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You’re not the boss; you’re the first among equals.
You are a
Your traits: Trusting, reliant, passive
Your celebrity example: Herbert Hoover
With very little elected office experience, the 31st US President relied on and trusted the expertise of his team. With a hands-off approach, Hoover was able to deliver a number of humanitarian programmes in war-torn Europe.
You’re not the boss; you’re the first among equals. Your style is to let your team make the decisions and then sanction what they have decided. Of course you contribute, but your opinion only has the same weight as another member of the team. This style requires a lot of trust and confidence in your colleagues as ultimately you are responsible for the collective decision.
In a world where leaders achieve power on the basis of their ideals and values, this form of leadership can have positive benefits. However, working this way can have its draw backs in terms of productivity and quality so make sure to keep an eye on these. It can also hinder your ability to respond to competition, in which case you may need to take up the mantle and exert more control.
Remember that every charity is different and there are no right answers to leadership. Some techniques are more appropriate in certain contexts than others. Whatever your leadership style, it’s important to remember that the best leaders inspire, motivate and make others feel good about themselves.
In this blog, Steph Taylor shares the key things boards should consider if they want to progress towards a more sustainable future.
In this blog, Beth Clarke examines the role of a small charity leader and calls for more support to be given to them.
Our experienced advisers are here to share their expertise in charity consultancy and help you to build on your charity’s strengths.