6 Leadership Styles, And When You Should Use Them

Taking a team from ordinary to extraordinary means understanding and embracing the difference between management and leadership. According to writer and consultant Peter Drucker, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."

Change leadership styles
Not only do the greatest teammates allow different leaders to consistently emerge based on their strengths, but also they realize that leadership can and should be situational, depending on the needs of the team. Sometimes a teammate needs a warm hug. Sometimes the team needs a visionary, a new style of coaching, someone to lead the way or even, on occasion, a kick in the bike shorts. For that reason, great leaders choose their leadership style like a golfer chooses his or her club, with a calculated analysis of the matter at hand, the end goal and the best tool for the job.

My favorite study on the subject of kinetic leadership is Daniel Goleman’s Leadership That Gets Results, a landmark 2000 Harvard Business Review study. Goleman and his team completed a three-year study with over 3,000 middle-level managers. Their goal was to uncover specific leadership behaviors and determine their effect on the corporate climate and each leadership style’s effect on bottom-line profitability.
The research discovered that a manager’s leadership style was responsible for 30% of the company’s bottom-line profitability! That’s far too much to ignore. Imagine how much money and effort a company spends on new processes, efficiencies, and cost-cutting methods in an effort to add even one percent to bottom-line profitability, and compare that to simply inspiring managers to be more kinetic with their leadership styles. It’s a no-brainer.

Here are the six leadership styles Goleman uncovered among the managers he studied, as well as a brief analysis of the effects of each style on the corporate climate:

1. The pacesetting leader expects and models excellence and self-direction. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “Do as I do, now.” The pacesetting style works best when the team is already motivated and skilled, and the leader needs quick results. Used extensively, however, this style can overwhelm team members and squelch innovation.
   
2. The authoritative leader mobilizes the team toward a common vision and focuses on end goals, leaving the means up to each individual. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “Come with me.” The authoritative style works best when the team needs a new vision because circumstances have changed, or when explicit guidance is not required. Authoritative leaders inspire an entrepreneurial spirit and vibrant enthusiasm for the mission. It is not the best fit when the leader is working with a team of experts who know more than him or her.
   
3. The affiliative leader works to create emotional bonds that bring a feeling of bonding and belonging to the organization. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “People come first.” The affiliative style works best in times of stress, when teammates need to heal from a trauma, or when the team needs to rebuild trust. This style should not be used exclusively, because a sole reliance on praise and nurturing can foster mediocre performance and a lack of direction.
   
4. The coaching leader develops people for the future. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “Try this.” The coaching style works best when the leader wants to help teammates build lasting personal strengths that make them more successful overall. It is least effective when teammates are defiant and unwilling to change or learn, or if the leader lacks proficiency.
   
5. The coercive leader demands immediate compliance. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “Do what I tell you.” The coercive style is most effective in times of crisis, such as in a company turnaround or a takeover attempt, or during an actual emergency like a tornado or a fire. This style can also help control a problem teammate when everything else has failed. However, it should be avoided in almost every other case because it can alienate people and stifle flexibility and inventiveness.
   
6. The democratic leader builds consensus through participation. If this style were summed up in one phrase, it would be “What do you think?” The democratic style is most effective when the leader needs the team to buy into or have ownership of a decision, plan, or goal, or if he or she is uncertain and needs fresh ideas from qualified teammates. It is not the best choice in an emergency situation, when time is of the essence for another reason or when teammates are not informed enough to offer sufficient guidance to the leader.

Bottom line? If you take two cups of authoritative leadership, one cup of democratic, coaching, and affiliative leadership, and a dash of pacesetting and coercive leadership “to taste,” and you lead based on need in a way that elevates and inspires your team, you’ve got an excellent recipe for long-term leadership success with every team in your life.

Robyn Benincasa is a two-time Adventure Racing World Champion, two-time Guinness World Record distance kayaker, a full-time firefighter, and author of the new book, HOW WINNING WORKS: 8 Essential Leadership Lessons from the Toughest Teams on Earth, from which this article is excerpted. (Harlequin Nonfiction, June 2012)
[Image: Flickr user Bas Kers]

Why is April 1 a day to celebrate foolishness?

Holidays are celebrated for all sorts of reasons. Some honor heroes, others commemorate religious events, but April 1 stands out as the only holiday that celebrates foolishness. April Fools' Day, or All Fools Day, is an odd celebration with a strange history. What other holiday asks us to play tricks and dupe our unsuspecting friends and acquaintances?

There's some uncertainty about when and where this­ bizarre tradition began, but the most accepted explanation traces April Fools' Day back to 16th century France. Up until 1564, the accepted calendar was the Julian calendar, which observed the beginning of the New Year around April. According to "The Oxford Companion to the Year," King Charles IX then declared that France would begin using the Gregorian calendar, which shifted New Year's Day to January 1.

