'Challenge & Involve'.....

Sunday Service..

Ok, so I've developed a taste for Sagres. For some reason, both my locals sell it and it's a darn fine pint. After 3 days of being left no options other than frequent the local boozers I'm feeling pretty shaky. 

Got a lot on this week too, but with my family imminently due in town, I've decided to take the day off tomorrow and hang out with them before trips to West Midlands, Watford and Cambridge before my birthday on Friday. I'm a busy bee, as busy as a bee can be....

My mum, my sister and my niece and nephew are coming to stay for a few days. No doubt Windmill Hill City Farm will get a visit or 2 and the twins will be spoiled rotten by Auntie Fi Fi (or Pi Pi, as she's more commonly known!). I’m not talking about our twins either, my niece and nephew are twins too (as is Fi). We're a twin breeding family and no mistake!

Looking at February is like starting all over again. January is history, dust, old news. February is the here and now and I'm very much living in the moment nowadays. The moment, on the whole, is a good place to be. There are challenges, things I really don't want to have to deal with, but I know I need to tackle in order for the fears not to manifest into something more significant. Sometimes rolling over and accepting stuff is the easy option, but it's never the best attitude and it rarely creates the results you want or need. Passive behaviour patterns make for an OK short term, but long term they breed bigger problems. I guess I'm naturally quite a passive manager. It's something I'm aware of and I have a conscious methodology of handling. There are 3 main types of leadership in essence; 'Pacify & Socialise', 'Tell & Do' and 'Challenge & Involve'

I naturally lean towards 'Pacify & Socialise'. This is the passive management style. Someone who isn't usually very good with conflict, likes to believe that a pint and a chat after work will smooth over the cracks. This is OK for a short term fix, but the issues never get resolved and ultimately the grow into bigger and bigger problems over time. 

'Tell & Do' is very much a 'do as i say' , aggressive style of management. Again, leaders who adopt this style tend to use their job title as a weapon of superiority with their subordinates and are often considered a brown nose to their superiors. 'Tell & Do' managers don't explain why they're making decisions, they just bark out the orders relentlessly. They're intrinsically unpopular with their staff and usually considered petty by their superiors. Short term, they breed resentment, but get the job done. Long term, they have little staff loyalty and the constant barking of orders becomes the norm and therefore ineffective and unproductive over time. If anyone ever tells you to do something and when questioned, reminds you they are your manager, invariably they'll be a pretty terrible leader. Great leaders never need to re-enforce their authority by reminding people of who they are, their actions speak far louder than any words.

A 'Challenge & Involve' leader will do exactly that, Challenge the team and involve them in decisions. Assertive behaviour, not aggressive or passive behaviour is where we should all be aiming for maximum efficiency, respect and results. Empowerment is a critical element of strong leadership. Involvement in the decision making process ensures buy in at every point and it pretty much guarantees employees will remain focussed and motivated. Sounds easy, but maintaining a 'Challenge & Involve' environment constantly is extremely difficult to achieve. Most people fall into 'Pacify & Socialise' or 'Tell & Do' naturally, or sometimes both in the cases where the leadership is passive aggressive. 

One thing I do know though, is that as long as I'm aware of these 3 styles, I'm able to bring myself into the 'Challenge & Involve' mind-set and make decisions I believe will solve the challenges put before me. 

February must be strongly geared towards resolution, solution and progression. 

One Love

Jez

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