Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

How I was misunderstood by my managers and now I

am probably doing the same

Christopher Ward

ILM Level 3 Award in Leardership & Management

Slide 2Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Talk overview

Context: my background

The ‘situational leadership’ model

My experience of ‘being managed’

Being a ‘leader’

What am I going to change?

Conclusions

Slide 3Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

History of being lead and leading

University of LiverpoolMechanical Engineering

Erlson Engineering, Skelmersdale

Production Engineer

University of LiverpoolPhD

Loughborough UniversityResearch associate

Lecturer

Slide 4Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

The situational leadership model (Hersey & Blanchard)

CoachingHigh task and high

relationship

SupportingLow task and high

relationship

DirectingHigh task and low

relationship

DelegatingLow task and low

relationship

LOW HIGH

HIGH

Task behaviour (directive)

Relationship behaviour

(supportive)

Slide 5Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

My first ‘proper’ job

Erlson Engineering (Making bits for car engines)

Shop floor

Into the officeBoss 1 (!)

Boss 2 (!)

ConclusionI left!

CoachingHigh task and

high relationship

SupportingLow task and

high relationship

DirectingHigh task and

low relationship

DelegatingLow task and

low relationship

Slide 6Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

‘Escaping’ back to academia

University of Liverpool

Car engines

PhD supervisor (!)

Loughborough University

Trains

Post-doc supervisor (!)

CoachingHigh task and

high relationship

SupportingLow task and

high relationship

DirectingHigh task and

low relationship

DelegatingLow task and

low relationship

Slide 7Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Becoming an academic (‘proper person’)

I was now a ‘research leader’

Responsible for Post-doc’s

PhD’s

Final year project students

The style I tried to employConsulting/empowering (Tannenbaum & Schmidt continum)

Because this had suited me!

Slide 8Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Where it worked

!, the post-docCompetent, knowledgeable and committed

Two journal papers

!, the project studentHighly capable and hard working

Top of the year

CoachingHigh task and

high relationship

SupportingLow task and

high relationship

DirectingHigh task and

low relationship

DelegatingLow task and

low relationship

Slide 9Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Where it failed spectacularly!

!, the PhD studentLacking confidence and used to didactic learning

Still unsure of ability

!, the project studentLow capability and poor work ethic

Failed the year

CoachingHigh task and

high relationship

SupportingLow task and

high relationship

DirectingHigh task and

low relationship

DelegatingLow task and

low relationship

Slide 10Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

What am I going to change?

1. Treat everyone as an individual• Make no assumptions and adapt style

2. Create a better dialogue• Regular meetings

3. Review regularly

4. Don’t be too downbeat about failures• Some people are just rubbish!

Slide 11Control Systems GroupSchool of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering

Conclusions

I have a lot of experience of being leadTrying to draw on good and bad practice

Analysis informed by the situational leadership model

Leadership tailored to the individual