1.2: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership and Leadership Styles

We will focus on emotionally intelligent leadership. An emotionally intelligent leader is:

• Perceptive of the dynamics of the situation they are in
• Concerned with developing leadership in others 
• Committed to the well-being of the group they are in
• Ready to learn and stretch themselves
• Ready to acknowledge mistakes and change 
• Able to inspire others to action

Leadership Styles

This class is organized around a framework of six different types of leadership that are needed to make a difference in our communities. Many of us feel more comfortable in some of these than in others, but all of us can learn to be better in all of them. Good organizing for social change requires a balance of all six. These six types of leadership are: inspirational leadership, process leadership, strategic leadership, task leadership, visionary leadership, and ethical leadership (Wellstone, 2013).

• Inspirational Leader: This is someone who can inspire others to work towards an organization's vision. Visionary leaders are often the public face of a movement. They are inspiring public speakers and share a sense of optimism about their work. They are networkers who are always looking for ways to connect people. They welcome others to get involved and keep them motivated. By focusing on the big picture and long-term goals, visionary leaders can guide their teams through challenges and drive meaningful change. 
• Process Leader: This is someone who pays attention to how group dynamics are going. They notice when someone is being quiet or is dominating, and they do work to make sure everyone feels included and is able to participate. They take action to make sure the process works for everyone and to achieve your goals. 
• Strategic Leader: This is someone who is good at making plans to achieve a group’s goals. They develop plans for getting from where you are to where you want to be. They think ahead about the obstacles you are likely to face and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles. 
• Task Leader: This is someone who can break the work into bite-sized bits and make sure they all get done. This person knows how to assign work to people, track the progress of tasks, and figure out how to get things done. This person often makes to-do lists and thinks of the small things that need to happen like, bringing song sheets or name tags.
• Visionary Leader: This is someone who has a clear and compelling vision for the future. They can articulate a picture of a better world and motivate their team to strive for it. They communicate that message to others in ways that compel others to take action. They think about messaging and how to explain the organization's issues in ways that help others get on board with the organization's goals. They use art and culture to get their message across.
• Ethical Leader: This is someone who makes sure that a group is acting according to its stated values. This person will raise difficult questions that cause a group to reflect deeply on what it is doing. Their work may cause things to slow down, but their input often helps a group stay on track. 

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Reading Response Questions:

Please reflect on this reading by writing a short response to these questions. Your answer can include personal experience, and the writing does not need to be formal or polished. You are welcome to write as little as a sentence and as much as a paragraph. Think of it like journaling. 

1. Which leadership style do you think you are best at and why?
2. Which leadership style do you wish you could improve in?
3. What are some steps you could take to strengthen your leadership in that style?
4. Share some insights that came to you as you read about leadership styles.

References

Action, Wellstone. Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues. Edited by Bill Lofy, University of Minnesota Press, 2013.