The 12 Driving Forces & effective leadership

May 28, 2021

One of the key components to long-lasting effective leadership is passion. Leaders who are fulfilling their own goals as they lead organizations are the visionaries many dream of becoming.

Here's what leadership looks like under each of the 12 Driving Forces, and how you can connect with your team through your Drivers while avoiding the common pitfalls of each respective leadership type.

Instinctive Leaders: Bring on the Action

People with an Instinctive Driver use experience, intuition, and real-time research to solve an immediate need. As leaders, they cultivate an agile workplace that prioritizes hands-on experience and learning on the job. If you're looking for a team that prioritizes opportunities to grow, an Instinctive leader will help you get to the next level.

One thing to look out for; Instinctive leaders are more interested in results rather than processes. Try to let your direct reports take their time and establish processes that work for both of you. Encourage them to demonstrate value upfront and lead with results over research. Once you're on the same page, they can dive into the details

Intellectual Leaders: Knowledge is Power

People with an Intellectual Driver acquire knowledge, discover, and find opportunities to learn. They are the definition of continuous learners, and this serves their team in several ways.

Intellectual leaders will create opportunities to develop the skills of their employees, so if you're looking for a workplace that will invest in you, that's where you'll find it. They highly value comprehension and research and want you to know what you're talking about before bringing something to their attention.

That being said, Intellectual leaders can get bogged down in details. If this is your main Driver, try not to lose interest if someone doesn't have their facts straight from the jump. Make your expectations clear at the beginning of projects; you can always help coach your team into a better research process.

Selfless Leaders: Getting it Done

People with a Selfless Driver invest all of their resources and time into completing tasks, regardless of constrictions. This means that, as leaders, they value diligence and the completion of tasks. They have a clear vision of the future and the steps needed to get their organization to that point.

Selfless leaders also make sure that expectations are clearly communicated in the workplace, which leads to a clear and productive working environment. That can become an issue if they begin to focus more on task completion than the outcome. Remember, as leaders, your responsibilities shift from completing tasks to leading your teams to complete tasks.

If you're a Selfless leader, you can avoid confusion by asking your team to clearly demonstrate their work and lay out the progress at each step. This will make sure everyone is on the same page within your organization and your leadership team.

Resourceful Leaders: ROI Above All

People with a Resourceful Driver find ways to maximize productivity and focus on getting a return for their time, talent or resources invested.

People with Resourceful Drivers often find themselves in leadership positions. They are skilled at driving profit and emphasizing the bottom line. They might even have had previous hands-on experiences in the roles they lead, particularly in departments like sales or marketing.

While their ability to manage resources and focus on finance is crucial for an organization's success, Resourceful leaders might not focus on the human element of their teams as much as they should. This can lead to workers feeling devalued and underappreciated.

The solution is to focus on soft skills in your entire organization. Leaders who focus on emotional intelligence will always have a leg up on their competition; so if you're a leader, support your entire team and your personal development by learning more about EQ.

Objective Leaders: Function Over Form

People with an Objective Driver creative functionality to produce desired outcomes in their surroundings. If you've heard the phrase 'function over form', you know what matters to Objective leaders. They focus on getting results and value efficiency above most things in the workplace.

If you're on a team that works with a lot of numbers and data, an Objective will likely be a great fit for your work style. One thing to look out for, however, is the fact that Objective leaders can forget details in favor of outcomes.

Don't forget the journey matters as much as the destination! One way Objective leaders can stay mindful is to directly ask their teams what they need. Does a more cohesively designed workplace improve their day-to-day life? Would color-coding different teams' calendars help them stay productive?

Anything to increase engagement should be considered, even if it's not an immediate concern of that leader.

Harmonious Leaders: All About The Experience

People with a Harmonious Driver create balance in their surroundings while embracing the experience.

Harmonious leaders value beauty and creativity. They want their teams to be fulfilled by their work and create cohesive balanced work environments. Not all Harmonious leaders work in the creative sector, but all Harmonious leaders can appreciate design and form.

