In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, the role of a leader is crucial. The ability to embrace change, pivot, and tailor leadership approaches to the situation at hand is what sets exceptional leaders apart. In my career, I was lucky enough to complete a masters degree capstone course with Dr. Paul Hersey, the creator of "The Situational Leadership Model". What I learned from him shaped my leadership practice on a daily basis. I wanted to share a few key ideas from my experience.
Flexibility: The Key to Successful Leadership
Flexibility is more than just a nice-to-have trait in a leader—it's a fundamental aspect that drives success in any environment. Imagine a leader who rigidly adheres to a single leadership style regardless of the circumstances. Such a leader will find it difficult to inspire their team. In the world of health professions education, this is even more important. Each 'follower' is a doctor and has been trained to make the correct diagnosis! So, it is a heavy burden placed on leaders to recognize these unique qualities in their team and address them accordingly. One size never fits all in higher education! Dr. Hersey tried to simplify this notion by saying that 'followers' fall into one of four categories. He suggests that leaders recognize which category their followers are operating in and lead them accordingly. In reality, this may be an oversimplification of the challenge, but it does provide a framework for the majority of situations. This is the situational leadership model. Leaders carry the burden of being flexible, so they can swiftly adapt their approach to suit the needs of their team, organization, or the external environment.
The Impact of Technology on Leadership
Technology and globalization have reshaped the way we work and interact, presenting both opportunities and challenges for leaders. The digital age and COVID-19 accelerated communication, enabled remote work, and expanded global markets. As a result, leaders must be adept at leveraging technology to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and maintain a competitive edge. I distinctly remember our early days of the pandemic when we were all locked in our houses. How could I keep my team together? How could I still demonstrate to my faculty that things were going to get better? Well, it's the same formula. I spoke with each faculty member individually online and found out what they needed. Some needed a shoulder to lean on and others needed reassurance that they would still get a paycheck. Recognizing each situation whether it was right in front of me or over Zoom what still the obligation that I had to my team as the leader.
Enhancing Adaptability in Leadership
Without writing a course on the Situational Leadership Model in this blog, I do want to share a few tips that I've learned along the way!
Embrace Continuous Learning : Stay abreast of leadership practices and technological advancements to broaden your perspective and stay ahead of the curve. As optometrists we are required to have continuing education each year, maybe leaders should have the same requirement!
Seek Feedback : Actively solicit feedback from your team, peers, and mentors to gain insights into your leadership style and areas for improvement. Talk, listen, talk, listen! I learned the most when I sat in one of my team member's office and just listened.
Encourage Open Communication : Create a culture of open communication where team members feel empowered to share their ideas, perspectives, and feedback without fear of judgment. I always used weekly Admin Team meetings to encourage open communication. I used to say, please don't ever surprise me at the office. What I meant by that was, let's talk about everything (good or bad) so that the team what never blindsided.
Empower Your Team : Delegate responsibilities, encourage autonomy, and empower your team members to make decisions, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. Delegate and step aside! When you micromanage work, you create resentment and distrust. Who would be motivated to create something new and great if they thought their boss would take over the management? I'll share two specific examples with you. One was a Jobs Fair at KYCO. My Assistant Dean had an idea of how to build industry relations and provide career path opportunities for our students. I said, "That sounds like a great idea. What do you need from me to get this done?" She said something like, a small budget and an agreeable date. Then I stepped back and watched the magic happen. It was a huge success. Another example is KYCO's 36-hour Advance Therapeutics Course. Two members of our college recommended that we start this course. I was concerned about the budget implications and asked for more details. They came back with an honest proposal that showed we'd likely lose a little money the first year, but the upside potential was there for subsequent years. I said, "Let's do it!" And, my team members did and awesome job creating and executing this course. It is not conducted each year with great success.
Be Agile and Adaptable : Embrace change, pivot strategies when needed, and be willing to adjust your approach based on the evolving needs of your team and organization. Be a situational leader. Seek to understand what each team member needs and give it to them. In the situational leadership model, the long term goal is to cultivate S4 'followers'. Guess what they need from you as their leader? They need delegation! Get out of their way and let them do the job they are capable of doing!
Be a good leader by being sensitive to the needs of your followers. Be flexible and situational!
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