Not everyone accepted this shifting of dates at the same time. Some believed that the dates should not be shifted, and it was these people who became the butt of some April jokes and were mocked as fools. People sent gifts and invited them to bogus parties. Citizens in the rural parts of France were also victims of these jokes. In those days, news traveled slowly and they might not have known about the shifting of dates for months or years. These people also endured being made fun of for celebrating the new year on the wrong day.

Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called Poisson d'Avril, which literally means the "April Fish." One common joke is to hook a cardboard fish to the back of a person. What a fish has to do with April Fools' Day is not clear. Some believe that the fish is tied to Jesus Christ, who was often represented as a fish in early Christian times. Others say the fish is related to the zodiac sign of Pisces, which is represented by a fish, and falls near April. It's interesting to point out that Napoleon earned the Poisson d'Avril monicker when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.

It's probably no coincidence that April Fools' Day is celebrated at the same time that two other similar holidays are celebrated. In ancient Rome, the festival of Hilaria was thrown to celebrate the resurrection of the god Attis. Hilaria is probably the base word for hilarity and hilarious, which mean great merriment. Today, Hilaria is also known as Roman Laughing Day. In India, the Holi festival celebrates the arrival of spring. As a part of that festival, people play jokes and smear colors on each other.
There's no clear connection between the modern observance of April Fools' Day and these two ancient celebrations, which lends most historians to accept the French explanation for how April Fools' Day developed.

How hiring would lead to growth

Hiring process is one of the most important tasks in the business world. It has the same importance for any business like the strong roots have for a tree.

 Hiring process is one of the most important tasks in the business world. It has the same importance for any business like the strong roots have for a tree. Mostly, I hear from people that if your business is growing then you need more people to handle it. However, in marketing word, your business will grow IF you have more people. Just like a tree will grow more if its roots are strong and long enough to hold a tree as it grows. Similarly, hiring would lead to growth in a long run.

As I said above, hiring is important, but even more important is hiring a right person for a right position because it’s not a good idea to let the high school kid give a speech to a person who is running a billion dollar company successfully. If a person has no knowledge and experience about his/her job, that could be one of the biggest barriers in business growth.

Hiring process can be done in three simple steps if you do it right. These three simple steps are recruiting, interviewing, and selecting the best employee for your business.  Also, the right tools help you to select a right person for a position, such as appropriate interview questions, clear job description, and positive attitude. Hiring process has to be well organized, straight forward and must be following the law and regulations of the company.

In other words, hiring process is the first step of a business growth and development. It’s always a good idea to spend more time and affords to pick a right employee because that person might have the ability to transform your business from a failure to a winner.  

Finals Week, As Told By “Elf”

Either your professor sits on a throne of lies, or you’re a cotton-headed ninny-muggins. Or both.

First you realize how much work you have, and you’re in a state of disbelief.

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Your to-do list is out of control.

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Seriously, you might not even have time to shower.

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You definitely don’t have time to sleep.

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So caffeine becomes your new best friend.

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And when you run out, you feel like your life is over.

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Stress-eating becomes a normal part of your daily routine.

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Your professors say their exams will be easy, but you know better.

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All of your peers are either pretending to not be phased by the stress…

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…Or are in just as bad of a mood as you are.

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Really, beware of the sleep-deprived students.

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You can’t help but remember the mistakes you’ve made on previous exams, and you psych yourself out.

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You beat yourself up for not paying more attention in class.

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So you’re beyond happy when one of your classmates offers to share a study guide.

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But that doesn’t really help, cause your professors throw curveball questions on the exam.

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BUT YOU PROMISED WE COULD FORGET ABOUT CHAPTER 12, PROFESSOR.

So by the end of the week, you’re emotionally drained and ready to scream.

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Because nothing compares to the joy of finishing your last exam.

New Line Cinema / Via keltiecolleen.buzznet.com

Really Funny Article created by a member of BuzzFeed Community

Throwback Thursday: Top 5 90s Happy Meal Toys

 




Remember way back in the 90s when McDonald’s Happy Meal toys were free and nobody cared that they “promote obesity” or whatever? When we were kids, Happy Meal toys were not only free, they were totally awesome. I remember getting more excited about the toys than the french fries (that’s a big deal because McDonald’s french fries are fabulous) and I’m sure most of you would agree with me on that. Now, Happy Meal toys cost 10 cents extra and Happy Meals are “healthy” (AKA they include apple slices). Aren’t you glad we 90s kids got to enjoy McDonald’s before the crackdown? Anyway, before Happy Meals became Unhappy Meals, these were the best free McDonald’s toys of the 90s!

Space Jam Puzzle Pieces

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First of all, anything Space Jam is awesome. Period. (P.S. did you know that the original Space Jam website is still in tact and fully functional? Hell. Yes.) When you combine the awesomeness that is Space Jam with the cheap plastic perfection of Happy Meal toys, well, it’s as if the heavens opened up. (Queue “ahhhh” sound and perfect ray of sunlight.) The toys fit together like a puzzle and each one had it’s own special moves. Challenging and entertaining, with a side of fries, yay!

