The Foreign Service Journal, May 2023

22 MAY 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL a reminder of their core values and key experiences. Questions to Ask The higher people rise in the ranks of an organization, the less constructive feedback they receive, even though they need this feedback just as much as their lower-ranked colleagues, Robert S. Kaplan noted in his 2007 Harvard Business Review piece, “What to Ask the Man in the Mirror.” At any career stage, or at any instance when tension and stakes are high, a lead- ership philosophy can be a tool for self- feedback: The values you wrote down in a quiet moment as a mid-level officer still hold true. But a reminder is a good thing. At NIU, we ask students to recall how they have lived their values in the past. This reflection helps students continue to live those values. Bryant recommends those articulating their leadership philosophies reflect on the following: • What are the three values that are most important to you as a leader and a colleague—that is, the consistent behaviors that everyone can rely on from you? • How have you lived those values in your career? • Why are they important to you for driving success? • If you were recruiting someone to join your team, what would you say to them about your leadership approach and philosophy? In our classes, we tell students to ask themselves the following questions: • What significant events have shaped you? • What are your beliefs about people and outlook on life? • What core values describe and guide who you are as a leader? • What traits, characteristics, skills, styles, motivation, goals, etc., do you bring to leadership that makes you effective? • What is important for groups to be effective? • What is your preferred communica- tion style (both in the way that you like to communicate and in the way you want others to communicate with you)? • What are your expectations for your- self and others? • What is your role in developing others? • How do you want to be remembered? Leadership Styles Whether you realize it or not, you probably have a preferred leadership style. Recognizing this can be an impor- tant aspect of your philosophy. Daniel Goleman laid out six leadership styles into which people’s leadership behaviors commonly fit. Coercive: Issuing orders and expecting compliance Pacesetting: Setting and living out high performance standards for oneself and expecting employees to live up to those standards Authoritative: Setting a compelling vision for the organization and its goals and motivating employees by making clear how their work contributes to this vision Democratic: Making decisions by developing consensus within the unit Affiliative: Building emotional ties within the unit that takes precedence over achieving goals Coaching: Seeking alignment of employees’ professional goals with the objectives and mission of the unit Each of these styles is valid and appro- priate in certain situations. An affiliative style, for example, can work well in a unit when employees are motivated experts. Using the same style in a less experienced unit where employees need more direc- tion may hamper goal achievement. A pacesetting style can produce tremendous results in a unit where all the employees are capable, hard chargers. Being a pacesetter in a unit with less-moti- vated employees is a recipe for burnout. How you decide to employ your lead- ership philosophy depends on a variety of factors. One option is trying to calibrate your onward assignment so that your pre- ferred leadership philosophy matches the personality of the unit you hope to lead. Alternatively, perhaps you are emotionally versatile enough to lead in a style that is not your preferred style. These are impor- tant situations that will be influenced by your leadership philosophy as you move into positions of greater responsibility. Employing Your Philosophy The most important element of the philosophy is to make it personal and unique to you. Authenticity is essential, or it will ring hollow to others. A philosophy heavy in buzzwords or prone to reproduc- ing corporate values has the potential to alienate your audience—and make you seem insincere, as well. Instead of delivering platitudes, use the philosophy to tell stories about how the values you espouse in your philosophy reflect your life. As management scholars Herminia Ibarra and Kent Lineback wrote in the January 2005 Harvard Business Review : “Telling a compelling story to coworkers, bosses, friends, or family—or strangers in a conference room—inspires belief in our motives, character, and capacity to reach the goals we’ve set.” We hear moving stories from students about the importance of treating employ- ees with dignity and respect, often citing experiences with former supervisors who,