Your coaching team has conflicting leadership styles. How can you align them to achieve success?

I work as a coach in the manufacturing industry. The best leaders manage to adapt their leadership style to the given situation. Being a directive leader is important at times when the team is under time pressure. The participate style aims towards win-win and allows people to participate in a decision. The leader as coach is focused on team development. You get my point. Different situations, different styles, different results. When you work with people nothing is written in stone. I see it as the biggest challenge that so many leaders are not even aware that different leadership styles exist. A leader who is willing to learn new ways of doing things will lead by example, and s(he) will be able to lead any team to successful outcomes.

Firstly, I can't imagine any team that doesn't have members with different leadership styles and healthy conflict is positive. Group think is not the way to drive progress and generate solutions. Before jumping into personality led solutions I'd do preliminary work. Has this conflict recently escalated and has the team worked well together previously. I'd also focus on exploring external factors which could be driving the unhealthy conflict e.g. a toxic business culture, a lack of clarity about the shared team purpose or organisational uncertainty. And leadership, is the team led as a genuine team or in a hub and spoke style, where they are set up to compete or behave as individual contributors.

So, if I had a coaching team who were split because their leadership styles clashed, here's What i would do: Place them all around the table and have an open conversation, create empathy by allowing both parties to further explain why they do things the way they do. In progress, but unsoiled workforce communication to delineate the team objectives and gain fit leadership. From there, I would emphasize what directors could learn from one another and how we can benefit from a balance of both styles as tools that help ensure teams are effective. I believe one of my goals is to help identify these differences in leadership styles among colleagues and encourage mutual respect and teamwork.

Start by understanding the unique leadership styles within your coaching team. Are some more directive while others lean toward a collaborative approach? Conduct assessments and open conversations to bring these differences to the forefront. By recognizing each style's strengths and potential blind spots, you can start building a comprehensive strategy that taps into everyone's unique capabilities. This step lays the foundation for aligning the team toward common objectives.

In any coaching team, diverse leadership styles can spark creativity and drive. But when these styles conflict, it can also lead to friction and inconsistency. To align my team’s varied approaches, I first focus on creating a culture of open communication and mutual respect. I encourage leaders to share their perspectives, strengths, and goals to understand each other better. Then, we identify common ground and establish shared objectives. By finding alignment in our purpose and strategies, we turn our differences into complementary strengths. With clarity in our vision and a commitment to collaboration, we achieve greater cohesion, drive, and success together.

Encourage active participation from all team members in the goal-setting process. Ensure that your team's goals align with the broader organizational objectives.

Establish clear, shared objectives for the team. Aligning everyone towards a common purpose will help minimise differences in leadership style, as the focus remains on the collective outcome.

Establecer objetivos compartidos es más que un ejercicio estratégico; es una oportunidad para inspirar a tu equipo. Cuando cada miembro participa activamente en la creación de metas claras y SMART (específicas, medibles, alcanzables, relevantes y con plazos), se genera un sentido de pertenencia y responsabilidad colectiva. Más allá de ser una brújula que guía las acciones, los objetivos compartidos se convierten en un motor motivacional, impulsando al equipo no solo hacia el éxito, sino hacia un crecimiento conjunto. Un equipo alineado en objetivos no solo avanza más rápido, sino que lo hace con propósito.

Your team has different leadership styles. To align them, talk to them openly and respectfully. Create opportunities for them to share their thoughts and concerns. Through talking, your team can develop a shared language and problem-solving strategies.

Unterschiedliche Führungsstile sind wichtig und wertvoll, denn es gibt ein Vielfaches an unterschiedlichen Charakteren in der Belegschaft. Daher darf und muss sich Führung auch immer verändern - je nach Mitarbeiter, Situation und über den Zeitablauf. Was jedoch eine gemeinsame Basis darstellen sollte, ist die Haltung: Auf Grundlage welcher Werte handle ich? Und zu welchem Zweck? Ist das übergeordnete Ziel nicht nur für jeden klar, sondern wird dieses auch konsequent verfolgt? Wenn das Mindest stimmt, sind unterschiedliche Herangehensweise ein absoluter Mehrwert und ganz und gar kein Hindernis.

I’ve learned to emphasize that employees remain respectful when sharing during open dialogue to align different leadership styles. In a few instances, I’ve observed individuals in other departments try to disguise their contempt and displeasure with another person as open, honest dialogue. As expected, such behavior creates discord rather than alignment. I knew of an executive who was more comfortable allowing the charade to continue because she was more interested in allowing people to be “real” and bring their “authentic” selves to work — bad attitudes. Her employees are unhappy, and turnover is high among managers. While open dialogue can be helpful, we must ensure it is respectful.

Taking time as a team to learn about each other's interests, genius and passions will help you all forge stronger alliances and empathy. Some simple team oriented self care and well being activities such as a team wellbeing walk, yoga, guided meditation or sound healing experience out in nature can help you all relax and strengthen your connection communication and relationships. By encouraging everyone to actively listen to each other you'll find some connections and shared interests which will create a more resilient team that wants to work together. Joint team workshops on active listening, communication styles or wellbeing can help you start this journey together as a team with ease. When you work Together Everyone Achieves More

Open, free and vulnerable expressions in an appreciative safe space are the key to team forming. Tools described later under synergy help the coach to stimulate conflicting viewpoints. The coach can also train the team in Rosenberg's Non-Violent Communication and Grove's Clean Language to be respectful, empathetic and curious in such conversations. In Non-violent communication, the dialogue is based on objective observations, explored feelings, establishment of needs and requests to fulfil. In Clean Language metaphors are used in sensory exploration. Coacharya's LASIE SET process incorporates both these to Listen, Acknowledge, Share, Inquire and Explore sensory cues, emotions and thoughts in trust, sfatey and presence to evoke awareness.

