Your client is resistant to changing their leadership style. How can you help them improve team dynamics?

It is important to reflect to the client, the impact of their leadership style to their entire team. The process should not be postured to blame the client but rather persuasively reflect how certain behaviors or characteristics in the leadership are affecting some team members negatively. Be in a position to provide guidance. It be referring them for mentorship or certain aspects of courses that could enhance their leadership style. Emphasize on them they need to have cohesion when leading a team and the importance of the team trusting the leader.. if their behavior is causing this harmony in the team, nobody gains, and it’s detrimental to the success of the company. Perhaps the client may be requiring professional intervention

The first step in helping a client who is resistant to changing their leadership style is to understand the root of their resistance. Engage in open, non-judgmental conversations to explore their concerns, fears, or misconceptions about change. It might be linked to past experiences, a lack of confidence, or uncertainty about the benefits of adopting a new approach. By empathizing with their perspective and acknowledging their feelings, you build trust and create a foundation for constructive dialogue about the potential positive impacts of change on team dynamics.

Change can be scary and stressful to many people. When asked to change one’s leadership style, they may find it difficult. This can be due to uncertainty, stress, or even denial that they need to change. If this occurs, it’s important to empathize and actively listen to their concerns. Also, meaningful change happens over time. Therefore, remind the individual that making small changes over time can lead to great improvements in their leadership style. This can help lessen anxiety and uncertainty in their situation. If the resistance still persists, ask reflective and probing questions to help identify the root of why they’re resistant to changing their leadership style.

Uncover the "why", at times this could be ego, image-consciousness, ignorance, or something else, reaching the real reason is the key. Schedule a one-on-one discussion to understand their concerns, fears, or misconceptions about altering their leadership style. This insight can help you tailor your approach to address their specific reservations and demonstrate how change aligns with their goals.

I had a client who was highly resistant to change. I reframed the conversation by asking, ‘What are 2-3 things that will 10x success for you this year?’ Instead of focusing on the problem, I let them define success. This approach led to two self-diagnosed issues by the client themselves. By using motivational interviewing, they saw that a new leadership style was crucial for achieving 10x success. Shifting the focus to future goals and high standards turned resistance into enthusiasm. This transformed what was once a resistant ego problem into a simple and obvious new skill to be adopted for personal success. Once it wasn’t about fixing the person but rather about adding a new skill, the change became easy.

A thriving team starts with understanding its heartbeat. Dive deep into the current team dynamics to uncover what’s working and what’s not. By taking a close look at relationships, communication, and workflows, you can identify areas that need improvement. This insight is the first step toward creating a more harmonious and effective team environment.

A critical aspect is to treat the leader as an inherent part of the team in this assessment and focus on how the current dynamics impact your client in person. Helping your client understand how their current leadership style makes life more challenging for them will more likely spark their willingness to change. By linking the team dynamics to the leader's objectives, you can assist your client in adopting a broader perspective. This will enable them to pinpoint areas where they actively want to adjust their approach. In the end, most people will be more likely to be open to change if they directly see a benefit for themselves, as opposed to if the benefit would be more indirect.

A leader can only act as such if someone follows him. You need to know how the team sees the leader, how they interact and how they perceive him: is he admired or feared? Is his leadership inspiring or a source of ridicule? The initial perception of the leader is key to channelling that relationship and making it positive for all parties.

Effective team dynamics are crucial for high performance, and a leader's reluctance to change can hinder this. Help your client by conducting a thorough assessment of the team's dynamics, focusing on communication patterns, decision-making, and conflict resolution. Identify specific areas where the leader's style impacts performance negatively. Present these concrete examples to make the need for change more tangible and actionable, helping your client understand the benefits of adapting their approach.

Work with your client to set clear, achievable goals for improving their leadership style and team dynamics. These goals should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall objectives of the team. For example, you might set a goal to enhance team communication through regular feedback sessions or to foster a more inclusive environment by encouraging diverse viewpoints in decision-making. Provide actionable steps and resources, such as coaching, workshops, or mentoring, to support the client in implementing changes. Setting clear goals helps the client stay focused and motivated, making it easier for them to embrace and sustain new leadership behaviors that positively impact the team.

To improve team dynamics despite the client’s resistance to changing their leadership style, first clarify your role. If coaching, align with their goals and present data, such as improved team performance metrics from similar changes. If service-focused, work within the existing framework to enhance dynamics. Facilitate feedback sessions, recommend gradual adjustments, and offer targeted resources. This approach ensures you address team needs effectively while respecting their current leadership style.

We established specific goals for the transition. For instance, we aimed to increase open dialogue and encourage more input from team members. These goals were designed to align with improving team dynamics while also supporting the leader’s vision of becoming a more effective, respected figure.