Tamagotchi Keychains

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Admittedly, it would’ve been a whole lot cooler if Mickey D’s had given out real Tamagotchis in their Happy Meals, but that’s besides the point. Tamagotchi keychains were Tamagotchis that you couldn’t play with but were a way of totally innocently defying the rules of your school. Remember how real Tamagotchis got banned in schools across the country because they were too much of a distraction for us already short-attention-span-ridden children? These looked like the real thing, but ha! No batteries necessary.

Golden Little Mermaid Toys

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First of all, I just want to say thank you to the person who left Ursula deflated when they took this, because nobody wants to see that. Also, why did she not get to be gold? Why did Ursula have to be blown up in the first place? Whatever. Moving on, these were freaking awesome. I mean, really, golden (well, not really) Little Mermaid toys that floated? It doesn’t get much better than that. I do have to say though, Max the dog is looking pretty creepy in fake-gold form. Hmm…

Dino McChangeables

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I don’t have much to say here except “DINO MCCHANGEABLES!” Whoever thought, “Hmm, yes. Let’s make plastic replicas of our famous McDonald’s foods and make them TURN INTO DINOSAURS!” was a brilliant, brilliant person to whom we owe a small awesome portion of our childhoods. I mean, McDonald’s, and dinosaurs. You’re combining two things that every child loves. Dino McChangeables were a win for sure.

Teenie Beanie Babies

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Teenie Beanie Babies were the greatest Happy Meal toy there was, and if you disagree, you were clearly not a 90s kid. You see, after you collected all of the regular Beanie Babies, you could go get tinier, cuter versions that also came with McNuggets! Stuffed animal? Check. Delicious fake chicken? Check. Ultimate Happy Meal, right there. As a child who had a ridiculous Beanie Baby obsession, these were right up my alley.

What were your favorite Happy Meal toys? 

Great article by Surviving College

 

Facebook New MUST-HAVE Notifications!!! Can't Get Better than That!

1. Why They Really Broke Up

Not cool, Ryan. Not cool at all.

2. Who Is on the Receiving End of That P/A Status

You'd like to follow the Britney/Mark Facebook drama, but what if you're jumping in halfway through the passive-aggressive status update war? It would be good to know who's actually involved before you take your stance.
(Although we heard that Britney was being totally unreasonable.)

3. What You're Getting Into

I mean, just how crazy is she? You better check that out so you can evaluate whether Charlie is really worth the risk.

4. What You Left Behind (Sort Of)

He was up looking at your profile until 3 a.m. again?

5. What to Expect When They're Expecting

Hide baby pictures before they start.
Note: This one exists. Have you ever seen anyone use it? No. No you have not.

6. Who Did What at Your Party

You saw them canoodling near the punch table, but did something really happen?

7. Whether She Actually Looks That Good

This notification could be subtle, like how she subtly altered the photo so she looked skinnier.

8. Who Unfriended You... and Why?

It might also be nice to get an alert if you're guilty of some annoying Facebook activity, but we know, of course, that you would never be capable of something like that.

Great and Funny article by Taylor Casti

Winter Olympians Throughout History Reacting Triumphantly Upon Winning The Gold

      

       

      

   

 

Job Market Faces New Problem, Hitting One Unlucky Group Really Hard

It's not as if the job market is blazing hot for anyone lately, but new data shows that one key demographic group that has historically been a leader, is now badly falling behind.

According to Nick Colas, the chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group, recent graduates under 25 years-old are in a particularly bad spot right now.

"It's usually college grads that do well," Colas says in the attached video."They get the first time jobs, they're pretty cheap to employ, and generally have pretty high job satisfaction."

But, he says since the recession new government data shows that this unlucky group stands out in three key ways like never before.

• Overqualified: 52% of recent grads are in jobs where a college degree is not required. Colas calls this the "most startling" new problem and says it clearly leads to high job dissatisfaction, which itself leads to other problems.
• Job Hunting at Work: Almost one in three recent grads admit to looking for a new job while on the clock at their current job. "While they're at work doing job A, they're looking for job B," he says.
• Huge Pay Cuts: Despite ever increasing average tuition costs for a four-year degree ($63,000 public, $130,000 private), the pay-out when the cap and gown comes off is actually going down. In fact, Colas says recent grads now earn about $3,200 less today than they did in 2000. "It's much less, up to 30% less in many cases," he says.

Of course, the driving factor behind this new post-collegiate hardship is a very sluggish recovery following the great recession of 2008. Another facet adding to the problem is the fact that fewer people are retiring at age 65, and are choosing to work longer to beef up their retirement nest-eggs which were slammed during the financial crisis.

"Older workers are actually the big growth area," Colas says, and "younger workers are the ones that are really taking it on the chin." He calls this structural employment problem ''a big change" from prior recoveries and says the findings raise an important question.

"One is, what does college prepare you to do?" he says. "That's a big problem because colleges charge you a lot of money, but you don't necessarily get a big pay off at the end of it."

By Yahoo Finance - Matt Nesto