Leadership is a simple concept. Leaders consistently get others to do what they want them to do.

Two contributors from different departments were discussing what they liked about their respective leaders.

“He is clear about expectations.  He reports our performance metrics weekly, meets 1:1 with us to discuss our work and expects compliance with all regulations and policies.”

“She is very positive about our efforts, frequently recognizes me and others for doing our work, invests in our personal growth, occasionally asks for my opinion, ensures that we have what we need, and frequently asks if there is anything she can do to help.”  

Leaders have two buckets of tools—structural and relationships–to influence their team members.

Structural leaders prioritize objectives, job descriptions, regulations, policies, procedures, rewards and consequences.  Relationship leaders focus on appreciation, transparent communication, contributor growth, listening, teambuilding and cheerleading.

Some leaders lean more heavily on structure, others rely more on relationships. The most successful leaders embrace both structure and relationships with the ability to flex their approaches. When individuals or teams perform below expectations, they emphasize structure.  And they emphasize relationships when teams meet or exceed expectations.  Leader influence is very intuitive; it is not rocket science.