Most front-line leaders lack the fundamental interaction skills and behaviours required to be effective leaders, according to new trend research taken from a meta-analysis of assessment data from thousands of leaders around the world.
And guess what? Senior leaders are even worse.
The research, conducted by Development Dimensions International (DDI), Driving Workplace Performance through High-Quality Conversations: What leaders must do every day to be effective, shows that leaders - and their co-workers and direct reports - would benefit from being able to hold more effective conversations.
Common Interaction Mistakes Leaders Make
The research concludes that the ability to facilitate effective conversations is critical at every level of leadership.
As part of a core set of interaction skills, this behaviour must be mastered in order to build relationships and get work done. Senior leaders have not mastered these skills and are no better off, even though they have been at it longer.
Ninety per cent of executives act before checking their understanding of an issue and are ineffective at inviting ideas from others. For front-line leaders, the trend was similar. Only 11 per cent of executives successfully preserve their colleagues’ self-esteem and display empathy demonstrating interpersonal diplomacy. Front-line leaders fair only slightly better in these areas.
Why Interactions Go Bad—Missteps and Derailers that Trip Up Effective Conversations
Leaders lack the fundamental frameworks, skills, and tools to have effective conversations. While they can identify what constitutes a good and bad conversation, DDI research confirms that leaders struggle to incorporate these behaviours when required.
Common missteps that leaders at all levels of an organisation trip through, or the 7 Interaction Sins - are:
1. Jumping straight to fixing the problem;
2. One size fits all approach;
3. Avoiding the tough issues;
4. Inconsistent application across different contexts;
5. Influencing through the facts only, or not using ‘story telling’;
6. Spotting opportunity for change but not engaging others; and
7. Neglecting to coach in the moment.
Research also indicates that leaders may lack the self-awareness of personal characteristics that can derail their intentions. It identifies 11 personality derailers that impact leadership performance at all organisational levels.
The derailers most likely to negatively impact a leaders’ performance include:
· impulsivity,
· volatility,
· eccentricity, and
· attention- seeking.
While derailers tend to play a larger role in senior-leader failure, DDI research uncovered it can wreak havoc at any level.
The message is clear….in order to develop your team, business and organisation, whether you are on the front-line or, a senior leader, use of the fundamental interaction skills and behaviours required to be effective leader is a given.
With thanks: Coach2coach e-newsletter, October 11, 2013
Business Tips
Leaders'Lack of Interaction Skills
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