Authentic Leadership: Finding the Perfect Balance

Picture this: balancing clear roles, expectations, and rewards with genuine personal connections in your leadership style. Sounds challenging, right? Join me, Tammy Hershberger, as we unpack this intricate dance between transactional and relational leadership in our latest episode of Light Up Your Business. Inspired by Kathy Miller Perkins' compelling article, "Leadership Authenticity Requires Balance," we'll explore how to merge the structured with the human to create a more authentic and effective management approach. Through a real-life example from my own business, I’ll reveal the highs and lows of each leadership style and why neglecting either can lead to pitfalls in managing a team.

In our discussion, we emphasize the foundational principles of authentic leadership. Building self-awareness, aligning actions with core values, and fostering open communication are key themes we'll touch on. You'll discover how being transparent and vulnerable, while leveraging individual strengths, can build trust and foster a connected workplace. We’ll also delve into the importance of providing personal growth opportunities and investing in your team to keep them engaged and motivated. Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you find that perfect balance in your leadership approach.

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Chapters

• 0:01 Balancing Transactional and Relational Leadership
• 7:48 Foundational Principles of Authentic Leadership

Transcript

Tammy Hershberger: 0:01

Welcome to the Light Up your Business podcast, the show where we dive deep into the world of small businesses. I'm your host, tTammy Hershberger, and each episode will bring you inspiring stories, expert insights and practical tips to help your small business thrive. Whether you're an entrepreneur just starting out or a seasoned business owner, this podcast is your go-to source for success in the small business world. Let's get started to source for success in the small business world. Let's get started. Hi everyone, I want to welcome you back. We're going to have another great episode of Light Up your Business podcast. I'm Tammy Hershberger and I'm excited to talk to you today. So let's talk about leadership.

Tammy Hershberger: 0:42

I found this article. It's by Kathy Miller Perkins and the title is leadership authenticity requires balance. And then she goes through on her article about how to achieve it and she says in the beginning being a leader is about finding your way through many different demands and hopes people have for you. It's like you trying to keep balance on this narrow beam. Leading too much one way or the other can completely throw you off, and so if you look at being a business owner and if you have a team under you, which most business owners do, it means that you're stepping into a role of a leader and that responsibility can be quite large. That comes with that. You need to learn to navigate the demands from your team and your business and it can be challenging and difficult at times. She says in here that striking a balance between these two contrasting styles that she talks about is crucial for leaders to cultivate an environment of authenticity. So her two styles are transactional approach, which is rooted in clear exchanges and outcomes, and then the opposite side of that is relational leadership, which prioritizes deep personal connections and the growth of team members. So on the transactional leadership side, my notes say basically they are very clear roles defined, you have very clear expectations and then you have rewards for achieving specific you know goals or outcomes. On the relational side, it's where you focus on building those strong personal connections with your team members and then knowing and understanding their motivations, strength and areas of improvement. So, as you can see, it's very, very different. You have these very strict set. Things like this is your role, right? So in I'm going to use my office person.

Tammy Hershberger: 2:22

For example, at the barnyard, callen's role is to call customers, keep things organized, schedule deliveries, schedule on-site looks, schedule on-site builds to help collect money, all those kinds of things are very clear. She has her expectations. She needs to get things done on time, she needs to collect the money before we deliver, so on and so forth. Her reward for achieving those specific goals or outcomes well one, she's keeping her job, but two, if she does it well, she's going to be rewarded with higher pay, you know, hopefully benefits. She may get eventually moved up in the company because I can see that she does her job and she's a good leader, whereas relationally I want to focus on her personal connections with her right. So I want to make sure I build not a friendship so much, but good relationship with her that she can talk to me, she knows if there's issues or if she's short, you know, on certain things she needs to get a job done.

Tammy Hershberger: 3:16

I'm very clear on what her motivation, her strengths are and where she needs to improve. So I can, as a leader, go in and, you know, use those strengths to her advantage. I can, as a leader, go in and, you know, use those strengths to her advantage. I can give her tasks that she can accomplish quickly and she will enjoy doing, versus something I know she struggles with and then I would give it to her and then she's going to be struggling and taking too long and probably be frustrated because it's not something she's good at. And you want to make sure as a leader, you want to be authentic and you want to find balance between the transactional and the relational. So my note here says each approach has value, but there are also gaps within it.

Tammy Hershberger: 3:52

The transactional approach overlooks the human aspect. Efficiency doesn't always mean that a worker is satisfied and thriving within their position. Connection really does foster people to do a better job at work. So you may have an employee who's doing a great job, completely killing it, but maybe they're not really happy in their role. Maybe they think you know, this is kind of boring. I can do it with my eyes closed. It's just not fun to me anymore. Well, you need to challenge them. You know it's the same thing with kids in school. Some kids are just so smart that whatever they're learning, they're way ahead of it, and I knew kids in school like that. They were bored because they were like we already done that, we did this, we know how to do it. We want something that's more challenging and that's where it's your job as a parent, as a teacher, to challenge them and to find ways to help keep their mind expanding, their interest piqued, and so that's, as a leader, something you want to do peaked, and so that's, as a leader, something you want to do.

