Get Results (without losing your soul)

Confidence often comes from knowing your leadership strengths and understanding how they enable you to make a positive contribution in your workplace.  Smart leaders know that leadership isn’t a zero-sum game; people don’t need to sacrifice happiness to succeed or give up good relationships to be productive.  While all managers want results, losing your soul to get those results doesn’t have to be par for the course when you learn how to lead in productive ways. What leadership types help (and what types can hurt) optimal results in today’s workplace?

“Too often, managers try to win at all costs,
when they should be focused on Winning Well.”
– Karin Hurt/David Dye, leadership authors

Karin Hurt and David Dye, authors of the book Winning Well, believe some leaders focus too much on winning at all costs vs. “winning well”.  Their Winning Well model focuses on sustaining excellent performance over time in a positive work environment that rests on a foundation of four principles that they believe all leaders should possess:  confidence, humility, results and a focus on building solid relationships. Hurt and Dye believe there are four basic types of managers and offer insights into how some go for a win vs. those who strive to win well and inspire others along the way for long-term productive outcomes.

4 Types of Leaders

Users
These managers treat people as vehicles for getting what they want. They focus on short-term results generated under the fear of reprisal. Users and their workers don’t trust each other. Users become work-police who don’t believe their employees will fulfill their responsibilities without being forced.

Pleasers
These managers value being liked more than anything else. While many employees do like these people-pleasing bosses, high-performers resent them because they don’t prioritize productivity and results.

Gamers
These managers play office politics to increase their status and get ahead. They sacrifice relationships to prioritize their own agendas instead of the firm’s goals.

Winning Well Leaders
These managers focus on long-term, shared goals. They develop healthy work relationships, clarify expectations, and support their employees’ growth and success. Their team members feel less stress, are more productive, work autonomously and efficiently, and are happier overall.

Which type of leader are you?