The 6 Leadership Styles: Pacesetting (Part 5 of 6)

Leadership Style 5 of 6: Pacesetting

This week features an in-depth look at the 5th of the 6 Leadership Styles...possibly the most complex and paradoxical style...Pacesetting.

Overview

The Pacesetting Style is well intentioned, often saying, "I lead by example." We've all said this, so what could possibly go wrong? Sometimes, it's great, other times not so much, and still other times it's a complete disaster. Leading by example is a great thing, except when it occurs too quick and too often. This is a leader who says he wouldn't ask the team to do anything he wouldn't do himself. He is willing to work alongside the team, roll up the sleeves, and dig in. It would never be said that he sees himself as above the work. However, trouble begins when the leader jumps in too quickly, too deeply, too often and in doing so, undermines the people around him by constantly taking over. He may micromanage the work, and/or is unable/unwilling to prioritize: instead everything is urgent, everything is important, and everything must be done to very high standard. He probably has technical knowledge of the area he leads which ironically both helps and hinders leadership effectiveness.

 Pros

This is a leader who has very high expectations and standards and therefore expects the highest level of performance on everything, every time. They are ever-focused on doing things better, faster, cheaper and model it themselves while expecting the same of everyone around them. They prefer to be involved in most things, as it gives them the opportunity to steer/control it and set the pace of completion. Those who prove themselves as consistently able to do things well and quick will be given more independence over time. 

At its best, the pacesetting style is effectively showing people how to do things by modeling the way. People like to see a leader who doesn’t just talk about it, but who can also do it. They like to see the captain of the ship occasionally come down below deck and swab floors with the team. In pacesetting mode, leaders are very willing to roll up the sleeves and pitch in.

Pacesetting can be a useful style when used with highly competent, independent, motivated people who are achievement-oriented. It is most effective in short bursts and in specific situations (new employee, problem employee, time sensitive situations, if you are the new leader of a floundering group, etc.) but excessive and unbalanced use of the pacesetting style is highly correlated to negative workplace climates so caution is urged with this style.

Cons

If the captain of the ship spends too much time below deck swabbing floors with the team, who is steering the ship? Also, where does the captain add the most value?

They were often promoted from within the area they now lead, hence they know the work (probably even got promoted based on their outstanding individual contributions), and therein lies the trap! Unfortunately, this high standard of performance is often accompanied by very little patience to explain things to others, so instead they jump in and take over, resulting in people feeling their efforts are not being valued.  The pacesetter often self-justifies by saying, “If I have to explain it, then I’ve got the wrong people.” People will initially try to keep up with the swiftness of this turbocharged leader, but eventually will stop trying and/or leave as they get annoyed and exhausted with the nonstop pace.

They want you to do it as they do it. They can be perfectionists, workaholics, and/or micro-managers. Sixteen hour days, non-stop evenings, weekends, early-morning breakfasts, and emails at 2:00 a.m. are the normal workings of the hardcore pacesetter. Pacesetters are extremely task-focused and tend to struggle with delegation because after all, no one can do it as good or as quick as they can.

Pacesetting can be the type of leader who gives you a project and tells you that it is due in two weeks. In reality however you both know that if it’s not done in one week, they will just take it back and do it themselves. Direct reports of pacesetters often comment that their leader will take whatever they have submitted and rework it entirely, so much so in fact, that they may as well have just done it themselves the first time (and eventually people will just let them). The pacesetter is a whirlwind of activity where those around them are trying to catch things as they fly out of a tornado.

Overuse of pacesetting essentially destroys workplace climate. Pacesetters think they are inspiring but in reality people feel de-motivated, undermined, relentlessly pushed, work degenerates into a series of rigid tasks, capability is not built in people, and there is no sense of flexibility, responsibility, or empowerment. Pacesetting is a common trap for new, and/or technical leaders, with growth coming from the eventual realization that less pacesetting (and less directive) and more of the other 4 leadership styles will actually result in a more effective leader.

 Application

There are many practical applications of leadership styles including:

• Recruitment: Asking behavioural interview questions that discover which style(s) a leader prefers.
• Leadership Development: Embedding leadership styles into programs via assessment tool, program content, e-learning, and coaching.
• Organizational Assessment: Aggregate data provides insights into organizational strengths and blindspots. Is your organization overly directive? Overly participative? Implications?
• Succession Planning: Can be strengthened by using objective assessment data and comparisons to global standards of leadership.

Summary

Like each of the Six Leadership Styles, every leader needs to be comfortable using the Pacesetting Style but overall, the Pacesetting Style is highly correlated to the erosion of workplace climate/engagement so use it sparingly.

Every leader should strive to have a full toolbox of leadership styles. Outstanding leaders use four or more of the six styles. A one trick pony doesn't cut it as a leader. The more leadership styles you have command over, the more situations you can manage effectively.

Next week in our final installment, we’ll explore the Coaching Style.

 Brent Pederson is a Senior Client Partner with the Hay Group division of Korn Ferry, a global management consulting firm, and can be reached at 1-306-359-0181 or [email protected].