A633.7.3.RB_DiazBrian

According to the test results from Chapter 10, I scored a 6 in Strategy 1, Tell and a Five in both Strategy 2, Sell and Strategy 3, Involve.  Strategy 1, the Tell Strategy can be characterized as low people, high goal.  Obolensky (2014) wrote “Tell can include either the what, the how and/or the why.  As a general rule if you are having to ‘tell’ someone both the what, and the how and why then something is amiss” (p. 171).  I can see myself relying on Strategy 1 as a means to guide and inspire team members.  Informing followers of the importance of focus, dedication, and goals, can make a difference in the level of contribution from team members.  Giving followers the option to remain involved in most aspects of followership is important as well.  I plan to mindful of the importance of involving my team members in an effort to solicit feedback and contributing ideas.  Tell doesn’t necessarily mean to “boss” people around, it should be thought more of as guiding others to success.  As leaders, our objectives should be to make those that look to us for direction, as successful as possible.  This can be accomplished by engaging team members, providing feedback, soliciting ideas, promoting growth, and nurturing development. 

Strategy 2, the Sell Strategy “involves ensuring that the buyer is aware of the benefits, and these match the underlying needs of the individual.  Thus, it is more about asking questions and listening carefully before aligning a proposed solution” (Obolensky, 2014, p. 171).  As leaders we have to effectively articulate the needs, responsibilities, and goals of our organizations.  Our teams will assess how best to function as a group to achieve those goals with our leadership.  It’s important to stress our organizational vision and what it will take to achieve it. In my current position we are afforded the opportunity to discover what works best for us individually as we work towards shared goals.  In meetings our Director will solicit feedback from us and ask us how we feel about our processes and what can be done to improve those.  We are not “put in a box” and made to think inside of it.  We are allowed to innovate and experiment with ideas that will best suit us.  If I find success with a particular process, I share that information with my team so that they have the option to try out my methodology and determine if it might work for them.  As a leader, I want to follow this technique and ask questions from my subordinates in order to find new creative ways to achieve goals.

Strategy 3, the Involve Strategy borrows from above.  Giving team members the opportunity to be involved in the decision making processes is invaluable.  It builds on the trust that is essential for team success.  Working together closely, monitoring progress, and providing feedback are all necessary for teams to be successful. 

These past six weeks has been particularly introspective because of the challenges my team is currently facing and the manner in which our leader has responded or failed to respond to our needs and concerns.  These last six weeks have given me a better understanding of how complex leadership can be and how important it is to remain connected to our subordinates.  When we lose sight of how our employees feel we set ourselves up for failure.  Being in a position of working with a high preforming team at its peak, with all team members highly motivated, content, and focused to working with the same team that no longer is willing to put forth the effort has been eye opening.  From this experience I have learned what type of leader I do not want to be.  Obolensky (2014) wrote “A few simple rules matching people’s (or indeed an organization’s) skill and will to the four possible strategies help lay a foundation of how to move followers to take the lead, and enable polyarchy to thrive” (p. 185).  I will focus on as a leader to build others up and to provide them with the tools necessary for them to grow.  I want to always remain trustful and honest with those that I lead.  Doing so, I believe I can be an effective leader no matter what the challenge.

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership (2^nd. Ed.). Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Company