Three Leadership Styles: Which One Are You?
If you had the choice between being a reporter, a consumer, or a creator which would you choose?
Let me give you more context.
The Reporter
When I worked at Fast Company, the sales leader who worked with me knew the business well, was respected by clients, and his team enjoyed working with him.
When I asked for his thoughts on a new product launch, I got what I would call a non-answer. He shared with me where we were, what had been tried before, and what was currently on the market. He gave me a status report with little opinion, insight, or discovery.
In our weekly sales meetings, he would share business updates, week-over-week changes, and current business standings. Just like a weatherman standing in front of the green screen, he shared a general forecast with highlights, and lowlights and referenced potential storms and their severity.
He was a reporter.
The Consumer
I often hear people say they are stuck or having trouble building momentum or are in a rut without clarity on what's next. They want to deepen their leadership expertise, feel more confident, and show up stronger, but they feel stuck.
An audit of their time often reveals they are consuming in pursuit of inspiration, guidance, and growth. They are working hard and actively listening to webinars, taking classes, listening to podcasts, and reading the latest leadership or self-help book.
They are procrasta-learners.
This is a term I heard on a podcast where they were discussing this type of consumption as misplaced productivity. Consumption as an avoidance tactic. Where you think that the more you learn, listen or read that you’ll finally be ready to get into action and do something with it all.
Consuming is easier. Consuming is safer than the work to take action to get unstuck.
We are all consumers to a degree, but knowing when we over-consume and when to move from consuming and into action is key.
If you think you fall into procrasta-learner tendencies, ask yourself what has you waiting for an outside source to help you make an inside decision?
Learning can be motivating, but unless you grow from it and put learning into action, you simply stay in wait. Waiting is a delay tactic, often out of fear. Fear often presents itself right before personal growth. What if you grew out of the fear and into creating?
The Creator
Creators are people who use what they know, whom they know, and who they are to create what they want for themselves, their business, and their career.
Creators are deliberate, even calculating where they prioritize their time and effort towards the outcomes they want.
Whether leading a team of hundreds or a business of one, creators invest their time in becoming the leader they want to role model, developing their business, and putting action to what they have consumed.
When creators report on their business they do it with creation in mind. They share that because of a decline in revenue (reporting), and with that new platform they’ve researched (consume), they are implementing a new marketing initiative (creator). That's consuming to create.
Creators learn, act, audit, and evaluate for generative outcomes.
Where we spend our time is what we prioritize. Look back at last week’s calendar for when you reported, consumed, and when you've taken action to create.
Would you rather create and fail than consume and stay safe?
If you are thinking about a big life change, here's some inspiration. My life change story: NJMom.com.
If you are inspired and want to get started changing yours, book a consult with me here.
‘Coaching is by far the most ROI-positive investment you can make in yourself. Do it! Even if you go in with a specific issue, or question in mind, you will be amazed by how the process can change your thinking about who you are, the skills you have, and where you want to go.’