Goals are the beacons that guide us through change. Help your client set clear, attainable goals that inspire and challenge them. When goals are well-defined, they act as a roadmap, giving the team direction and purpose. This clarity ignites motivation and transforms a vague vision into a concrete plan for success.

Once the need for change is acknowledged, set clear, achievable goals. Collaborate with your client to define effective leadership traits for their team and pinpoint specific behaviors that need adjustment. Use SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—to provide a clear roadmap and measure progress. Ensure goals are challenging yet attainable to keep your client motivated and avoid discouragement, promoting steady improvement and successful leadership adaptation.

To help a resistant client improve team dynamics, it's essential to focus on developing their leadership skills. This can involve providing targeted training or coaching sessions that address specific areas of improvement, such as active listening, effective communication, and conflict resolution. They can better understand the impact of their leadership style on team morale and productivity by using the necessary tools and knowledge.

Growth comes from nurturing our abilities. Equip your client with the skills they need to lead effectively. Whether it’s through training, coaching, or mentoring, developing new skills fosters confidence and empowers them to drive positive change. With the right tools, they can unlock their full potential and inspire their team to do the same.

Leadership skills are learnable and developable. Help your client acquire new competencies, such as effective communication, task delegation, and team motivation. Provide resources like workshops or training sessions tailored to these skills. Encourage practice in a safe environment before applying them with their team, ensuring they build confidence and competence for improved team dynamics.

I would recommend mapping out skills, capabilities and mindsets. Focusing only on skills is like working on the tip of the iceberg, while working on mindset enables behavioural change.

Delegation was a major challenge for the leader. We focused on developing this skill through role-playing exercises, where the leader practiced delegation in a controlled environment. This approach helped build confidence and demonstrated how delegation could empower the team without diminishing the leader’s control.

Resistance to change is natural, whether it's from leaders or teams. Sometimes, it's because they can't quite see what the future will look like, don’t fully grasp the benefits, or feel like it’s just not the most urgent thing on their plate. To truly support leaders in their change efforts, it’s important to keep them connected to the vision, help them see the real value, and make sure the change stays front and center. When leaders feel personally invested and understand how it will make a difference, they can guide their teams with confidence and inspire them to embrace the journey.

Once the client better understands their leadership style and its effects on the team, it's time to implement changes. This may involve encouraging them to experiment with different approaches, such as delegating tasks more effectively, providing more frequent feedback, or fostering a more inclusive work environment. It is vital to support them through this process by offering guidance, resources, and ongoing feedback. The client can improve team dynamics by gradually implementing changes without feeling overwhelmed or resistant.

When coaching a client resistant to changing their leadership style, I first emphasize that effective leadership stands on managing expectations and navigating change, both of which require strong communication. I’d encourage the client to reflect on how their current style impacts team dynamics and explore the benefits of adapting their approach. By allowing open dialogue with their team and aligning expectations, areas of improvement can be identified. This shift in communication and flexibility helps create a more collaborative and dynamic team environment, enhancing overall performance.

Be transparent with the change in your style. Talk to your colleagues in 1on1s (prepare and find out what the individual motivations will be to support you with the change) and tell them what will change in your approach and why. Let them know what exactly will change in their everyday work and how they will benefit from it.

Progress is a journey, not a destination. Keep an eye on how things are evolving and be ready to adjust as needed. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions help keep the momentum going and allow for real-time adjustments. Celebrating milestones along the way keeps everyone motivated and reinforces the positive changes that are taking place.

If your client is resisting a change in their leadership style, start by understanding their concerns and showing how these changes can positively impact the team. Suggest making small, gradual adjustments rather than overhauling everything at once. Offer support and encourage them to get feedback from their team. Celebrate any improvements to keep them motivated and on track.

Regular check-ins were crucial for monitoring progress and maintaining momentum. Celebrating small victories—like positive team feedback—reinforced the benefits of the new approach and encouraged the leader to stay committed to the change process. The Result: With time and support, the leader not only adapted to the new style but also began to see its value. The team became more cohesive, communication improved, and productivity increased. This experience demonstrated that with the right guidance, even the most resistant leaders can successfully navigate change. Collaborating with platforms like Agilityo and leveraging the expertise of professionals like Matthieu Gavois, we can help leaders embrace change and achieve lasting success.

Monitoring progress and making adjustments are crucial. Schedule regular check-ins to evaluate the impact of leadership changes on team dynamics. Use these sessions to reflect on successes and areas needing improvement. Encourage your client to gather feedback from team members to gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of the new approach, ensuring that adjustments can be made for continued improvement and alignment with team needs.

One the questions I get a lot from my mentees is about tracking progress. I usually focus on 2 different pathways : the external progress ( was is visible from the team point of view- super important to track and evaluate the perception of others and how the self development reflect in the team) , but also the internal progress ( self-rating the level of confidence on certain skill as an example)