Last year I wrote an article on the leadership styles exhibited by the judges of Strictly Come Dancing (http://www.hrzone.co.uk/blogs/traceydavison/strictly-come-and-get-it-craig-or-len-when-it-comes-delivering-criticism-which--0) and the impact of those styles when used in the workplace. After a double dose this weekend, I found myself analysing the all new X Factor judging panel.
Following an audition, I'm genuinely interested in what Kelly, Tulisa and Gary have to say, but not so with Louis. This is partly because I already have a good idea of what he will say; "you deserve to be on that stage", "you've got the whole package", etc, etc, (sound familiar?). But Louis not only fails to be specific in his praise and critique, he also frequently says yes when we all know he should be saying no. The result? I have no interest in, or respect for, what he has to say. This approach to leadership is unfortunately not uncommon; ultimately they want to be liked; to be everybody's friend. They will over-emphasize the positives in an attempt to brush over the negatives. and as a result, they fail to address the difficult conversations that are essential for success. People working for such a leader will only ever achieve success by moving out from under them.
And so to Kelly. Determined, passionate, loyal and at times emotional, Kelly is well....nice, but crucially she is honest with it. In the workplace this type of leader strives for success and as such will be sure to let you know if you mess up. However, they will do it in such a way that not only helps you to draw your own conclusions about the mistakes you made but also does not leave you feeling humiliated. Tulisa, like Kelly, is expressive and, whilst sensitive to people's emotions, will not make a decision just based on whether or not she might hurt their feelings, making for a firm but fair approach to leadership. I'm looking forward to seeing how Tulisa works with her category.
And so to Gary 'say what you see' Barlow; a genius signing by the ever shrewd Mr Cowell. But surely even Simon could not have imagined how much Gary would bring to the show? His comments are clear, concise and honest. Although at times cutting with his comments, one could argue only so when auditionees have pushed beyond the limits of idiocy! But what is truly great about Gary is his leadership over the judging panel. Whether he has at some point been identified as the head judge I do not know, but he certainly takes on the role effortlessly. Gary's ability to step back and allow others to take the lead (Tulisa especially so), whilst keeping a quiet sense of control over proceedings conveys real wisdom, gained no doubt from years of experience. Additionally, and unlike the almighty Cowell, Gary does not use his power or influence to mock, or attempt to change, other people's opinions. In the workplace, Gary's leadership style produces teams who are clear on their direction, who have the freedom and responsibility to make their own decisions, and who are held accountable for those decisions and who are constantly encouraged to aim higher and achieve more. In short, this style of leadership produces winning teams.
I'm off to to the Bookies and I know where I'm putting my money!
