Here we are in week two!
Our discussion topic concerns supportive behavior by leaders
and managers. First, let’s look at what leadership behaviors may fall under the
banner of being supportive. In our text, Mr. Yukl provides some guidelines for
demonstrating supportive behavior. (2012, pg.64)
• Show acceptance and positive regard.
• Provide sympathy and support when the person is anxious or
upset.
• Bolster the person’s self-esteem and confidence.
• Be willing to help with personal problems.
As I read the guidelines and the descriptions provided in
the book, the word that kept popping into my head was ‘inclusion’. One of the
main draws of being on a team or in a group, at least from my perspective, is
the feeling of being included. A leader needs to communicate to the members
that they are part of the whole.
The act of being inclusive requires more than sending out a
paycheck each week. Demonstrating care and concern for the individual builds
deeper ties. To that end, the care and concern being demonstrated by the leader
must actually exist. If compliments or support appears the least bit insincere,
damage is done to the relationship.
I appreciated the following passage in the book. “Stress is
reduced by showing appreciation, listening to problems and complaints,
providing assistance when necessary, expressing confidence in the person, doing
things to make the work environment more enjoyable, and buffering the person
from unnecessary demands by outsiders. Stress is increased by making
unreasonable demands, pressuring the person to work faster, being overly
critical, and insisting on compliance with unnecessary bureaucratic
requirements. Although results in research on the effects of considerate,
supportive leadership are not consistent, it is likely this type of behavior
will improve subordinate satisfaction and performance in many situations.”
(Yukl, pg. 64) If proper communication is made up front, the need for added
stress from the leader should be lessened or removed. If a leader finds they
must constantly harangue, coerce, or threaten the group, there are issues of
support, communication, and development that need to be addressed before moving
on to the next project.
Are there times when stress needs to be applied in the workplace?
Yes. Deadlines and performance goals serve those functions admirably. Does
every team need occasional motivation to maintain a high level of performance?
Yes. Being supportive is one of the methods for motivating a person or team.
A dilemma present in corporate work environments is the
perception of being too supportive, especially if the attention seems to fall
upon an individual or small group. The Human Resource (HR) shop in many a
company has their days filled with allegations of preferential treatment. The
rules that managers and leaders must work within make the job of supporting
very defined. In extreme cases, legal action has occurred. Harassment,
favoritism, or merely the perception thereof, must be avoided.
The first three bullets above can, and should, be handled by
the manager. In the case of the willingness to help with personal problems, the
company will hopefully have programs and systems in place to help provide that
help. In the event the company does not
provide assistance, the manager/leader can provide assistance by identifying
professional help for the employee and providing time for the employee to seek
that help.
Providing opportunities for subordinates to develop their
skills is an integral part of supportive leadership. The guidelines from our
book provide an excellent resource from which to begin. (Yukl, pg. 66)
• Show concern for each person's development.
• Help the person identify ways to improve performance.
• Be patient and helpful when providing coaching.
• Provide helpful career advice.
• Help the person prepare for a job change.
• Encourage attendance at relevant training activities.
• Provide opportunities to learn from experience.
• Encourage coaching by peers when appropriate.
• Promote the person’s reputation.
As I have gained experience as a manager, my desire to
provide the assistance the guidelines denote has only grown stronger. I am a
firm believer that providing opportunities for personal and professional growth
to an employee is beneficial to more than just the employee. The company
benefits from the person gaining more skills and confidence, the manager
benefits by having more skills on their team to bring to bear on issues, and
the employee gains skills, knowledge, and confidence. I believe that if the employee wins, the
company will win in the long run. The leader’s role is to locate the
opportunities and, maybe more importantly, identify the proper timing of the
opportunity. The employee’s desire to grow, the right opportunity, and the
right time all need to be present or the result will be less than optimal.
I have been the receptor of growth opportunities. When I was
younger, I didn’t appreciate them as much as I do now. I have even gone back
and thanked managers from jobs I held long ago after pondering the
opportunities they presented me. I learned that I didn’t necessarily see the
benefit at the time. The important this
is that my manager did see it.
The third part of supportive leadership that Yukl discusses
is providing praise and recognition. “Recognizing involves giving praise and
showing appreciation to others for effective performance, significant
achievements, and important contributions to the organization.” (Yukl, pg. 68)
Let’s take a look at the guidelines provided by Mr. Yukl.
(Pg.69)
• Recognize a variety of contributions and achievements.
• Actively search for contributions to recognize.
• Recognize improvements in performance.
• Recognize commendable efforts that failed.
• Do not limit recognition to high-visibility jobs.
• Do not limit recognition to a few best performers.
• Provide specific recognition.
• Provide timely recognition.
• Use an appropriate form of recognition.
Across the companies I have worked for through my career, I
would say this recognition has been handled the poorest of all the facets of
leadership. Most places have some sort of reward and recognition tools for
managers to use. The breakdown comes at the delivery.
Three lessons I have learned that I would gladly pass along
are to be sincere, not everyone wants to be recognized in front of a crowd, and
to know that an honest ‘thank you’ is one of the best tools you've got.
Taking the time to recognize the efforts of someone means investigating
the hours of work, noting the stress they felt, the obstacles they overcame,
and the impact of the job they did on the company and the group. Handing them a
hat and a handshake is not enough.
In summary, the guidelines of supportive leadership serve to
remind us that we lead people. People with lives, needs, and desires that need
to be addressed by the leader. I tend to tie the needs back to Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow (1943)
because I find the structure easy to remember. Start with the physiological
needs of the employee, then the need for safety, love or belonging, esteem, and
finally self-actualization. The guidelines above tie in to the basic needs of
the employee quite well. The supportive leadership techniques are just another
tool to bring to bear as we face the daily challenges at work, home, and in
life.
Yukl, Gary A. (2012-02-09). Leadership in Organizations (8th
Edition). Pearson HE, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human
Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4),
26.
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