For management coaching and training, we are typically asked for concepts on leadership roles and styles, conflict management, change, communication, negotiation and much more. The managers to be trained should learn how to deal better with their team, how to motivate, develop, drive, etc. Ultimately, goals are to be achieved.
One perspective is often missing: the perspective of self-management. Managers must learn that their inner dynamics strongly influence the effectiveness of their leadership.
Leadership fails, for example, when:
- Fear or anger on the part of the manager blinds them to the real issues of the situation and the team
- Emotions of the manager and aggressive, non-appreciative communication lead to anxiety and stress in the team
- The behavior of the manager signals different values than those verbally demanded by the manager
- managers behave inconsistently over time – sometimes they are “sweet”, sometimes tough, sometimes belittling
- The manager does not cope well with stress and then switches to one of the “fight, flight, freeze” modes
In all of these situations, things are narrowed down. The view of the situation as a whole, of the team and the individual goals, wishes, sensitivities, of the environment. But the view of the available options for action is also often severely restricted.
The concept of the 3 levels of leadership by James Sculler (2011) underlines this. Good leadership happens at the public level (visible, team), at the non-public level (bilateral) and at the personal level – in the form of self-leadership.
How good is your self-management? That of your team members? How can you enable your managers?
- Recognize your own inner dynamics
- Dealing confidently with your own energies
- to give space for the inner dynamics of the team members
Self-management is the essential foundation of good, effective, appreciative and performance-oriented leadership.
No leadership without self-leadership! Let’s talk!