Directing, strategic, team building, and operational. Which aptitudes do you have? Think you need all four to be a good leader? Think again! There are different types of leaders and a healthy organization has a mix of all of them, according to John Maxwell in his audio lesson, “4 Aptitudes of Leadership”. In this lesson he summarizes the content of George Barna’s book, The Power of Team Leadership (and I’ll summarize the audio lesson here).
I’m excited to share this with you because it was very helpful for me. It gave me the understanding that not all types of leaders have the same characteristics and it takes all the leadership aptitudes to have a well-rounded leadership team. As most of the leaders in my previous organizations have been of one type, it gave me permission to be a leader with a different aptitude.
Directing Leader
As you might guess, the directing leader loves to direct. The directing leader is the one casting the vision and motivating people to get on board. The directing leader makes tough calls and is an intuitive decision-maker. They are good listeners and effective speakers.
The directing leader tends to have a short attention span and has little patience for the discussion of details. The are inclined to action and want things to happen now. The directing leader is not interested in the details of process. Good in groups, but not with individuals.
Strategic Leader
The strategic leader is the one who implements the vision and makes that vision reality. They ask tough questions and don’t mind creating controversy. They value the vision first and foremost, ahead of people.
The strategic leader is necessary but not popular because they tend to be insensitive. Unlike the directing leader, the strategic leader takes a long time to make decisions. They also lean towards perfectionism.
Team Building Leader
John Maxwell is an example of a team building leader. This type of leader enjoys organizing people around a cause. They are charismatic and team members respect them. The team building leader values people.
The team building leader may be wishy-washy on details. They may ignore the plan and the budget. And sometimes relationships derail the progress for the team building leader.
Operational Leader
The operational leader provides stability. They create systems and solutions to make things run better. The operational leader often coordinates work. They also need to report bad news but aren’t usually directly responsible for it.
The operational leader lacks motivational skills and is less influential than the other three types. They don’t like conflict and fail to see the big picture. The operational leaders can blur the line between leader and manager.
What’s your leadership aptitude?
From the quick summary here, is there a leadership aptitude or two that resonate with you? According to John Maxwell, most people have one or two of the aptitudes, but never all four. For me, that was an eye-opener. I identify with the operational leader. I’ve been told that I’m good at creating processes. People come to me with all sorts of queries and requests, and I can usually direct them to the right person. In the audio lesson Maxwell mentions that the operational leader compliments the other three aptitudes in the form of being a servant-leader. By having descriptions of the various aptitudes of leadership, it’s easier for me to understand how to work together and what strengths and weaknesses I need to be aware of.
engineer your life
- Which aptitude or aptitudes do you identify with?
- Thinking about the leaders you work with. What aptitudes do they have?
- Given your aptitudes and the aptitudes of the leaders around you, how can you work better with them?