Tools for the job – style counsel

Leadership impact stems from a combination of characteristics, traits and behaviours used by leaders when interacting with colleagues. The impact of a leader depends on how they use individual relationships to help people work together for a common goal or objective.

We have created a Leadership Impact Model which categorises four common styles. Leaders can assess themselves against these and identify their preferred style and also consider alternatives for different situations.

Hosts engage their teams and bring them together to create a performance zone. They take into account psychological safety and develop an environment where people feel comfortable raising their voices, confident they will be heard and understood and can stretch themselves and learn. The host builds a system of engaged connections.

Energizers create a compelling story about the important role of internal audit in the business and with other stakeholders. They help to build resilience and enable the internal audit team to be agile in complex and swiftly changing environments.

Disruptors embrace an experimental mindset and challenge the ways internal auditors and the business negotiate the challenges of emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, evolving standards and changing customer and market needs. Disruptors seek ways to make better decisions earlier, using data effectively. They try to feed the system with fresh ideas.

Catalysts focus on mentoring and coaching individuals and the wider team to be the best they can be and help them to grow so they can tackle challenges and develop their careers. They aim to feed intentional growth.

Using leadership styles

Once you have identified the way you normally lead, how can you adapt your style to create greater impact when faced with rapidly emerging challenges?

A famous cartoon by Gary Larsson shows a character waiting with their pad and pen lined up in front of them with the caption: “All prepared for their spontaneity session!” Many leaders feel like this character when faced with the disruption and uncertainty created by today’s global environment.

We hear a lot about resilience, but what does it really mean? The Center for Resilience defines it as “the ability to thrive in chaos”. This is also the definition of “anti-fragile”, a word coined by Nassim Nicolas Taleb in his book of the same name. Leaders need to be both resilient and anti-fragile.

We go a bit further and add that people are key to leadership, so leadership resilience is “the ability to thrive in a deeply human way in chaos”. So, what does that mean in practice?

It is impossible to predict the future, so we must all prepare ourselves to face the unknown. Taleb explains that Roman Caesars used to ingest small doses of poison to create immunity to poisoning. Can we similarly put ourselves in stressful situations to create greater resilience? Can we put ourselves in contact with more challenging people, outside our comfort zones, to increase our ability to learn fast? If we fail can we also rebound?

Our model considers the following dimensions that are important for leaders attempting to increase their resilience.

• Confidence – do we project confidence physically and vocally?

• Conviction – do we have a strong thread of values, purpose and identity that ensures our messages to those around us are consistent and coherent?

• Connection – can we dance to the music that other people bring to us in order to build connections.

All three of these are critical in the battle to cope with ambiguity and lead other people effectively. If we have only confidence, without conviction and connection, we risk appearing arrogant. If we have only conviction, but lack confidence and connection, we risk being a “cause without a rebel” to those around us. If we have connection, but no confidence and conviction, we risk being “a lovely person” who no one will follow.

We need to stretch our abilities in each of these dimensions and we need to be able to flex within them to survive in chaos and turbulence. Confidence enables us to set a direction and keep those who follow us calm. Conviction provides both this direction and the sense of purpose that helps us to steer well in turbulent waters. Connection creates the space where all types of people can find their voice and influence a positive outcome.

Potential Squared is a Global Leadership Development Consultancy.

This article was published in September 2023.