The Leading Edge: AMP Up your Leadership Skills
By: David Miles, Ph.D.
Are you new in a leadership role or have recently been transferred to lead a new team, department, or division within your organization?
If so, one of the leadership skills that is crucial is the ability to motivate our teams each and every day.
Traditionally, organizations have looked at outdated modes of motivation left over from the industrial age, such as “Carrot and Stick” approaches to motivation (i.e., reward and punishment).
Pioneers of workplace efficiency such as scientist Fredrick Winslow Taylor set the groundwork for our entire consulting and improvement industry, but, as with any groundbreaking innovation, it is only innovative until the point that it isn’t.
Case in point, Henry Ford brought the motor car to the American Public, but not too many of us drive a Model T today. The same can be said for getting the best from our employees.
In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell states two main keys that put practical leadership into context:
- Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership
- Leadership is Influence – nothing more, nothing less
In that light, why don’t we look at helping to increase our leadership skills and, therefore, our influence on those individuals that we have the privilege, honor, and responsibility to lead daily by “AMP-ing” up our leadership.
In his book Drive, author Daniel Pink offers a new, scientific based view of motivation which involves intrinsic (or internal) motivation versus the antiquated “Carrot and Stick” model of simply rewards and punishment, otherwise known as extrinsic (or external) motivation.
How do we help our staff, teams, and leaders be more intrinsically motivated?
We do this by using the acronym A.M.P., which stands for Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.
Autonomy
As we allow those we lead to have more control and direction over how they do the job that we’ve asked them to do, we, as leaders, give them a greater sense of autonomy. This can be difficult for us as positional leaders when we are used to being in control, but allowing your team to be more self-directed in their work, learning, and lives is truly empowering.
Mastery
In his book Intentional Living, John Maxwell speaks about doing work that matters at a time that matters and with people that matter. This statement can sum up the concept of mastery. Mastery is getting better at something that matters. Do you know what really matters to the team members that you lead? If you do, great! If not, then now is a great opportunity to not just communicate but connect with your staff to find out what matters to them. You might be surprised, and it will allow you to help them work on something that truly matters to them.
Purpose
Purpose is being in service of something larger than ourselves. Help the people on your team connect with the larger vision of the organization. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John describes the Law of Buy-In, which states that “People buy into the leader, then the vision.”
Look at your personal growth plan as a leader, raise your leadership lid, then practice the skill of casting the vision to your team. When your team buys into you as their leader because you have built that authentic credibility with them, then they can buy into the vision and be in pursuit of a purpose larger than themselves.
During my time as a corporate education and performance improvement manager, I worked quite often with members of my team who were not direct reports to me (i.e.:,positional power) to accomplish our goals, although I was responsible for getting the job done through delegating to them (influence).
I utilized the Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose model to get the best from my team and get the job done. Was I perfect with this? Absolutely not, but I discovered first-hand that in the absence of positional leadership with “Carrot and Stick” authority doesn’t eliminate responsibility for results. The model of intrinsic motivation building on my teams’ sense of Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose made all the difference.
I would encourage you to join me in my lifelong journey of leadership development by being intentional today on increasing your leadership lid.
How will you start building your influence today by “AMP-ing” up your leadership skills?
David A. Miles, Ph.D. is a professional speaker, author, trainer, and consultant who is a proud Mentorship member of the John Maxwell Team. Dr. Miles holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Human Resource Development. His passion is developing leaders, teams, and organizations to perform at their best. He is the founder of Dr. Dave Leadership Corporation and can be found at www.DrDaveMiles.com.