Since I entered the workforce, I have seen leaders that were very strict and ones that were very lenient. I have also seen leaders that were happy and relaxed, as well as, ones that were very stressed, unhappy, and constantly tense.
Leadership Tone
There are many other types of leaders as well. All the leaders I have seen, however, have one thing in common. They all seem to set the tone for those they lead. With each tone the leader sets, there was a different mood or environment. Each of the different leaders has a strong influence on the feelings and mood of those they lead.
Strict Leadership
I once worked under a strict leader. He followed all the rules and kept a tight leash on everyone. This made everyone tense and uptight. The leader kept a strong hand on what people did and didn’t do. He was also very quick to get rid of people when they disobeyed the rules and/or didn’t work hard enough. It didn’t take long and everyone was not only following the rules, but they were working as hard as they could.
This leader was able to keep everyone working hard all the time, but wasn’t always able to keep the people happy or in the group. Under this leader, as well as other leaders like this, it is not uncommon to see people come and go quickly and frequently.
When I worked under this leader, people had a hard time working under this type of stress on a regular basis. They would stay and work under this pressure until they found a calmer environment. From there, they would leave quickly to a better job and working environment.
Relaxed Leadership
On the flip side, I also worked under a leader that followed the rules and encouraged everyone to follow the rules, but had a different approach to leadership. This other leader gave people much more space. He also had a strong level of trust in his people.
The leader did a great job of bringing out the best in his people while keeping them in line with the rules. He also maintained an environment that was somewhat relaxed and happy. The leader kept people for long periods of time. Not many people left the department because they enjoyed their work and the environment they worked in. This environment was a direct result of how the leader treated people and maintained the environment.
Comparing the Two
Their was a stark difference in the approach these two leaders took to leadership. They both led big groups of people and did it completely different. With the big differences, there were also some similarities. They did one thing that was completely the same. The leaders set the tone for those they led.
Setting the Tone
It is a very important to know that as a leader, you set the tone for those you lead. Your actions, as the leader, determine how your people act. You have a strong impression on those you lead. If you lead with a strong hand, you will get a very confined set of results. If you are more relaxed, your set of results may vary much more.
I have only shown two examples of how a leader’s approach determined the tone of the work group. There are, however, many other methods that leaders use as they lead to set the tone for their work environment.
Understanding the Environment
In some environments it is important to lead with a strong hand, while in others you can be more relaxed. It completely depends on the nature of your business and customer base. What is most important, however, is that you set the right tone for getting your work done in your particular work environment.
As the leader, you have a lot of responsibility because the tone you set will be followed by the organization. There are many aspects to consider when you set the tone. How do you set the tone as the leader? What tone do you set?
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