Leadership is an extremely important component of any thriving organization. Actually, trust in leadership correlates closely with employee engagement and productivity. In fact, over half of today’s workforce lists solid leadership as important to their overall happiness with the organization. This is why many manager now turn to achievement oriented leadership.
Effective leadership drives an organization to perform at its highest level. It also offers the inspiration and motivation to create a culture of unity and shared vision.
What Is Achievement Oriented Leadership?
There are many forms of leadership and each style has its own advantages. Achievement oriented leadership is one such leadership model that is quite popular in today’s workplace. It is a particularly relevant and effective model for the Millennial generation of workers who are beginning to permeate the workplace.
Achievement oriented leadership:
- Sets challenging goals;
- Creates high performance expectations;
- Offers the training and career growth required to achieve these goals.
This style is attractive to workers who want to be high achieving, value teamwork, and are inspired by stretch goals.
Who Uses This Style
Achievement oriented leadership can be used and implemented in a variety of organizational roles, however it’s most commonly used by managers in an organization. Managers have the responsibility of motivating the doers of the organization.
The managers of the organization are closest to the action and are responsible for communicating goals and driving performance initiatives. They have direct contact with the employees that can make the lofty goals come to life. So, they are the group most likely to implement this style. They are also responsible for performance reviews, and career growth which are two major components of this style.
How This Style Impacts Business
Effective achievement oriented leadership can help a business in a multitude of ways. Here are a few of the most prominent benefits:
- Long-term productivity: This leadership style is the most effective when it comes to long-term results. Unlike other similar approaches, achievement oriented leaders derive success by finding the passion in each employee. Therefore, employees feel more connected to their work. Also, they take more ownership of achieving the end result.
- Increased employee engagement: This style also focuses on personal development and how each individual contribution impacts the overall mission. This type of culture provides a sense of unity that can’t be beat. Employees feel like more than a number and feel appreciated for their accomplishments. They also feel connected to their coworkers which creates a positive and team-based atmosphere. This concept leads to increased employee engagement which impacts productivity and creativity.
- Builds resiliency: In an achievement oriented environment there is no such thing as failure. Roadblocks are considered stepping stones to the end result. Also, the employees are coached towards a mindset of resiliency. Employees are also provided with the training and resources required to carry out the organizational objectives. They are encouraged every step of the way and develop confidence in their own abilities. This style also creates an attitude of creativity and risk-taking. This attitude can lend to unparalleled results and a competitive advantage.
5 Tips to Have Flawless Achievement Oriented Leadership
Using achievement oriented leadership is much easier said than done. While it sounds lofty and dreamy to inspire others to achieve their best work, there is a process for accomplishing this goal. Here are a few tips for utilizing this concept within your organization.
1. Mistakes Are OK
In order to effectively implement this leadership style you need to develop a culture where mistakes are accepted and embraced. Your employees need to feel supported so they can take calculated risks.
Design strategies for addressing mistakes in a productive and learning environment. Mistakes should be viewed as a stepping stone to the end result.
2. Implement Goal-Oriented Messaging
In achievement oriented leadership, lofty goals are set and expectations are high. Therefore, it is important for leaders to incorporate messaging that communicates the goals and expectations on a regular basis. There are a variety of ways to share this message.
Regular face-to-face meetings, video messaging, signage in the office, and office swag are great ways to align your message. Message bombardment helps employees feel more connected to the goals and is a constant reminder of what the organization is trying to accomplish.
3. Abandon the Hierarchy
While hierarchical management is necessary in some situations, it shouldn’t be the only form of structure. This is especially true in an achievement oriented environment. This leadership style focuses on teamwork and a shared vision to achieve established goals.
Therefore, the main leader must be visible and available to all employees and must express an interest and appreciation for each level of the organization. Communication should be free-flowing and open and should not rely on a trickle-down impact.
4. Invest in the Individual
Another primary component of achievement oriented leadership is the ability to motivate each individual to be part of the whole. This requires extensive one-on-one time and investment with each employee.
Organizations that want to focus on this leadership style need to pay special attention to the career development and professional goals of each employee. This may require training your management team and walking them through the process of supporting their small teams.
5. Embrace Change
Achievement oriented leaders know and understand that a business must evolve and that they must be open to change and willing to take risks. While this leadership style focuses on setting high standards, leaders in the environment must also know how to evaluate the goals and make adjustments as necessary.
Now, Achieve!
This article just skims the surface of what it means to be an exceptional leader using this style. There will always be bumps in the road. But leaders who focus on their employees, clearly communicate and evaluate their vision. They are also open to change will find loads of success and will be admired and respected by their teams.
If you’ve had success with this model, tell us your story!
The images are from depositphotos.com.