Your coachees clash over leadership styles in a group. How can you help them find common ground?

Start by helping them identify their individual leadership styles and how each one brings value. Encourage open discussions where they can share their perspectives without judgment. Find overlapping goals and strengths they can rally around. By focusing on what unites them, you can guide them to work together more effectively.

In a group of leaders, conflict over leadership styles can seem like a barrier, but in reality, it is an opportunity for growth. My first step is always to facilitate an environment of self-awareness, where each coachee reflects deeply on his or her own style and the principles that underpin it. A transformational leader, for example, may learn to value the structure of a transactional leader, while the opposite is also true. By exploring together the motivations and values behind each style, we not only create understanding, but also open doors to innovation in leadership. The key is to transform divergence into complementarity, fostering a synergy where each style strengthens the other, propelling the group toward its common goals.

The foundation of effective leadership is empathy, and this is especially true when coachees disagree about leadership styles. I encourage the practice of active, empathetic listening, where each leader puts themselves in the other’s shoes to understand not just the actions, but the intentions and needs behind each style. By creating this space of empathy, we break down judgmental barriers and open the door to deeper, more meaningful communication. This approach allows leaders to view conflict as an opportunity to learn and grow together, developing common ground that respects and values the unique contributions of each style. Empathy transforms conflict into a driving force for group cohesion and success.

‘Relationship ethics’ play a key role in resolving leadership conflicts. When coachees disagree about leadership styles, it is crucial that each interaction is guided by clear and consistent ethical principles. This means fostering open and honest communication, where all points of view are respected and considered. However, ethics is not just about listening, but also about acting with integrity and responsibility. By fostering an environment where each leader feels safe to express their perspectives and vulnerabilities, we create common ground based on mutual respect and trust. This resolves immediate conflicts and strengthens the ethical foundations on which future interactions will be built, ensuring harmonious development.

Uniting leaders with different styles begins with identifying common goals. Assist coachees in pinpointing shared objectives that surpass individual approaches. Upon clarifying these goals, leaders can determine how their unique styles contribute to their achievement. This approach shifts focus from competing leadership methods to a unified vision, encouraging collaboration and fostering a sense of shared purpose among coachees.

Leadership in diverse groups demands adaptability and compromise. Urge your coachees to be flexible in their leadership approach, embracing elements from various styles as needed. This doesn't mean relinquishing core principles; rather, it's about aligning them with the team's requirements. By displaying adaptability, leaders set the tone for their team and foster a dynamic, responsive leadership structure – a move that encourages synergy and strengthens the foundation for collaborative problem-solving and growth.

To resolve conflicts over leadership styles, encourage your coachees to be flexible and open-minded. Suggest they blend different approaches to meet the group's needs. This flexibility doesn't mean giving up core values. Instead, it creates a more dynamic leadership environment that benefits everyone involved.

When it comes to choosing the "right" leadership style or finding the common ground you'll need to keep in mind the present leadership styles but also the future needs of the organisation. If my team has to transform into a more IT focused team for example and I have to be attractive for other staff in the future I'll have to adapt my style to attract these employees. German car manufacturers are going through such changes in the last decade. Ask yourself: - What will the organisation need in the future? - Which of our leadership approaches work so far? - Which won't work any more most likely? - What do we need to do to adapt over time?