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After learning about various leadership styles and methods
in your coursework, you will finally get a chance to utilize
your knowledge in the workplace. Now comes the hard part,
deciding which style works best for you and your work environment.
Is it better to lead by example or delegate your authority?
Should you roll up your sleeves and jump into the trenches
or tell someone what you want done and hope it is accomplished
properly and in a timely manner? Combining the ability to
lead by example, while at the same time delegating your
authority, can be one of the most difficult balancing acts
in management to achieve.
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Leading by Example
If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Do as I say,
not as I do,” then leading by example is the exact
opposite of that. Leading by example requires you to have
knowledge and understanding of the jobs and duties of those
you manage. To lead by example, you must also show others
that you are willing and able to practice what you preach
and adhere to the guidelines and rules set forth in your
company policies just as line level employees would be expected
to. Leading by example may sound easy, but you’ll
be surprised how many managers hold their employees to one
set of standards while not adhering to those rules and policies
themselves.
Leading by example has many benefits. This leadership style
shows that you know job requirements just as well, if not
better than those who work for you. It also inspires confidence
among your employees that you know what you’re doing
and that your advice and leadership is reliable and will
steer them in the right direction in their work. Setting
the example also shows that you’ve paid your dues,
and not only have the education to talk the talk, but the
skills to walk the walk. This leadership style will often
build respect among your team members and increase their
willingness to follow you ‘into battle’ when
times are tough. View a complete list of schools that offer
leadership
degrees online.
Delegating
In some ways, delegating is similar to leading by example,
but it is also quite different. Delegating is the ability
to use the clear understanding of jobs and job duties properly
to assign roles to those who would perform them best. Therefore,
like leading by example, a clear understanding of your employees’
jobs and job functions is necessary to maintain this management
style. However, unlike leading by example, delegating doesn’t
always require the manager fully to be able to do all the
duties he is assigning. Instead, he must simply know which
people would be the best to fulfill those duties. This isn’t
to say that those who delegate well aren’t ‘doers’.
Many times the environment in which they work might not
allow them to be in the trenches with their employees.
One of the greatest benefits to delegating is that when
duties are assigned to multiple people under a manager’s
control, the manager himself has more time to focus on the
big picture. A manager’s job description might not
leave enough time to complete every duty required in his
scope of supervision. Delegating also allows a manager to
determine the best employee for a particular job or task,
thereby often saving a company on labor and other expenses.
The problem with delegating is that it can become a habit.
Some managers become so accustomed to delegating that it
seems they forget how to do the simplest of tasks. This
can breed contempt among team members and employees, and
make the manager appear lazy, inconsiderate, and unknowledgeable.
A Balanced Combination
Typically, the sign of a truly effective manager is the
ability properly to combine these two management styles
in a balance that best meets their work environment and
job duties. Showing your employees that you are willing
and able to lead by example, but at the same time not loose
yourself in menial and time-consuming activities, is a delicate
balancing act. Often this act will vary and change depending
on the number of employees being managed and the size of
the organization in which you work. In many cases, smaller
work environments call for more hands on interaction and
breed a more ‘lead by example’ type atmosphere,
while larger organizations might call for more delegation
and a more hands off approach.
While most organizations and management positions are different,
a skillful approach to management often requires a manager
that leads with more than one management approach. By using
your management education, you may be better able to balance
leading by example, in which you can effectively prove your
skills and abilities to your team members, while also utilizing
proper delegation skills which can allow you to make the
most efficient use of your time, resources, and staff.
If this sounds interesting, find out more about how you
can get a business degree online. Check out the Online
Business Schools directory today!
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