recognizing and shaping your informal leaders...apr 06, 2019 · informal leadership means taking...
TRANSCRIPT
Recognizing and Shaping Your Informal Leaders
Presented by:
Dr. Dean Russell
Objectives
• A clear understanding of what an informal leader is
• The power and influence of an informal leader
• Avoiding conflict with them
• Techniques to confront unwanted behaviors from them
• How to successfully confront another leader’s unwanted influence
• A method to disarm informal leaders
• Long term versus short term success with them
Definition
Informal leadership means taking charge of a group without being formally appointed in such a role.
Simply put, informal leadership refers to someone who has no formal position of authority over people but becomes a group's leader informally.
Problem: Might not show on resumes, 360 reviews, and LinkedIn profiles, hidden in plain sight.
Informal Leader Uniqueness
Informal leaders are perceived by others as showing higher levels of leading than formal leaders overall.
They have the ability to influence the behavior of the group, but not through formal authority.
No official power to lead.
(But do not make them your enemy)
Informal Leaders Attributes
Make agenda stray
Can be active or
passive aggressive
Be sarcastic
Uses body language to approve/disprove
meeting objectives and agenda
Can set the tone and pace
Crave influence but not
responsibility
Have You
• Sat with a person who will act as the spokesperson of the group and talk about how others in the group feel about the current setup?
• Others turn to them for advice, their opinions carry weight, and they sway views on tough issues.
• Thought that sometimes they "emerge" simply because others in the organization have great respect for them.
Questions
•Have you identified them?
•Are they working for,…… or against you?
• You cannot serve two leaders at the same time.
Informal leaders
• What do they want?
• How do you identify them?
• Why are they important?
• How is your relationship with them?
New Leader
10
2
7
9
4
7
4
1
2
4
5
3
People Change Direction to Follow the Strongest Leader
10
2
7
9
4
Informal Leader
4
1
2
Leader A
5
3
Power
Formal Leader
• The ability to command
The person who acts as leader.
Responsibility + Authority = Accountability
Informal Leader
Informal leaders are perceived by others as
showing higher levels of leading than formal
leaders overall. Crave influence, not
responsibility
Informal Leader
The Dancing Guy Can wield tremendous positive influence, or, when things go bad, wield a lot of destructive influence. May not realize they are actually a part of management. Leadership Lessons from “The Dancing Guy”.
Informal Leader Unique Position
One of the elements that gives informal leaders the ability to lead (and inspire) is their perceived independence from
the formal authority structure.
Perception is very important! Leadership Development For Informal Leaders, by Robert Bacal
The Powers They Use (Tribal Chiefs)
1. Expert power – employees come to them for their expertise, they make sure the knowledge is controlled 2. Lead by example power - perceived by employees as someone who is
worthy to immolate 3. Motivation power – they praise and reward employees, also called
recognition power 4. Peer pressure power – they can have the tribe put pressure on
employee to conform to their wishes 5. Charisma power – naturally charismatic, charming
Can Be the Ethics Interpreter…
Informal Leader Beliefs and Practices Vary Different informal leaders at different times differ over:
• Who gets what (Property rights)
• Acceptable conversations
• Equality between the sexes
• Appropriate modes of dress, etc.
What Happens When A Formal and Informal Leader Don’t Get Along?
What happens if you have two informal leaders working for you and they don’t get along?
“Houston We Have A Problem!”
Disarming Informal Leader Techniques
• “I” Twice and the three outcomes
• ”I can’t _________________________________.
• Role Reversal
Remember
• Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional
• Avoid power struggles (defending credibility, past history, button pushing)
• Use the Four Diffusers
1. I understand
2. Probably so
3. Nevertheless
4. I’m sorry
21
Prioritizing Grid Neutralizer: Have Your Group Make A List of
Changes They Think are Needed
No $ $
Control Do Not
Control
Control Do Not
Control
Recognition
Better
Communication
Work
schedule
Modify
procedures
Daily ops
Tools
More equipment
Raises
What Not To Do:
1. Try to co-opt, or manipulate informal leaders (Consequences are fight back, rebel, stand against, create a false dilemma.)
2. Techniques that backfire: bribery, coercing, pressuring them.
3. Not communicating with them in hard times (Understand they understand how the grapevine works)
4. Don’t Halo Effect: the tendency for an impression created in one area to influence opinion in another area.
The Bad News
• If they are in opposition to the vision, goals, and success of the department can be toxic to your department
• Can be a “Hugh” impediment to the formal leader’s value to the team
The Good News
• If they are working towards the organization’s same vision and goals they can be tremendous help (Delegate/Elevate)
• They have unique strengths which compliment yours
• You respect them and they respect you (And you don’t mind ceding some control)
• Their level of commitment, level of intensity, and performance level are respected and perceived as super competent (The 110% principle) and they emerge naturally
• If you are here in this seminar, you are a _______________
The Good News: 4 Positive Informal Leaders
• Pride Builders
• Exemplars
• Networkers (Known and connected)
• Early Adopters
• Four Types Of Authentic Informal Leaders, by Jon Katzenbach, Carolin Oelschlegel, and James Thomas
Developing A Successful Informal Leader
• Question: G,W,C *** Training alone with not make a successful leader
• Be careful about treating them too different (fine line = favoritism)
• Succession planning (grooming your successor, great leaders groom leaders who groom leaders)
• Formal or informal grooming? Objective: Give them more ability to lead
• Do a “Trial Run”, probe and let them decide, rather than a leader appointment
• Mentoring plan Understanding Informal Leaders In An Organization (and Benefiting From Them)By Robert Bacal
Recognizing the Informal Leader: Moving Someone Up
• “I’m curious … why are you asking me about …?”
• “What would you like to do?”
• Express your confidence in them
• Ask them to act … then inform
• What will you do about mistakes?
• Why might an employee continue to check in?
Possible Reactions
Thank you, I was sick of coming to you!
Suspicious
That’s your job!
They Have Been Watching Your Actions
• If you have been a poor leadership example…
• They need a good role model
• They have been paying attention to your actions, not your words
• Remember they don’t want “too much” power, it robs them of their power.
Don’t Be Hazy
Can’t differentiate personal values
versus library values
• Selfish
• Both
It’s All About Leadership Choice
It’s about the ability to consistently put the right person in the right seat with the right power in your decision-making department actions
Not about being nice…..
Thanks!