Leadership Flashcards
What are the main types of leadership styles?
- Autocratic - dictator style
- democratic - allows input of others
- laisez-faire - laid back and allows others to make day-to-day decisions
What is a style of motivation?
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs - the gist is that Maslow’s hierarchy outlines five tiers of human needs, commonly represented by a pyramid. These five tiers are:
* Physiological needs: Food, water, shelter, air, sleep, clothing, reproduction
* Safety needs: Personal security, employment, resources, health, property
* Love and belonging: Family, friendship, intimacy, a sense of connection
* Esteem: Status, recognition, self-esteem, respect
* Self-actualization: Desire to reach your full potential
The biggest lesson for leaders here is that you need to have the basics in place before anything else. Because Maslow’s tiers build on each other, a promotion won’t do much to motivate your team members if they’re concerned about the safety of their work environment. By giving people confidence in basic needs (salary or job security) they can build on other requirements
Have you used a motivational theory at work?
To some extent yes, making sure that support staff feel included and are paid to suit their role and ability is a good starting point. Creating a team bond via social events breaks down barriers and giving praise where applicable helps to keep a team motivated
How do you ensure effective organisation design / communication strategies?
By encouraging 1-to-1 communication, keeping things informal when possible, including some humour to keep it light-hearted, open session meetings, open door policy
How would you describe your leadership style?
Mostly democratic but autocratic when needed
Provide an example of where you have had to adapt your leadership style towards a client or project.
There was a delay in sourcing light fittings for a project, the architect was insistent that the proposed fittings be used. I had to overrule the architect and decide to proceed with something of equal performance but a different design. The architect reluctantly agreed this with the client.
What skills do you use to organise yourself and others?
Set goals and objectives, prioritising, time management
What is a governance structure?
Governance structure refers to the framework of project management, especially regarding rules, procedures, roles and the division of responsibilities within the whole decision-making process. It keeps the project in check, allowing it to run flawlessly and in accordance with the plan.
Tell me about your understanding of how people behave in a range of scenarios.
I read a book called “surrounded by idiots” - this describes a method for assessing the personalities of people we communicate within and out of the office – based on four personality types (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow), and provides insights into how we can adjust the ways we speak and share information. Red (dominant, direct, active), Yellow (inspiring, impulsive, influential), Green (stable, calm, supportive) or Blue (analytical, slow, cautious).
What legislation covers HR?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) - This is the main piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Essentially you need to ensure that you do everything reasonable and sensible to ensure that your employees are protected from harm and their health, safety and welfare is not put at risk.
Also Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) & Working Time Regulations (1998) & The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2007
How do you measure and assess team performance?
By using KPIs and appraisals
Explain your understanding of IR35 and how it may affect your organisation.
IR35 rules are designed to stop contractors working as ‘disguised employees’, by taxing them at a rate similar to employment, and it affects all contractors who do not meet HMRC’s definition of self-employed.
According to the gov.uk website, if someone is self-employed “most of the following are true”:
- they put in bids or give quotes to get work
- they’re not under direct supervision when working
- they submit invoices for the work they’ve done
- they’re responsible for paying their own National Insurance and tax
- they do not get holiday or sick pay when they’re not working
- they operate under a contract (sometimes known as a ‘contract for services’ or ‘consultancy agreement’) that uses terms like ‘self-employed’, ‘consultant’ or an ‘independent contractor’
What are some of your leadership roles?
- As a project manager, I was responsible for leading a team to deliver a project, without successful leadership a project can fail. This includes leading all stakeholders.
- When working for the client, I was responsible for leading the contractor and other stakeholders to achieve the client’s objectives.
Even in my current role, as a small business owner, I will have to have a clear vision and goals to grow the business.
How can leadership and motivation theories be applied in practice?
As a leader, you need to get to know your team members and discover what motivates them so you can create an environment to help them reach their full potential as they become intrinsically motivated. Leadership will then help them achieve the team goals
How have you applied your understanding of how organisational design and communication strategies can affect leadership?
Organisational design is the process of aligning the structure of an organisation with its objectives, with the ultimate aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness. Work can be triggered by the need to improve service delivery or specific business processes, or as a result of a new mandate.
This can affect leadership as people can be against change making it difficult to implement changes. Selling the process to a team and keeping them motivated is key.
