A Leadership Process

By STGC Mark C. Carroll

Introduction

This Leadership process was created for leaders to use as a reference or handout. This process is based on principles of matching leadership style to subordinate's development needs.

Process Development

As a young leader, I learned that no single leadership style would be effective all of the time. I wanted to match my leadership abilities and strengths with the needs of my subordinates. Since then, I have trained numerous leaders to match their leadership style with their subordinates needs.  This process specifically the picture attempts to show how to develop subordinates in a way that requires only minimal explanation and can be used as a reference. 

How to Use the Tool

In “Orientation”

Who are these employees?

This stage includes:

• New personnel
  
• Personnel who are new to a specific task
  
• Those who have virtually no skill but are motivated to get started.

These subordinates are labeled “New” and are very committed to getting things done, but they do not have a clue how to get things done.

What do they Need from their Leader? 

They need their leader to give explain “How”. Signs of faith in them or encouragement would be somewhat inappropriate since they already want to do the job.

In “Development”

Who are these subordinates?

This stage includes:

• Inconsistent Personnel
  
• Discouraged personnel with minimal skill
  
• Unpredictable, but learning

These subordinates are labeled “Inconsistent”. They have realized that the job is either tougher than they expected, that they really do not want to do it, and sometimes both.

What do they Need from their Leader? 

This is the most challenging stage for a leader because they must continue to build competence while encouraging subordinates. In essence, they must give the “How and the “Why”. Great and consistent attention is required to move subordinates to the next stage. This is the subordinate’s first opportunity to see how much a leader is committed to their success. This is tough so many leaders abandon their subordinates until they gain competence.

Next is “Praise”

Who are these subordinates?

This stage includes:

• Have competence
  
• Are unsure or lack confidence in their skill
  
• Ask lots of questions
  
• Check frequently just to be sure

These subordinates are labeled “doubting”. They know how to do the job; but lack the confidence to just do it. These are the classic second guessers.

What do they Need from their Leader? 

They need praise and attention. They may frequently ask you how to do they job but what they likely want is for you to stroke their ego a bit. Let them know you trust them. Do not fall into the trap of teaching them how to do something you know they can do, this would likely stunt or slow their development.

The Final stage is the “Mastery” stage

Who are these subordinates?

This stage includes:

• Very competent
  
• Very Committed
  
• In auto-pilot mode
  
• Ready for new challenges

These subordinates are labeled “Ready”. They know how to do the job and they are glad to do it. and they want you to leave them alone to “get it done”.

What do they Need from their Leader? 

At first, they need nothing more than for you to leave them alone to “get it done”. Soon, they will need another challenge. This is what the best sometimes forget. Once we delegate to our people and they demonstrate they are capable and committed it is time for a leader to challenge them with another or a new task.

Author’s Notes 

I am not a psychologist; I do not have a degree and bunches of letters to go with my name. There are plenty of those to back up their theories with facts. Me I am just an average leader trying to do an above average job leading. So, use this portrayal of subordinate development principles, this process if you will, as you see fit. Then educate yourself by reading similar publications, models, and tools and if they do not work for you, create your own. This is the process I intend to use and I offer it to my readers for their personal use.

Ó 2005 Mark C. Carroll