Directive Style Of Leadership??

[Eamonn 61]

Ed, if you look back at what you said: "Just a simple command."

I think that you will see that the idea of commanding is not the best way to go.

What is wrong with commanding?

Try this one.

Hey Ed sit down and listen.

Or

Hey Ed do you have a minute? We need to talk, why not pull up a chair?

Which one feels better?

Which one do you prefer?

Eamonn

[dsteele 20]

Wow! 3 nearly simultaneously placed posts.

 

In this particular case, I'd rather be hit in the middle of the crossfire than missed

 

Directing styles of leadership can be quite comforting to those new in a position. If a commissioner crashes into a troop meeting and starts telling an experienced Scoutmaster what to do, he will be rightfully tossed out on his ear.

 

However, is a unit commissioner sits down with a new scoutmaster and explains how to run a troop meeting when the poor sod (just for Eamonn's grin) doesn't have a clue how a troop meeting should look, directing is a good and welcome thing.

 

DS

[Eamonn 61]

Man Of Steele, makes a good point.

We used to call this A Guided Discovery.

In training we use it a lot, so as not to waste the time of the participants.

If we look back to the Quatermaster in the Four styles of Leadership thread, we see that on the first campout, he forgot the tarps. Now thanks to experiance and a little help, he is able to do the job with little or no direct directive leadership. The leader has taken care of that in the very early stages when he or she was setting up the project.

[evmori 11]

eamonn,

Obviously your second example. The point I am trying to make is there is a place for ALL styles of leadership. And there are times for ALL styles of leadership. And not every style of leadership will fit every situation. Also, directing has it's place in Scouting and most other organizations. Directing can be used in a positive manner and can produce excellent results! Directing isn't only negative! I think you understand that.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[scoutldr 726]

I've always preferred what I term "outcome oriented" leadership. For instance, I tell the SPL, "we have to be at the flagpole at 8 pm for the campfire." Then he knows that in the intervening time, they have to prepare dinner, wash dishes, put the gear away, etc. Normally what happens is they are busy lounging around and suddenly notice at 7pm that the adults are finishing eating and they haven't even started. They manage to get dinner cooked, but then have to do dishes at 9:30 pm after the campfire instead of the planned "capture the flag" game. Everyone suffers for the poor planning, and a lesson is learned.

[Eagledad 2777]

>>They manage to get dinner cooked, but then have to do dishes at 9:30 pm after the campfire instead of the planned "capture the flag" game. Everyone suffers for the poor planning, and a lesson is learned.

[Eamonn 61]

Eagledad,

I agree that Agendas are great.

Do you think that an agenda is a form of directive leadership?

[Eagle74 10]

Thank you dsteele. An underlying implication here has been that the directing style of leadership is "bad". It is not. It is simply one of four styles, all of which are appropriate when applied appropriately based on the situation. Hersey and Blanchard developed their Situational Leadership principles on the basis of research that concluded that there is no one "correct" or "best" style of leadership - the most successful leader has a "style of leadership" that fluctuates and adjusts to the development level of those being led. I hope to have enough time soon to post some more on this.

[Eagledad 2777]

>>Do you think that an agenda is a form of directive leadership?

[evmori 11]

An agenda as a form of leadership? I don't think so. An agenda is just that, an agenda. A schedule for a meeting. Nothing more nothing less.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad 2777]

Maybe, but the example I gave was the agenda was handed out to all the leaders including the SM before the campout so they would know the times for flag, eating, program and so on. There is little difference from that and the SPL, or SM in some troops, walking around telling everyone the time for flag.

 

Barry

[evmori 11]

Wonderful, but the agenda in this case is nothing more than a schedule! It has noting to do with a leadership style.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad 2777]

REally? See how the weekend goes without it. Just like the roster, it is a directive way of controlling the group. I am amazed how few PLCs use them and how many wait for the adults to tell them the next step. What happens in most troops when the SPL doesn't get the scouts up?

 

We find in JLTC that creating and following the agenda is the third most challenging leadership skill to grasp behind communication and delegation.

 

Barry

[evmori 11]

They don't get up! That's usually what happens.

 

 

[Bob White 20]

An agenda is a tool of leadership. The agenda is a written plan. A plan not witten down is just a wish, and wishing for something to happen is not leadership.

 

Ed, In my son's troop all the gear is in one vehicle. When the troop arrives at its destination the two troop Quartermasters control the dispersal of equipment. Each patrol sends the quartermaster and another patrol member to draw equipment from the QM, it goes into an equipment line for that patrol, and then the patrol comes and transports the equipment to the patrol site. Planning is a tool of leadership.

 

Bob White

 

PS

My Patrol? Let's see the bill of sale.

"My Patrol" is a phrase boys develop when they hear the Scoutmaster say "MY Troop". It is not the Scoutmasters troop! It is the troop the Scoutmaster serves. It is the Patrol the patrol leader serves during his term of office. Better leadership comes from an understaning that the leader is not the owner but the the head servant of the needs of the group.(This message has been edited by Bob White)