Aprovechar la diversidad es el gran desafío. Realizar una evaluación de los estilos de liderazgo que existen en el equipo y definir las fortalezas particulares nos permite considerar como se pueden complementar. La complementariedad es el foco. Esta diversidad, además, nos proporciona oportunidades de desarrollo para que los líderes puedan expandir sus capacidades más allá de su estilo preferido y adoptar un enfoque más versátil y eficaz cuando la situación lo requiera. La mentoría y coaching es clave para que los estilos diferentes puedan aprender unos de otros, fomentando la ampliación de sus habilidades de liderazgo.

A team with diverse leadership styles can be a powerhouse of innovation if managed correctly. Encourage each leader to play to their strengths, but also to remain flexible and adaptable. Leveraging this diversity can lead to creative problem-solving, more dynamic coaching methods, and a more inclusive environment. When leaders see their differences as assets rather than obstacles, the entire team benefits.

La diversidad en los estilos de liderazgo no es un obstáculo; es una ventaja competitiva si se gestiona estratégicamente. En lugar de tratar de homogeneizar, aprovecha la diversidad del equipo para crear sinergias. Emparejar a un líder autoritario con uno democrático no solo equilibra la toma de decisiones, sino que también abre la puerta a una retroalimentación valiosa y a la innovación. Este enfoque no sólo maximiza el rendimiento colectivo, sino que también impulsa el crecimiento personal de cada miembro, expandiendo su repertorio de liderazgo. La verdadera fortaleza de un equipo radica en su capacidad para integrar diferentes perspectivas y convertirlas en una ventaja estratégica

The power of diverse leadership styles within a team cannot be overstated. Embracing and leveraging these differences fosters growth for both individual coaches and the group as a whole. For instance, strategically pairing an authoritative leader with a democratic one can bring balance to decision-making processes. Encouraging coaches to learn from one another and adapt when needed enriches their personal development and expands their leadership toolbox. Embrace diversity in styles, and watch your team flourish.

To align a coaching team with conflicting leadership styles, focus on creating synergy. Begin with open communication to understand each leader's approach. Facilitate collaborative sessions where team members define shared goals and identify how their diverse styles can complement one another. Encourage mutual respect and adaptability, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives in problem-solving. By fostering a culture of collaboration you can turn differences into a unified force.

Cultivating synergy in a team involves leveraging diverse leadership styles to maximize success. To enhance team dynamic and performance, consider the following: Encourage ongoing communication, promoting openness and transparency among team members to build trust and understanding of each other's strengths. Set clear expectations, assigning tasks and projects based on individuals' unique skill sets to optimize efficiency and maintain a high level of motivation. Organize team-building exercises to facilitate a deeper appreciation for diverse leadership styles and foster camaraderie. Celebrate successes collectively, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and shared responsibility in achieving the team's objectives.

I use techniques like Polarities and Multiple Voices to synergise the group by bringing in diverse opinions and creating synergy. In Polarity, two or more options can be viewed from positive and negative perspectives to create a new alternative. With two alternatives there will be 4 opinions. In Multiple Voices, the team is split into multiple groups designated with specific roles, who express their views. For instance, groups will play the roles of technology, marketing, supply chain, finance, HR etc. while opining on a critical issue. In both, I would rotate the groups to the remaining roles so that each group and individual perceives the issue from multiple perspectives. This results in synergy in their minds and collectively as a team.

La clave para crear sinergia en un equipo es alinear las fortalezas únicas de cada estilo de liderazgo con los objetivos colectivos. Asignar roles que se ajusten a las capacidades de cada entrenador o adoptar un modelo de liderazgo compartido según las necesidades de cada tarea no solo optimiza el rendimiento, sino que también genera un profundo sentido de valor y respeto mutuo. Este enfoque crea una dinámica en la que todos los miembros se sienten reconocidos por sus contribuciones y se fomenta una colaboración genuina. Cuando un equipo opera desde sus fortalezas y con un liderazgo flexible, no solo avanza más rápido hacia sus metas, sino que lo hace con una energía cohesiva que impulsa un éxito sostenible.

Un coaching permet une transformation durable. Cependant, il est nécessaire de l'accompagner d'une stragégie afin d'ancrer les apprentissages du coaching et de créer une dynamique de progression durable au sein de l’équipe. Quelques clés pour maintenir cet équilibre peuvent être par exemple, et de manière non exhaustive la responsabilisation collective, notamment en implémentant une culture du feedback, la mesure des progrès, l'accompagnement par un coach individuel, et/ou encore un travail sur l'anticipation du changement.

One of the things that I have learned in coaching teams is that it essential to have discussions up front and contract how to engage with each others different personalities and styles. The key is in creating new behaviors to keep the discussions consistent bringing forward the teams dynamics at a minimum each quarter to be curious about how to raise their effectiveness together. Spending time in this area will support building trust, rapport, and understanding of how each team member operates so that the team can collaborate as well as innovate at the highest level by engaging in healthy debate. Without these conversations unhealthy behaviors can take hold leading the team down the path of being ineffective.

Preserving balance is vital for enduring success. This encompasses routinely revisiting team dynamics, guaranteeing that no leadership style eclipses others detrimentally. It also signifies being adaptable and amenable to refining strategies as your team matures. Consistent observation and adjustments help maintain an equilibrium where all leadership styles constructively contribute to the team's triumph.

I firmly believe that different leadership styles are more valuable in different situations. Someone that has an autocratic style will be more successful on a highly urgent situation, whereas someone with a more Democratic style will be better at fostering buy in for big, innovation-driven projects. Having a diverse group of leadership styles allows different individuals to shine in different situations.