Are you finding it hard to work with some people who appear difficult
and simply impossible or problematic?
Here are some tips to helping you manage human capital and keeping your team motivated and reaching set corporate goals:
Have you ever tried to lead someone who didn’t want to be led? The same children that were labeled “strong-willed” by their parents often grow up to be strong-willed adults. Perhaps you know one … perhaps you are one. (I know one personally… me!)
I believe leadership should be individualized for the needs of the follower. Read a similar post here. With that in mind, here are five tips for leading strong-willed people:
1. Give clear expectations. People respond best when they know what is expected of them, especially those with strong opinions of their own.
2. Be consistent. Strong-willed people need boundaries. They will test them, but they want to know the limits of their freedom.
3. Give freedom within the boundaries. Once the guidelines and expectations are established, allow followers to express themselves freely within them.
4. Pick your battles. Don’t cross a strong-willed person for issues of little importance to the overall vision of the organization. If you back them into a corner, they may bite.
5. Respect their opinions and individualities. Strong-willed people ultimately want to be heard (as all people do), but they resist most when their voice is silenced. Learn what matters to them, and give credence to their opinions.
Here are some tips to helping you manage human capital and keeping your team motivated and reaching set corporate goals:
Have you ever tried to lead someone who didn’t want to be led? The same children that were labeled “strong-willed” by their parents often grow up to be strong-willed adults. Perhaps you know one … perhaps you are one. (I know one personally… me!)
I believe leadership should be individualized for the needs of the follower. Read a similar post here. With that in mind, here are five tips for leading strong-willed people:
1. Give clear expectations. People respond best when they know what is expected of them, especially those with strong opinions of their own.
2. Be consistent. Strong-willed people need boundaries. They will test them, but they want to know the limits of their freedom.
3. Give freedom within the boundaries. Once the guidelines and expectations are established, allow followers to express themselves freely within them.
4. Pick your battles. Don’t cross a strong-willed person for issues of little importance to the overall vision of the organization. If you back them into a corner, they may bite.
5. Respect their opinions and individualities. Strong-willed people ultimately want to be heard (as all people do), but they resist most when their voice is silenced. Learn what matters to them, and give credence to their opinions.