Tammy Hershberger: 4:47

The relational approach alone, however, can overshadow the need that work still needs to be done and that there are clear expectations and outcomes, which leaves teams unmotivated and stagnant. So, relationally you may be, you know, like I know, you like this and you don't like that. Well, sometimes, unfortunately, in small business, we all have to do things we don't always want to do, myself included, and so there might be something that they're not specifically good at but they need to kind of do because it's part of the job description, and until you find someone else to do that, they have to do it. So you're going to have to kind of make them do it, but hopefully in time you can get them so they don't have to do it. And then it talked about authentic leadership. Blends these two approaches together, creating a genuine leader.

Tammy Hershberger: 5:30

Leadership is dynamic and personal, so combine these principles of leadership in a way that means that meets the needs of your team and you, so you may say, okay, well, I'm very transactional, but I need to be more relational. Well, if that's the case, then you need to work on shifting that. So seeing your people as people, remembering that they have feelings, they have emotions, they have wants, they have dreams and that's where you know being relational can kind of come into the picture of not being such a driver of tasks. Get the tasks done. Get the tasks done and get out of here. You know that's not the leader that people want to follow.

Tammy Hershberger: 6:08

It talks in her article about the transactional leadership approach is akin to setting a course with a map. It provides a clear direction and quantifiable ways to reach the destination. I mean, if you have a map and you get lost, well you can't necessarily say that you had no help right, because you just didn't follow the map, possibly. So then she talks in here. She talks about transactional leadership limits, the potential to overlook the human element. It may be efficient, but it doesn't fully engage your team members and it doesn't make them motivated and it doesn't make them feel like they belong, and then that's going to cause them to not be, maybe, loyal to your company. So you don't want a work environment that's really productive but also is missing warmth and genuine connection Because I can tell you in my bar and in our business we all know how to get stuff done.

Tammy Hershberger: 6:59

I think we have a really good mix of transactional and relational there, because my guys and my girls in the office we get stuff done. I mean, we just make stuff happen. But we also have that fun side of it where I hear the guys laughing in the background. They come in and they joke with us. They're still getting their work done, but we feel like a family. It's a sense of community at my business because we are out to get the job done, but we also are there to watch out for each other. You know, help each other through tough times. At lunch breaks and your 15-minute breaks, the guys like to sit together and talk about whatever topic comes up or something they saw, or their families or whatever it is, and that, to me as a leader, says I am doing this correct, I am doing a good job, I'm mixing both styles together. Talks about.

Tammy Hershberger: 7:48

The strength of relational leadership lies in its ability to inspire loyalty, foster open communication and encourage innovation. However, without the balance of clear expectations and accountability, the focus on relationships can overshadow the drive for results, potentially leading to a comfortable yet complacent work environment. So, as you can see, you got to kind of have good balance here. We don't want to have it where we just talk all day and goof off and nothing gets done. That's not productive, it costs us lots of money, so we want to say, okay, well, how do we get this balance? How do we create this genuine, authentic style to our leadership or to our business or our team? So, going through this, the first thing on the list is building self-awareness.

Tammy Hershberger: 8:32

Leadership begins with our ability to know your own strengths and weaknesses. So even myself, as a leader, I need to know my strengths and my weaknesses. My strengths I'm organized, I'm very personable, I'm very understanding, I'm very I give a lot of grace and mercy because I do understand we all make mistakes. I also understand my weaknesses. It's hard for me sometimes to crack down when I need to. Now the team I have, I don't currently need to do, but there has been times in the past where it was hard for me. I don't I feel mean sometimes doing that, and so that is a weakness of mine. Dealing with grumpy customers is a weakness of mine. I don't. I have a hard time listening to someone yell at me Now. Thankfully, that happens very rarely in my business, but once in a while it happens, so I know that's a weakness of mine. So the better we know and are radically honest with ourselves.

Tammy Hershberger: 9:19

We as leaders, we want to make sure we're leading from our core values, which is our actions and our words, and make sure they're aligned with what we are, who we are, what the business is, what the business stands for, and then self-reflect on that. Have introspection to make sure that all of this is continually happening right. Make sure that this is all being followed through. And then you want to embrace both right. Embrace the transactional and the relational. Combine the focus of goal-oriented leadership so everybody understands where we're going, what the goals are, while also providing room to have personable interactions and discussions with your team.

Tammy Hershberger: 9:57

Take the time to be clear in your expectations, but also open to hearing the team's contributions or their opinions on a project, because sometimes you don't see the forest or the tree. Sometimes your team members see things we don't see. They see a way we don't see, they see a blockage that's going to happen, that we don't foresee. And so they're on your team for a reason because they have value, they're smart, you trust them right, so bring them in on that. You want to make sure you're transparent, be communicative about where you have made mistakes, as well as sharing your vision and your goals with your team, so everybody's on the same page.

