismatic characteristics are effective and intellectual stimulation via email is possible via email.

The results showed that in the first study interpersonal justice and supervisor satisfaction were significantly and substantially correlated when the email message contained transformational tone. The second showed that charisma is of little value when communicating electronically.

While this study was conducted almost 13 years ago, and innovation has aided electronic communication immensely, it served as a valuable benchmark of the times into the effectiveness of e-communication. The overall goal is still to be effective, to motivate, and inspire through influence. We have sacrificed the art of free-hand letters for gmail, and created a whole new realm of communication tools that convey our messages as leaders. We can be just as influential in our emails as we once were in face-to-face contact, maybe even more so. Tone, inflection, word choices, and simplicity are the tools of the trade when communicating via email. Charisma plays a small part in its traditional forms. If we wish inspire and idealize to other we must be innovative in our delivery. 

Positive reinforcement of moral and ethical positions are just as valuable today as in the days of snail mail. The nuances of a hand written note can indeed be conveyed electronically if the art form is mastered. While there are still some barriers to personalization and inflection in email messages, we can learn to be masters of e-communication as this is the norm for mass communications in todays world. We must be able to interpret our meanings as though we are the recipients, we must be clear in our thoughts and words, and we must be effective in sharing our guidance to those who we lead. Leaders of today must not only be masters of e-communication. We must be masters of transformational leadership through any and all means at our disposal.

JP

Leadership Traits

 There are certain key traits effective leaders exhibit. Some of these traits are inherent and some are learned. The make up of the "leader" can have a direct affect on the overall effectiveness in goal achievement, and worthy of dissection. What makes effective leadership?

Yukl describes several personality traits of effective leadership. These are energy level and stress tolerance, self-confidence, internal locus of control, emotional stability and maturity, power motivation, personal integrity, narcissism, achievement orientation, and need for affiliation. Taking a look into where I am in my career path and how I got here I can agree with how these traits were defined in my actions and thoughts along the way.

It is important to have a high energy and stress tolerance in today's world. Face it, we live in a fast paced world with no limits on stressful situations. If you can't keep up the pace you will risk being passed by, or worse... stagnate. A leaders job is to inspire and motivate others, to make them better. I once read that people will put in 80% of the effort you expect. So, if you want your team operating at a varsity level you must perform like a pro. If you want your people to put in the extra effort needed to complete a job or task you must set the example by being the first one in and the last to leave. We lead by example and the energy you put in to your team will affect the results you get out of your people.

Stress tolerance is a learned trait. No one comes out of the gate prepared to handle stress with the expertise of a seasoned pro. It takes trial by fire to be able to keep your cool under pressure. Fortunately for me I served in the US Navy and experienced a high-stress environment on a daily basis. We train how we fight, and fighting is the most stressful endeavor a human can endure. So, for me when the going gets tough I can always look at the situation and think to myself, "well at least I'm not floating on a big gray ship in unfriendly waters". That always seems to give me the perspective to handle most situations. Plus, if you want your people to keep calm they must learn it from you. I never let my team see me sweat. There is always a solution, you just have to find it.

In regards to locus of control I am an "internal". I am the master of my destiny and in control over my actions. I am also responsible for myself and the shortcomings I may encounter along the way. Personal accountability is a dying trait in todays world, but probably one of the most influential traits a leader can possess. My boss has a saying, "Look in the mirror before you look out the window". We can either focus on the things we can't control like the market place, economical trends, buying habits, or financial restrictions and let these define us, OR we can look at how we react to these external stimuli. I choose to focus on what I have control over, and I pass this on to my team. There is no sense wasting energy on things outside of your control.

Emotional stability and maturity are also learned traits. In my opinion these traits grow stronger with age and experience. I don't sweat the small stuff like I did in my earlier years, and I also am fully aware of my strengths and weaknesses. I don't get too high with highs or too low with the lows,  but I do get ecstatic with progression.

