What do you do if your team members are resistant to your leadership style?

The importance of self-reflection and assessing one's leadership style for flexibility cannot be overstated. Being open to feedback and willing to adapt demonstrates strong leadership qualities. Recognizing that different situations may require varying approaches and being adaptable can greatly enhance team dynamics and overall effectiveness. By showing a willingness to evolve, leaders convey value for their team's input and a commitment to fostering a collaborative and mutually beneficial working environment.

The first thing is to investigate why they are opposing your leadership style. The team cannot just wake up one day and decide to dislike your style. As a leader, you should also have an inclination of what is causing the problem.

Recognizing the importance of flexibility in leadership is crucial, yet it's often challenging to remain adaptable amidst our own values and aspirations. However, true flexibility doesn't mean compromising our principles; rather, it entails understanding different perspectives and working towards a shared goal. Personally, I've found that embracing flexibility has been instrumental in fostering team collaboration and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. I would search for win-win solutions and find shared goals.

Reflect on Your Leadership Style: Start by reflecting on your leadership approach. Consider whether your style aligns with the needs and preferences of your team members. Are you being too controlling, too hands-off, or not providing enough support? Understanding your own style and its impact can help you make necessary adjustments. Open Communication: Initiate open and honest conversations with your team members to understand their perspectives. Listen actively to their concerns, feedback, and suggestions without becoming defensive. Make it clear that you value their input and are committed to addressing their concerns. Empower Your Team: Empower your team members by involving them in decision-making processes

Members become resistant for various reasons. It is expedient for entrepreneurs to find out why. You may want to have an open dialogue in the most honest way possible. Embrace listening actively and empathetically.

Having an Open Dialogue with individual member of your team will assist you in finding out the root cause of why they are resisting your leadership style. Reason why I always recommend that leader adopt a situational leadership style. Be flexible and sometimes be rigid. Create an open communication and set clear goals. All this should yield positive results.

Creating an open dialogue is paramount when addressing resistance within a team. Approaching team members with genuine curiosity about their concerns fosters trust and encourages honest discussion without fear of reprisal. This dialogue focuses on understanding perspectives rather than proving right or wrong. By actively listening and acknowledging feelings, leaders create a safe space for team members to express themselves, leading to insights on adjusting leadership styles to better meet the team's needs.

Establishing an open dialogue necessitates cultivating environments devoid of judgment and characterized by mutual respect. It's crucial to provide every participant with the opportunity not only to share their ideas and viewpoints but also to delve into the motivations behind them. Often, when we grasp someone's underlying motivations, ideas that initially seemed unfeasible or unappealing become intriguing and inspiring. By actively listening and encouraging such open exchanges, we create a safe space where team members feel valued and understood, paving the way for constructive discussions and insights that can refine our leadership approach to better align with the team's needs.

I agree that opening a dialogue with the team is the way to go. I do not think the dialogue would be one where the team is called and asked why they dislike your style It could be on one on one discussion to prompt for a response. A section by section meeting can also suffice depending on the level of staff. The meeting can start with issues not related to leadership to build trust between yourself and the team.

One of the most important things in this case is that talking about issues should be only held in 1 on 1 meetings, not group sessions! Any positive feedback could be given in group meetings, but any negative feedback MUST be given in individual meetings! When a group meeting gets to the way which employees start criticizing, most of the time the manager feels threaten and it will not end in a way which employees get what they want!

Identifying specific issues causing resistance is crucial after opening lines of communication. It could be related to decision-making processes, communication methods, or the pace of leadership. Understanding these root causes enables direct addressing of issues. While it doesn't necessitate a complete overhaul of leadership style, being aware of pain points allows for targeted adjustments that alleviate tension and enhance team morale.

In follow up meetings after trust has been built, a more direct approach can be adopted. It can even be a situation where a meeting or a series of them are held to solicit for problem areas relating to leadership that they feel should be corrected. It would be in order to start by stating that as people we see most matters in different light moreso in leading others and therefore I am requesting your contribution as to how I can improve in managing or leading you. Reassure them that you will take their contributions seriously. And that there will be no retribution whatsoever but willingness on my part to make the working relationship better.

While quick decisions are necessary at times, it's crucial to identify and address root causes of resistance. It's also crucial to recognize that some individuals thrive on debate, which can contribute positively to decision-making processes. However, there are instances where tough decisions must be made, and achieving unanimous agreement may not always be feasible. In such cases, it's valuable to acknowledge differing perspectives and move forward with a clear plan. Nonetheless, allocating time for reflection and improvement through post-project reviews is essential for continuous growth and refinement of our leadership approaches.

The more someone nags the more responsibility must be given to him/her! It's a simple management trick which helps a lot to manage their energy in a constructive way!

It's like a lot of things in business, get buy in from key stakeholders and make it a joint effort. This way they will not only feel like they are being heard and have a say in what goes down but also will be actively contributing to the business they work in. win-win

After identifying issues, collaborating with your team to develop solutions is crucial. This may include setting clear expectations, adjusting communication strategies, or providing additional support. The aim is to create a plan that respects both your vision as a leader and the needs of your team. Involving the team in problem-solving fosters ownership and commitment, leading to more effective solutions and improved team dynamics.

At this stage the leader and the team have indentfied the gaps that had led to the opposition of the leader's style of leadership. Suppose the leader had used the dictatorial style, the leader agrees to moderate this style to a democratic one to begin to balance his/her style. It would be productive having agreed with the team about the observed poor leadership style that you will endeavour to change.

Working collaboratively to address customer support issues involves setting clear expectations, refining communication strategies, and providing necessary support. This approach respects your leadership vision while addressing team needs. Engaging team members in problem-solving fosters ownership and commitment, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions. This collaborative method ensures that solutions are well-rounded and team-driven, enhancing the overall customer support experience.

Having agreed on the correction of the observed style, the leader should proceed to manage the team using a style that is situational. It would be a good idea to inform the team that as their leader, they should expect him/her to use different styles depending on the situation. A training course on the various leadership styles to the the team to understand changes in style at different periods is caused by the situation. This will then not surprise them when the leader behaves differently at times. The leader must implement the agreed positions without delay. A 360 degree communication strategy can be used to quicken the collaboration.

One additional insight to consider is the power of leading by example. As a leader, your actions speak louder than words. Demonstrating the values, behaviors, and attitudes you expect from your team sets a powerful precedent. Whether it's showing integrity, resilience, or a willingness to learn, your actions can inspire and influence your team members. By embodying the qualities you wish to see in others, you create a culture of accountability, trust, and excellence within your team.

I like to work on this problem backward. If you hire the right people, the team won't resist your leadership style. Now, having said that, if it does happen, you need to get everyone on the same page. That means collaborating and having them see the vision. If they don't or refuse, you need to hire a team that is on your page.

Not all founders are good leaders, specially when a company grows. We often suggest to point a different type of CEO in a later phase, simply because every growth phase needs a different type of leader. But let′s say you are an amazing leader and they don′t like your style....find out what′s their challenge, dig deeper why they don′t thrive and be transparent in asking. If you as a leader acknowledge there is something wrong, they will trust you and openly give you surprisingly well feedback to adapt and make necessary changes.