Tammy Hershberger: 10:33

Own up to and communicate mistakes that you have made, because it builds trust with them and it also reminds your team to speak up when they have an honest mistake. They don't have to hide it, they don't have to be shamed of it, because I used to tell people when I'd hire people, I'd say I want you to be truthful with me because I don't want anyone here that I can't trust, and if you make a mistake, it's okay. You just tell us and we'll work on it, we'll fix it and then you can hopefully learn your lesson and maybe, maybe we can keep it from happening again. So when you include your team within the decision-making process, it can vault. It cultivates a sense of community where everyone is valued and heard. Who wouldn't want to work for a company like that?

Tammy Hershberger: 11:13

The next thing is be vulnerable. Genuine leaders are not afraid to show their humanity, which means sharing your challenges, your fears, and expressing emotions can help create a workplace where the team feels more connected to each other and the larger vision of the business. You know you don't necessarily want to bring in the drama of your life I'm not saying that. But coming in and you know, saying like this big launch, I'm super excited about it or I'm a little bit nervous about this, and it kind of reminds your team like hey, she's a little nervous. Let's just really watch that things go smooth. Let's make sure it's on track, make sure it's going to be a success, basically. So you don't have to act like the big shot. You don't have to be the big boss who has no problems, no feelings, no emotions. That's not how life works. And then it says play to your strengths. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

Tammy Hershberger: 12:01

It's important to have your team members in positions that play to their strengths, which can help with overall work performance and efficiency. Have routine check-ins with your teams to separately, you know, have them each separately. Come in and talk to them to make sure that they're feeling confident in their role. As well as that, they have the tools they need to be supported. If they don't fix it, make a change, provide personal growth opportunities.

Tammy Hershberger: 12:25

So you want to have opportunities available for your team to expand their skills, both personally and professionally. Support them and give encouragement for their achievements. When you do, the team will be more engaged and motivated to expand their skills, both personally and professionally. Support them and give encouragement for their achievements. When you do, the team will be more engaged and motivated to achieve their goals within their roles. So if there's things that they need to learn, get them training. Teach them. Bring someone in. If there's someone else in the company that can train them, train them. It'll show them that you're invested in them. Who wants to work for a company that's not invested in them? Invested in them? Don't care about them. And I think that's, you know, huge for keeping people working for you. It's huge for keeping people's respect.

Tammy Hershberger: 13:03

And then it talks in here about maintaining predictability and flexibility. So it says if you ask about their kid's soccer game on Monday and then on Tuesday, you're all business as usual. Your team might wonder what's flexibility? So it says, if you ask about their kid's soccer game on Monday and then on Tuesday, you're all business as usual. Your team might wonder what's up. So you want to be consistent. You don't want to be like all over the map, like one day you care and the next day you don't.

Tammy Hershberger: 13:24

Then it talks about navigating the ups and downs of leadership, with being flexible. So it says, like a good quarterback, switching plays at the last second, you want to be able to pivot as your team needs it right, so you may have to be a team cheerleader one day and then more of a coach the next day. Just make sure that the team knows the game plan and always be clear with your intentions, because sometimes you have to switch gears. You have to know what's going on, like this today I'm your cheerleader and then things kind of went awry yesterday, and so today I want you to know I'm still here cheering you on, but we have to fix some things Now. I need to coach you through that, because we went and made some pretty good mistakes or something happened with Jimmy that he wasn't okay with, or whatever it is. So you want to make sure you're thinking about all those things.

Tammy Hershberger: 14:14

It's important to recognize the diverse skills and knowledge that each member of your team brings to the table. A leader is open to seeing and hearing different points of view. Brainstorm together, open up solutions and growth for your business together. Do it together. Leadership is a skill that will constantly grow and evolve as you do and as your team does. The key characteristics to becoming an authentic leader are consistency in your actions and your words, flexibility, adapt to the challenges in front of you and the needs of your team, and then have integrity. Your style of leadership is aligned with you and who you are and what your values are. The key to finding your balance between the two approaches of leadership being transactional and relational is don't switch back and forth between the approaches, but rather have a steady blend of the two. That way, it's not confusing to your people. There will be ups and downs in life and within your business. It's important to find ways that work for you, that allow you to pivot, keep your team focused and efficient, but also be able to relate to them personally, honoring their needs or viewpoints. On something, if you remember two things about authentic leadership let's be consistent and transparent. When you do both you're showing up consistently and you're being transparent you will build a strong foundation of trust and respect.

Tammy Hershberger: 15:32

Today, I want to thank you all for listening. I invite you to share your own experience and insights on authenticity and leadership by visiting wwwlightupyourbusinesspodcastcom. I hope this podcast offers practical guidance and strategies for you as a manager and a leader. Please share this episode with anyone you think might benefit from it. I hope that, exploring these key principles, strategies and real-life examples, you're empowered to lead with authenticity, integrity and consistency to really light up your business. Thank you all. We'll see you next time. And remember in the world of business, every success story begins with a passionate dream and ends with a strategic billion-dollar handshake. Stay ambitious, stay innovative and keep making those deals that reshape tomorrow. Thank you all for tuning in and until next time. Remember. Proverbs 3.3 says Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. That way you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. And remember if you like what you heard today, click the follow button so you never miss an episode.