How do you manage a project team with incompatible leadership styles?

1 Identify the leadership styles

The first step is to identify the dominant leadership styles of your team members and yourself. There are many frameworks and tools to help you with this, such as the DISC model, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the Situational Leadership Theory. The key is to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each style, and how they interact with each other. For example, a directive leader may clash with a participative leader, or a supportive leader may struggle with a delegative leader.

2 Communicate expectations and roles

The next step is to communicate clearly and consistently the expectations and roles of each team member and yourself. This will help to avoid confusion, conflict, and resentment. You should also establish the ground rules for decision making, feedback, and conflict resolution. For example, you may decide to use a consensus-based approach for major decisions, a regular check-in for feedback, and a mediation process for conflict resolution.

3 Adapt your leadership style

The third step is to adapt your leadership style to suit the needs and preferences of your team members and the project situation. This does not mean that you have to change your personality or values, but rather that you have to be flexible and versatile. You should also encourage your team members to do the same. For example, you may need to be more directive when dealing with a tight deadline, more participative when brainstorming ideas, or more supportive when facing a challenge.

4 Leverage diversity and synergy

The fourth step is to leverage the diversity and synergy of your team members and their leadership styles. This means that you should appreciate and value the different perspectives, skills, and contributions of each team member, and foster a culture of collaboration and learning. You should also look for opportunities to create synergy, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For example, you may pair up a visionary leader with a detail-oriented leader, or a creative leader with a pragmatic leader.

5 Monitor and evaluate performance

The fifth step is to monitor and evaluate the performance of your team members and yourself, and make adjustments as needed. You should use both quantitative and qualitative measures, such as project milestones, deliverables, feedback, and satisfaction. You should also solicit and provide constructive feedback, and celebrate successes and learn from failures. For example, you may use a dashboard to track progress, a survey to measure satisfaction, and a debrief to identify lessons learned.

6 Develop your leadership skills

The sixth and final step is to develop your leadership skills and those of your team members. You should seek and offer opportunities for learning, growth, and development, both individually and collectively. You should also reflect on your own leadership style, and how you can improve it. For example, you may enroll in a training course, join a mentorship program, or read a book on leadership.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?