Leadership by Responsiveness
``SOME people don't stop at being good managers. They go beyond mere accomplishment of tasks, performance or achievements and inspire people to lead themselves. They are silent catalysts, aiding not just the achievement of organisational goals but also the inner growth of their people. Research on the subject proves that successful leaders - be it managers or line employees -- have an ability to respond to others in a way that takes into account the needs of all the people concerned.
Who is a responsive leader?: A responsive leader is a person who is able to identify both the explicit and implicit needs of people he interacts with and uses his understanding of those needs to try and fulfil them, whenever required. Responsive leaders are generally interested and concerned about the well being of their people. They are more than willing to work together, less likely to be callous or indifferent and are always ready to accept responsibility.
Their success lies in their ability to build respect and trust among the people they interact with. Concern, trust and respect for others ensure that staff respond positively to the paradigm of responsiveness. The skill set of responsive leadership includes analytical, emotional and communication skills.
Active/ responsive listening: Responsive managers are inherently active listeners. They listen with understanding and empathise with the speaker. They watch out for non-verbal messages in body language and actively use words and gesturesto encourage the speaker to voice his feelings without fear or guilt.
Cooperative language: These leaders avoid confrontations and often use qualifiers rather than making absolute statements that may result in conflict. Moreover, they concentrate on solving the problem instead of fixing the blame.
Analytical skills: Responsive managers, being active listeners, have the ability to identify needs, priorities and act upon them in a direct and consistent manner. They often are respected, trusted and perceived as reliable and useful by those in the higher levels of the hierarchy. This helps them pull things through when needed.
Social Skills: The responsive leader has a high degree of social skills. He can relate and be one with others. People often trust such leaders and respond to them in a positive manner. It is however important to be detached from petty issues and be responsive to the real issues that matter.
Responsiveness to Change: Responsive managers often adapt to evolving environments by changing their positioning and their way of doing things. They strive to constantly stay abreast of the altering needs of people and situations. They are flexible, fluid and free.
People- oriented responsiveness: Being value driven and people oriented, they often give more importance to doing good rather than doing well. They humanise the organisation by giving each member due attention and recognition.
Empathy and responsiveness are critical components of management success, and leadership by responsiveness is perhaps the best way for managers and supervisors to get things done for the benefit of all concerned.
BINDU SRIDHAR
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