Power motivation can be a strong influence for a leader, but must be used with caution. I used to have a goal. This goal was to see over $500K in my annual income tax statement. At one point I was probably willing to make some serious sacrifices in my life to accomplish this goal, but for what? Would I give up the time with my family (which I didn't have when I set this goal)? Would I postpone all the life-experiences I have received for higher-end vacations when I am older? My answer, no. Everybody has that comfort zone they should strive for where the bills are paid, money is saved and invested, and a balance of work-life exists. Zig Ziegler once said, "if you want to be successful, make those around you successful". That to me is power motivation!

Integrity is doing what you mean and meaning what you do. There is no room for leadership with little integrity. If a person will lie about a little thing they will probably lie about the bigger ones. When I pass on from this world I want to leave behind people who think of me and say, "Man, that Jody Powell was a stand up guy". Remember, you have to look at yourself in the mirror each morning and night before you lay down your head.

The other traits of narcissism, achievement orientation, and need for affiliation are not as important to me as the above. I do what I do to be a good leader, father, and husband. I am always looking to better myself and those around me. I keep my eyes and ears open for new opportunities to showcase my talents and utilize the talents of my team. I have been fortunate to have had some great influential leaders in my life, and I strive to pass on the torch. As leaders it is our responsibility to maximize these traits, be the best at utilizing them, and pass them on to others. We should always leave a place a little better than when we found it, and that is the most profound leadership trait in the books.

JP

Power and Influence

"Influence is the essence of leadership. To be effective as a leader, it is necessary to influence people to carry out requests, support proposals, and implement decisions" ~ Yukl

While we have discussed varying definitions of leadership there is one common factor that is synonymous with leadership. Influence. One must be able to exert influence in order to lead. Terms like power and authority contribute to influence through various means, and there are many tactics, or ways to use these terms to influence others.

But, how does one gain power or authority? There are several sources that are linked power. Legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, expert, informational, ecological, position and personal power are all sources that contrive influence over others. Some may be more effective than others, and some may be interchangeable. All can be used effectively to gain influence.

The very nature of power is rooted in the individual. Sure, the boss' nephew can become VP of a department through nepotism, which has its own set of legitimate power sources, but to be effective the nephew should learn to use this power and authority to lead effectively. Leaders must consistently prove to their followers why they are in charge. Rewarding and rallying the team for expected results and behaviors supports legitimate power sources. Referent and expert sources can be used to build on a strong knowledge base and likability. Information control and ecological power sources can be used to motivate others to be better and increase their desires to learn and grow.

Once power influence is attained it must be used cautiously as to not abuse its gravity. Coercion is a powerful tool and source of power to accomplish a task, but may result in negative responses if abused. Positive influence is more rewarding than negative, but both can be used to accomplish a goal. We are judged by our perceptions and uses of our power just as much as we are judged by our results. Often, the road to accomplishment is more important than the destination.

I am a General Manger for an outdoor living store with seven employees under my charge. These employees were in place before I arrived on the scene, and it was with a sense of understanding of my positional power that would lay the foundation for growth in our office. Yes, I was the new boss. Yes, I had certain positional authority over the employees, but how I handled this position was going to build the perception of my personal power to influence the team in the direction we need to go. Instead of coming in like a wrecking ball and changing everything I chose to use the power of others to gain insight into their thoughts, goals, and methods. I became the student learning the culture. I openly praised the efforts of the team while making notes on where we could be more efficient down the road. Only when I was "part of the team" and not a threat to the culture was I able to start implementing changes towards efficiency.

Ultimately, the final decisions in our office are mine to make. I pass on the rewards and praises to the team and shoulder the burdens and responsibility of failure as the leader. Through my continuous actions I have reenforced my power and authority as the GM. Almost always changes can be painful to some extent, and I have used my power to gain the confidence of our crew that these changes will improve our position in the marketplace.

Overall, we all share some power to influence others. How we use this power and use it to grow as people is what matters in the end. 

