How to Recognize and Communicate with a Leader: Tips for a Leader

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Ideally, the boss and the leader are the same person. But in practice, this is not always the case. Find out how to identify such an employee in the team and build the right relationship with him.

You are a successful leader and a competent manager, your team works as a whole, one for all, and all for one. Sure? Or maybe the team is not following you, but the one who in psychology is called the informal leader?

Roosevelt also said: "The leader leads, and the boss rules." Let's try to figure out if this is so, and understand who the informal leader (IP) is, how to calculate it, what kind of informal leaders are and how to cooperate with them.

There are frequent cases when informal leadership gives rise to endless squabbles, conflicts and the stratification of the collective into warring groups. A tug-of-war between a leader and an informal leader can seriously affect labor productivity and the psychological climate in the team.

Who is an informal leader

In order not to dive into complex psychological terms, let's just explain. The chief is appointed to a managerial position. An informal leader can be both a junior specialist and a middle-level manager.

The main thing here is not fasting, but a set of personal qualities, life experience and authority.

There are leading players in all spheres of activity. After all, each collective is a mini-society. And society needs to follow someone. And in this situation, the authority of the individual is stronger than the authority of the position. It is important for every leader to know and understand how to cooperate and generally coexist with the IP.

First, determine who it is.

How to identify a non-formal leader

The most accurate way to determine IP is a sociometric test. Remember how psychologists conducted these in schools? If there is no opportunity to invite a specialist and conduct testing, then analyze it yourself:

• with whom the employees communicate more often on non-working issues;
• who is being consulted for professional advice;
• who voices the reasons for dissatisfaction in the team;
• who brings new suggestions and ideas.

Surely, when drawing up plans, discussing innovations, one of the subordinates expressed a general opinion, asked questions more often than others, or acted as the instigator of a dispute. Take a closer look at this person and his demeanor with colleagues.

There are two styles: constructive and destructive. In the first case, the informal leader generates ideas, organizes the work process and motivates colleagues; in the second, he introduces discord and creates conflict situations.

It is important to establish partnerships with the constructive one, because its activities are beneficial to both the department and the business. It is more difficult with the destructive, but its energy can also be controlled. The main thing is to recognize the true motives of leadership: the desire for power, the desire for self-realization. Once you understand what drives this employee, you will know what to do.

6 types of informal leaders

A competent leader knows how to manage subordinates and build trusting relationships with various informal leaders. The description below will help you correctly identify IPs and understand how to proceed.

1. Innovator

Emotional and creative. His ideas are original. This informal is able to give a boost of energy in the team and shift stereotypical approaches towards innovation. If he does not find support or encounters criticism, he quickly gives up, like any creative person.

How to use it

• Consult him when your business needs a breath of fresh air. The team is ready to follow the innovators and bring their ideas to life. Perhaps behind such innovations there will be another round of the company's success.
• This type gets satisfaction from finding and introducing new things. Every brainstorming session on your team should take place with the participation, and preferably under the guidance of an innovator.
• Emotional outbursts in the behavior of this person will help to expose problems in the team. Use this signal to resolve troubles in time and neutralize discontent among subordinates.

2. Coordinator

Business and organized. I am ready to plan work and clearly coordinate processes. He has reasoned answers to all questions, so he enjoys great authority in the team. And some may even be intimidated by the dry nature of the coordinator.

How to use it

• Entrust the business leader with the organizational work - he will happily do it.
• Make the coordinator your right hand. You can safely assign part of your controlling responsibilities to this type. Legalize his power by promotion and make him a partner.
• Use the authority of the coordinator to earn points in the eyes of the staff and for yourself. He can be your voice or a preacher for unpopular decisions.

3. Gray cardinal

Lives in the shadow of the boss. But at the same time, he knows everything: who has deadlines burning, who recently had a falling out with their husband (or wife), and who is looking for a new job. But the cardinal does not collect this information for gossip in the smoking room.

How to use it

• Find out useful information to keep abreast of the internal processes in the team.
• Be careful: gray eminences influence the decision-making of the boss himself. Therefore, subject even competent advice to analysis.
• Respect the gray eminence and let him feel it. Then he will not play against you.
• The cardinal will never take responsibility for the decisions you make. Even if he influenced it.

4. Revolutionary

Rebel and critic. The one who is at the head of the mood of dissatisfaction in the team. He doesn't like anything. The revolutionary expresses what is wrong, but does not suggest how to fix it. This type can cause conflicts and the formation of warring groups.

How to use it

• Encourage the revolutionary to solve the problem, not just shake the air. This will most likely confuse him. And for those members of the team who follow him, it will help to understand that IP is only strong in words.
• Channel the violent energy of a revolutionary into community service.
• Assign additional projects or transfer to another department where contacts with colleagues are minimal.
• If these steps do not help, and the conflicts continue, there is only one way out - to impose fines or fire the rebel.

5. Merry fellow

They are said to be “the soul of the company”. The team follows him, because he is charming and not boring with him. Employees are ready to carry out even monotonous work under light and relaxed guidance.

How to use it

• Collaborate as equals. Indeed, in the eyes of his subordinates, he is his own.
• Hand over some difficult tasks through the fun guy, appoint him as the project manager.
• Identify such an IP as the main person for working with newcomers. Then the adaptation process will be faster.
• Veselchak creates a comfortable atmosphere in the department. Instruct him to come up with joint leisure activities for colleagues. Out-of-office activities are his strong point.

6. Crisis manager

This is a situational leader. He may not show himself in any way in daily work, but in case of force majeure, he can quickly navigate and make decisions.

How to use it

• Let yourself be shown in stressful situations. Say directly: "Now you are in charge!"
• Based on the results, evaluate the work of the crisis manager and thank the rest of the team members.
• Reward is an important factor for IPs. But you need to praise when you really have something.

Finally

Collaborate with the informal leader and try to make him an ally. Do not be afraid of the appearance of an IP. Analyze his personality, competencies, authority and determine what qualities you lack.

Perhaps Theodore Roosevelt is right and your main task as a boss is to manage? Use peer leadership to benefit your business. And then success will not be far off!