Are you the ‘take charge’ type? Or… are you the ‘follow after’ type. Maybe you’re the ‘snipe at’ whoever does take charge type. Me… I’m the take charge one. In a crisis or panic or emergency situation, I typically allow for a 3 beat count and then if no leadership emerges… I do. Not a huge surprise? My point is we all tend to take on the characteristics of one of those three with our own personal, individualistic style. The overriding question is how we display our type. ‘Which’ may be question 1 but ‘how’ is definitely question 2 and is crucial to effectiveness.
What does it mean if you are a take charge type? How do you express your type? Do you become a kind of despotic leader? Or are you a ‘brook no interference’ leader? How do you ‘take charge’? For me there are some definite initial assessments that are important to know and acknowledge – especially if you are desiring people to follow your leadership: 1- a quick survey of the strengths and abilities of those involved, 2- a quasi-democratic approach to problem solving which depends on the degree of crisis/panic/emergency and the time available for resolution.
There is a time for a ‘come let us reason together’ style and give our own understandings and interpretations of what’s going on. This approach requires that there is a great deal of time and the ability to facilitate everyone’s input. While it may be one’s personal preference for leadership style, it rarely works when people are needing an answer now and a way to proceed… now. This particular time is the ‘crisis’ mode time and you are in charge, but of what? And how do you emerge as leader?
I think the most critical component is that you do see a plan, procedure to meet the situation. Then you need to be able to articulate it so that others understand. Next is to help them to ‘own’ the decision and make suggestions. Last is to implement the plan allowing those who have the skills to take the leadership in their particular areas of expertise. In crisis times, leadership is all the more important so that energy and resources aren’t wasted. Those of a ‘take charge’ nature can resolve much of the problem by utilizing the strengths of those that they work with and not ‘order’ others or feel the need to do everything themselves. How do you take charge?
