People Scaling: Getting along versus getting ahead

The approach to Leadership can be seen from the twin perspective of striving to get along others and then getting past others in the race to success. It was not considered possible for a single dimension to measure both the aspects as it was never considered as a need to do so. But this is becoming particularly true for emergent and everyday leadership challenges for middle managers where it is sought to hold both the forts with equal finesse alike in a quantum existence.

If this is the paradox, how it is measured and addressed by Human Resources and Business Leaders among teams? In People Scaling approach, this is addressed in a way rare yet effective. Find the People Orientation and Task Orientation to align and address the finer aspect of getting along versus getting ahead.

The challenges one faces can be termed across timelines as one of the present versus the future. People Scaling as an approach cares about both compared to just the present or just the future, as often found in Leadership approaches. This is resultant of the limited understanding of the impact of one’s decisions through the journey of life and as a leader. All decisions carry within them the burden of obligation; every decision is also an obligation to the singular ‘ayes’ versus the multiple ‘noes’ and its impact which is to be borne as a result of the decision. To decide to eat is to be obliged to its impact it can cause to the body. To fight is to carry the burden of a winning or losing crown and its associated benefits and thorns. Is this the dilemma also working inside your organizational talents?

Through a careful understanding combined with research and training, the associated People Scaling framework provides the rare glimpse of how one can measure traits and factors to uncover their potential and talent as a future Leader and further improve upon such gap areas using assessments and training. If we can see through it carefully, we can see the impact of two core factors, one of which is responsible for our Personality while the other affects our Leadership approach. Add the Situational Leadership diagnostic tool by Paul Hersey & Kenneth Blanchard to spot the gaps in talent for finding the rare mix of personality who can get along with their teams as smoothly as can they hold the baton and race ahead towards the finish line.

People Scaling is the next big thing, as we call it, in the area of People & Leadership Management. Organisations seek leaders often in the garb of qualities to help the organisation get ahead, forgoing the need to take the team along. This has multiple impacts as we can find below for starters; let me begin with two personality types.

The Burning Star: This phenomenon is seen often akin to sport stars, who spend themselves within a few years, only to be taken over by the rush of junior and spirited stars. The superb but carefully crafted burning star is always in a rush, often neglecting or considering the rest of the team too average to carry them along but finds validation by being the brightest one within a team. The averages will dim in their glow or be burnt away, often thus avoiding or seeking such company, leaving the Burning Star to find newer pastures to overcome new challenges. They quit or are too good for the team to accommodate amidst the average Joes.

The Genius Sage: Compared to the Burning Star, who thrives and basks in adoration, the Genius Sage is also a star who shuns the public eye and prefers isolated expansion of the mind, often troubling to comprehend for the average team players. While in this case the team players might respect and seek to gain from the Genius Sage, they are rarely willing to socialize and share knowledge with the team, showing little respect for People Orientation. Whom would you choose for your organisation and why? Watch this space for further inputs on PeopleScaling Approach by yours truly.