IoH Youth Council member, Rizwan Khan MIH, reviews one of the Harvard Business Review’s Classics: ‘Leadership That Gets Results’ written by Daniel Goleman.
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Leadership That Gets Results by Daniel Goleman, part of the Harvard Business Review Classics’ series, is a key book examining how different leadership styles affect an organisation’s performance. Goleman outlines six unique leadership styles, each based on different aspects of emotional intelligence. He highlights that effective leaders need to be flexible and able to adapt their style to fit different situations.
The book begins by highlighting that a leader’s style has a direct impact on how well a business performs. It explains that the most effective leaders are those who can smoothly switch between different styles, based on what the situation calls for. Goleman shares insights from a study of over 3,000 executives, showing that up to one-third of a company’s profits can be linked to the leader’s emotional intelligence and leadership style. This sets the foundation for discussing the six leadership styles and how each one influences a company’s work environment and results.
Goleman walks the readers through the different styles and describes six leadership styles, each with its own strengths and challenges.
The Coercive style demands immediate compliance and can be useful in emergencies, but it may harm the work environment if used too often. The Authoritative style inspires people by setting a clear vision and is especially effective when a team needs new direction. The Affiliative style focuses on building strong emotional bonds and team harmony, which boosts morale, though it can sometimes ignore poor performance. The Democratic style encourages input and participation from team members, promoting collaboration, but it might slow decision-making in urgent situations.
The Pacesetting style pushes for high performance and quick results, yet it can overwhelm teams if expectations are too high. Finally, the Coaching style aims to develop individual potential, helping people grow over time. However, it requires patience and may not deliver immediate results.
The key takeaways from the book are that flexibility is essential for effective leadership, as leaders need to adapt their style depending on the situation, just like a golfer selects the right club for each shot. Emotional intelligence is also crucial, as leaders must understand and manage both their own emotions and those of others.
Finally, each leadership style affects the workplace differently, so leaders must be aware of how their approach impacts the work environment to achieve positive results.
Ultimately, ‘Leadership That Gets Results’ serves as a comprehensive guide, offering valuable insights into various leadership styles. It provides practical strategies for effectively managing both teams and business operations, while also equipping leaders with the skills to adapt to the diverse challenges they may encounter.
This review and rating is the opinion of the reviewer.
5 stars = Exceptional not to be missed | 4.5 stars = Essential read | 4 stars =Very good | 3 stars = Good | 2 stars = Poor | 1 star = Very poor
Suitability: This book is suitable for any professional, regardless of industry, where teams are prevalent. Specifically at mid to senior management levels, where there is responsibility for team performance.
This book fits into the Leadership and Team under the IoH’s Five Pillars of Learning, an approach to continuing professional development based on the five core areas of hospitality management.
Record your CPD Hours: This book forms part of a member’s CPD hours. You can log your CPD hours here.
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