Friday, June 14, 2013

A511.2.4.RB Supportive Leadership

Leadership Behavior
Take the opportunity to reflect specifically on Yukl's material on pages 63 through 72, Supportive Behavior
Supportive leadership (or “supporting”) includes a wide variety of behaviors that show consideration, acceptance, and concern for the needs and feelings of other people. Supportive leadership helps to build and maintain effective interpersonal relationships. A manager who is considerate and friendly toward people is more likely to win their friendship and loyalty. The emotional ties that are formed make it easier to gain cooperation and support from people on whom the manager must rely to get the work done. It is more satisfying to work with someone  who is friendly, cooperative, and supportive than with someone who is cold and impersonal, or worse, hostile, and uncooperative (Yukl, 2013).
Guidelines for Supporting
·        Show acceptance and positive regard.
·        Provide sympathy and support when the person is anxious or upset.
·        Bolster the person’s self-esteem and confidence.
·        Be willing to help with personal problems.
Guidelines for Developing Subordinates
·        Show concern for each person's development.
·        Help the person identify ways to improve performance.
·        Be patient and helpful when providing coaching.
·        Provide helpful career advice.
·        Help the person prepare for a job change.
·        Encourage attendance at relevant training activities.
·        Provide opportunities to learn from experience.
·        Encourage coaching by peers when appropriate.
·        Promote the person’s reputation.
 
Recognizing
Recognizing involves giving praise and showing appreciation to others for effective performance, significant achievements, and important contributions to the organization. The primary purpose of recognizing, especially when used with subordinates, is to strengthen desirable behavior and task commitment. Recognizing is primarily a relations behavior, but like developing, it can contribute to the attainment of task objectives as well. Three major forms of recognizing are praise, awards, and recognition ceremonies.
Assuming that these leadership behaviors are appropriate at all levels of organizations; I do a fairly good job of using these tactics with my Work Experience Students.  In my role, it is extremely important to give positive constructive feedback, coach, encourage, support and recognize individuals for all progress, no matter how small! 
I’ve found that the students respond positively and in turn actually WANT to come to ‘work’.  That is what I aim for, a positive experience that they actually want to come and do every day!  All students met 2 out of 3 goals set for them in the beginning of the year, this is big!  These two things alone give me plenty of reason and cause to keep these tools close and use often because I want to engage the participants in my program!
 

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