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Inspiration

Authoritative leadership

ithout rules, it's nearly impossible to navi- Getting the answers to some of these questions is much
gate the variety of situations we face day like finding out what merchants' pain points are. It
to day. Imagine commuting to work or requires listening well, not just on occasion but day to day;
W running errands if there were no rules of not assuming you have all the answers; and coming up
the road. Or how would children know how to behave with what you believe are the best ways to convey your
at home, school, the park—basically anywhere—without expectations, and then being willing to change course as
having rules and limits? needed.

Indeed, researchers have found that children growing up It's easy to envision a company with leadership that is
in overly permissive homes often exhibit lasting negative overly permissive running amok and failing. It's also easy
characteristics, including weak decision-making ability, to picture resentful people counting the minutes until
lack of impulse control, and an outsized ego and sense of quitting time in an authoritarian workplace. What does
entitlement. Children from authoritarian homes, where authoritative leadership look like? Here's one professional's
what parents value above all else is obedience, also often vision:
exhibit problematic behaviors such as callousness and
lower social competence. "Authoritative leaders, also called visionary leaders, tend
to approach leadership like a mentor guiding a mentee,"
So what leads to the better outcomes? Parents with wrote Tim Stobierski for Harvard Business School Online,
an authoritative approach, which combines warmth, see https://bit.ly/3cZWHsd. "Instead of telling their team
sensitivity and setting limits. This approach leads to follow instructions and do as they say, authoritative
to superior outcomes for children—across the globe, leaders put themselves in the scenario and utilize a 'come
according to Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., who wrote "The with me' approach. They have a firm understanding of the
authoritative parenting style: An evidenced based guide," challenges to overcome and the goals to reach, and have a
published by Parenting Science, see https://bit.ly/3Dgkwa5. clear vision for achieving success."
Yeah, but we're adults here Our styles and aims are as distinct and divergent as our

You might wonder what this has to do with business, personalities. Some of us may have slight authoritarian
but consider your leadership style and company culture. or permissive leanings and still be successful leaders.
To probe this, there are so many questions a leader can But if we want our teams to truly thrive in their roles, the
ask. Do your employees and partners know what your authoritative route looks like a good way to go.
expectations are? How do you convey your principles
and rules to them? How do you enforce them? Is there a
disconnect between your rules and actual behavior? How
does someone know what constitutes a hard and fast rule
and what's more of a rule of thumb? What's the word on
the street about what you and your company are all about?
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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