Commanding Leadership, Do as I Say?
To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult. - Friedrich Nietzsche
This week marks the halfway point of our deep dive into the 6 most common leadership styles based on Daniel Goleman’s book, Leadership That Gets Results. It’s easy to think that there’s one style that is better than all the rest, but I believe we need to understand each and learn to flex through all the styles when appropriate for the team and project.
This week we dive into commanding leadership. A full replay of the discussion is linked below, but here are a few notes to help you understand this style better.
What is Commanding Leadership?
This style can also be known as cohercive or directive leadership style
Very autocratic leadership style where orders are expected to be followed to the letter. Expect 100% compliance with rules instructions and policies.
Good in crisis or incident situations, military, sports teams, or performance issues with employees
Traits of commanding leaders
The leader is highly skilled and experienced in how to do the projects, tasks and other work assigned to the team
Clear communication about roles and functions - what is expected of them and how their skills can help accomplish organizational goals
Implementation of firm rules and boundaries
Confidence in knowing how to do the work
Adequately communicate these expectations without seeming arrogant
Assigned tasks to the right team members based on their skill level and experience to reach the best productivity and fulfilment
Advantages
Clarity of rules and expectations
Strict adherence to regulations - Clear rules create a strong framework and make it easier to maintain safety and adhere to regulations
Structure for unorganized teams - Helps inexperienced teams performing low complexity tasks get the structure they need, this way the leader’s experience is transferred to each team member which leads to positive results
Decisions can be made very fast and executed quickly
Disadvantages
The leader must be more experienced than the team - this style relies heavily on the leader’s experience and the ability to effectively lead the team
Collaboration is non-existent - no idea-generating activity
Team morale and employee engagement will likely drop
Creativity is stifled
There is a high dependency on the leader and the leader may become the bottleneck when it comes to decision making
Commanding leaders can become autocratic and egotistical which can lead to toxic work environments
Tips for Success
Use when there is no time for discussion such as a crisis (evacuating a building, speedy negotiation, incident issues)
Use when a team member is uncomfortable with their role and other styles have not worked
Ensure all team members understand their roles and what they need to do
Be decisive and do not hesitate to give direct orders if required – be confident and unwavering
Avoid micromanaging as much as possible
Remember there are advantages and disadvantages to every leadership style. What are other styles of commanding leaders you have observed? What about this style do you respect and value? Understanding leadership styles is a necessary step for us to define our own style.
Quote of the Week:
The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things. - Ronald Reagan
Listen to the Full Replay
Resources
Leadership Styles discussion and takeaways from a past live Learning to Lead event
The 6 most common leadership styles covered in Daniel Goleman’s book, Leadership That Gets Results
The Johair Window communication method to better understand their relationship with themselves and others
Waking up in Paris is a book I am reading right now by Sonia Choquette who moved to Paris after her divorce and writes beautifully about Parisian culture
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