Personality Types and Leadership – Part 3

At one time or another, most companies boast that, “Our most valuable asset is our people”.  While many may say it, one type of leadership personality LIVES it.  COREMAP® calls these special people Relater Personalities.

When it comes to putting people first, few do it better than the Relater-Leader.  This individual demonstrates his/her commitment to doing what is best for “his/her people” in every word and action.  Consequently, he/she is genuinely loved by followers.  The traits that foster this love include:

• Develop Team Spirit and Loyalty – The Relater-Leader creates an environment in which every member of the team is valued; every idea and opinion deserves to be heard.  While the leader may have to make the final decision, it will only be made after hearing everyone’s input.  The Relater-Leader truly believes that his/her people are the very best at what they do; no one can do it better.  For this, the followers deliver a 110% effort because people want to live up to those expectations of greatness.

• Coach, Praise and Encourage – When the team is doing well, the Relater-Leader praises the team’s efforts and lauds their successes; encourages everyone to “keep up the good work”.  When things are not going well; or, when an individual’s performance needs correction, corrective actions are undertaken in a manner that makes the follower want to do better.

• Build Consensus – It is a rare project in which all participants are in 100% agreement.  Far more likely is a disparate range of opinions and beliefs that must be reconciled if the team is to make real progress and complete the task at hand in a timely manner.  This is where the Relater-Leader can truly excel because he/she is good at bringing these various factions together and having all parties feel that they had an opportunity to voice their beliefs, opinions, strategies; and, that the final decision was one that all could support.

While I have no idea if President Eisenhower was a Relater Personality, I can think of no finer example of Relater-like behavior than then General Eisenhower’s handling of the people involved with the D-Day invasion of Normandy.  As Supreme Allied Commander of the European Theater of Operations, “Ike” had to balance the egos of both Generals Patton and Montgomery; the belief of some in both the British and American bomber commands that bombing alone could win the war; the Soviet demands that the second front be opened immediately; and, a weather forecast that provided an extraordinarily narrow window of opportunity to launch the invasion with both acceptable weather and tides.  After hearing input from all parties, General Eisenhower made the fateful decision to launch the invasion on the morning of June 6, 1944.  All parties felt that they had been heard and executed the invasion as ordered.