Supportive Behavior

"Supportive Leadership means being polite and considerate" ~ Yukl

This week's topic is supportive behavior in terms of leadership style. Obviously it would be much better to work for a caring, pleasant, cheerful boss (leader) rather a brash, cold, impersonal one. In today's "politically corrected" environment it is necessary to take into consideration others' feelings when in the position of leadership. Would it be unexpected if a harsh verbal correction these days be considered the unimaginable "bullying" tactic? Probably. So, it is worthy of conversation to discuss this shift and how it impacts the overall objectives of leadership.

Yukl describes a few guidelines for supporting:

• Show acceptance and positive regard.
• Provide sympathy and support when the person is anxious or upset.
• Bolster the person's self-esteem and confidence.
• Be willing to help with personal problems.

Granted, acting in a mentor/coaching role is a prolific aspect of leadership. We are to make others around us better, right? We are to be positive examples of our organization's mission statement and purpose. And, we are to support our subordinates... but to what extent? When is the line crossed from being supportive and being seen as weak and un-authoritative? 

For example, I served in the United States Navy. There are many directives lately that focus on a more "kinder, gentler Navy" where some of the "old" methods of leading with an iron fist is no longer acceptable. Chiefs have had to relearn their tactics when administering "leadership guidance" and can be held accountable for verbally and physically reprimanding junior Sailors. The culture of the Navy has effectively shifted towards what Yukl describes as "Supportive". The shift in doctrine is shifting from the far left (old, harsher ways of leadership) to the far right (caring, supportive leadership). But how has this effected our Sailors and overall mission?

If you boil down the Navy's purpose it would be to provide a well trained and formidable naval fighting force. When action is needed the Navy must be able to respond with instinct and discipline. Sailors must follow order unconditionally or others may face grave consequences. These core values are learned from day one in basic training where a civilian is broken of civilian habits and reformed into an order following, chain of command respecting Sailor. The leaders in basic training have this tough job to prepare the future Sailors for their roles and purpose in the greatest Navy the world has ever known. It would never have been conceivable for a Recruit to be able to stop instruction, raise his/her hand and voice their opinions that they may feel the instruction is too harsh, mean, or cruel. In today's "kinder, gentler Navy" a recruit can now submit a grievance as to their treatment that can result in an investigation into the leaders methods. If the recruit feels as though they were treated a little too rough they can now effectively say "hey, I don't like the way you talked to me Mr. Chief". what will happen when this Sailor is faced with a "life or death" situation and is under severe pressure to perform?

On one hand I can understand the need to be attentive to your subordinates feelings and personal issues. We as leaders should be in tune with our juniors, but not at the expense of the mission. Once the word is out that a leader will stop what they are doing to "reduce stress by showing appreciation, listening to problems and complaints, providing assistance when necessary, expressing confidence in the person, doing things to make the work environment more enjoyable, and buffering the person from unnecessary demands by outsiders" the purpose of the leader has effectively shifted (Yukl, pg.64). 

On the other hand, I believe there is a time and a place to lead and a time and place to nurture. Sometimes it is important to have stress in the work environment. I believe it creates that sense of urgency to succeed. There should be expectations to be met, and these expectations should provide the push needed to be a little better each day, and when the objective is complete there should also be time to regroup, praise and recognize, and rebuild your followers in a personal way. A boss has got to be respected as being firm but fair, unwavering yet considerate, harsh and understanding. There has to be a balance.

In conclusion, a leader must be able to wear many hats in today's environment. There has to be some balance in being stern and supportive. We have a job to do and a prescribed way to do it, and this takes discipline. We also have people we are responsible for and they have needs of their own, which we must be cognizant of to be effective. As a leader in my organization I find it a constantly shifting balance of being supportive and also pushing my employees to be better. Positive change hardly ever comes without its share of challenges. Being supportive, developing subordinate skills, and recognizing the efforts of those who are led are important aspects of being a leader, but so is getting the job done. It takes a balance.

JP