If you're a Harmonious leader, you need to make sure not to get lost in the details. Just as we said before, the journey and the destination are as important as each other. If you make sure to take the time to outline clear expectations and the process of each project, you make sure the details are accounted for while still getting work done.

Intentional Leaders: Help Me Help You

People with an Intentional Driver form purposeful strategic relationships and focus on future benefits.

One misconception about people with Intentional Drivers is that they don't care about others. This is simply untrue! Intentional people are just focused on helping others whose vision aligns with theirs.

Intentional leaders are highly loyal to their teams and are focused on helping their professional development. Intentional leaders should work hard to give others the benefit of the doubt. You might be surprised at the value others reveal after you get to know them. Also, make sure that your more altruistic team members have outlets for their passions. Keep an open mind when it comes to other points - you just might find a new focus.

Altruistic Leaders: Getting Through Giving

People with an Altruistic Driver love to respond to people in need and thrive while working to benefit others.

Altruistic leaders are driven by servant leadership, which is likely not surprising. They find their true purpose by helping others and creating work environments where employees are supported and understood. If you're an Altruistic leader, don't forget that giving isn't negated if it benefits you in some way. By publicly sharing good deeds or creating an employee volunteer system, you aren't dulling your ideals; you are simply making sure your work benefits your organization in some way. That's not a bad thing!

Collaborative Leaders: All In On the Team

People with a Collaborative Driver work to contribute to the success of the team, group, or organization's mission.

Collaborative leaders are very invested in company culture and want to help teams thrive independently and as a unit. Workers who enjoy a close partnership with others will flourish under a Collaborative leader.

Leaders with a Collaborative Driver need to remember is that you're not a member of the team, you're leading it. You need to stand apart. As good as it feels to be a part of something bigger than you, you need to realize that your employees are not your peers. They need you to help them move forward.

Commanding Leaders: Driving Destiny

People with a Commanding Driver believe in controlling their own destiny while advancing their status and position.

Commanding leaders are visionaries and help organizations reach their ultimate idealized versions through their strategy and dedication. People with a Commanding Driver are often what you think of when you think of a leader since they have such strong internal direction.

They care about recognition, awards, and visible markers of progress. If you want to work in an organization where you can climb the ranks and impress your peers, a Commanding leader can give that to you.

Commanding leaders can't overlook the fact that not everyone enjoys recognition in the same way that they do. If you have a Commanding Driver and your direct reports are more introverted or withdrawn, they might balk at being publicly recognized. Celebrate your team on their terms, not just on yours.

Receptive Leaders: Forging New Paths

People with a Receptive Driver challenge the status quo and find new ways to complete routine tasks.

Often found in the tech world or leading startups, Receptive leaders are innovators. They embrace new ideas, new technology, and work hard to stay ahead of industry trends. They value team members who do the same and run a tight ship. If your organization is fast-paced and ever pivoting, you might work under a Receptive leader.

If you are a Receptive leader, take a step back from your preferred sprint and remember that tradition matters. You need to understand the function it serves for others. Don't throw out all the old while embracing the new; there's a reason why policies and procedures are in place. Closely examine them to see what can make your organization strong.

Structured Leaders: Telling the Story

People with a Structured Driver work diligently to advance causes they believe in while honoring beliefs and traditions.

Structured leaders understand that the history and traditions of an organization are crucial to telling its story, and care about the people they lead. They want their teams to thrive within the structure of their organization.

If you're a leader with a Structured Driver, make sure to keep an open mind. This can be easier said than done, but it's crucial for the success of your organization. Adopt a growth mindset and try to see change as a benefit, rather than a distraction.

Move Forward With More Effective Leadership

Learning more about yourself is key to improving as a leader. By harnessing the power of your Driving Forces, you can guide your team and organization to more success than ever before.

This blog was published by TTI Success Insights.

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