Leader & Team Member - Appendix 3
If everyone knows us and we know none,
'Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack and be gone.
William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Syracuse, Act 3 Scene 2)
You'll recall that in the 'functions of leadership' section, I asked you to download, print and complete the 'Leader and Team Member' questionnaire. It listed 15 factors that you were asked to rate in order of importance to you, as the leader, and then in the order that you thought a representative member of your group might list them.
Before Covid-19 - whenever I aggregated the results, the top five factors were:
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
As you see, four of the top five factors are 'motivators' with salary heading the team member's list though lower on the leader's. This implies that those leading believe it's the most important factor for a typical team member. Further, as recognition is listed as third in the team member's list, it would suggest that - in the eyes of the leader - the team member needs the recognition that the leader can give. Though, as it's not even in the leader's top 5, we must assume that s/he doesn't need the recognition that her/his boss can give them. Also the ranking of responsibility would seem to indicate that the leader welcomes responsibility, whereas the team member doesn't really want it (it's not even in the team member's top 5).
Do I see McGregor's 'Theory X' leaders leaping out at me? These findings certainly appear to reflect the views of such leaders - staff need to be coerced or bribed to work, that they avoid responsibility and prefer to be directed.
But you'll remember we found another reality in the ideas of Abraham Maslow and Fred Herzberg. Even Douglas McGregor identified the Theory 'Y' leader, i.e. one who views his subordinates in a more enlightened manner. I hope that you agree that this short exercise has served to remind us that we each need to spend time getting to know what makes individuals in our groups want to get out of bed and go to work each day, i.e. what makes them tick.
And finally, as I said, the top five factors listed above were those that I aggregated pre Covid-19. I'll be intrigued to see what, if any, additions or deletions there are in your lists today. I'd be prepared to bet good money that the ranking of your top five will bear a striking similarity to that of your team......maybe one positive outcome of today's situation.
something2ponder....can you see merit in asking each individual in your group to complete the questionnaire?
​
