Reactive leadership is pervasive in workplaces today and that’s not good. From what I observe in some of the companies where I am called to consult, ineffective leaders aren’t necessarily lacking talent or leadership strengths . But they are too reactive.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, reactive is an adjective defined as “done in response to a problem or situation: reacting to problems when they occur instead of doing something to prevent them.”
I’ve met and worked with some top executives who’ve had brilliant careers and high scores on just about every leadership competency that is measurable. And yet, some are less effective in getting results than their peers.
What makes these leaders ineffective? They may have what it takes, from a competency stand point, but are hampered by reactive responses and a reactive form of mind.
This happens often under high stress or in complex environments. The leadership strength the person has always relied on gets overused, and it starts to turn ineffective.
Leadership strengths become weaknesses when the executive overuses them. (See my post about this here.)
Most Leaders Use a Reactive Form of Mind
What do I mean when I say that? What’s a “reactive mind,” or a “reactive response?”
In Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adam’s framework developed for The Leadership Circle and explained in their book, Mastering Leadership (Wiley, 2015), most leaders operate from three developmental levels: Egocentric, Reactive, or Creative.
And of those three levels, approximately 75% of leaders operate with a Reactive structure of mind. Briefly, this refers to someone who has learned to define themselves through their strengths. This is a normal part of adult development. We naturally gravitate toward those behaviors that get reinforced through successful use. And we avoid those behaviors that bring us problems.
There comes a time, however, when a person outgrows their need to operate from a reactive form of mind. Instead of choosing behaviors which have been reinforced by others, they tune into internal ideals. They start becoming more creative and less dependent on external sources of approval. These leaders adopt an internal locus of control.
But the Reactive Mind constructs the self from the outside in. And at this level of development, leaders tend to define themselves in one of three ways: through their relationships, intellect, or results capability.
There are three types of reactive responses for each way of viewing the world: Protective, Complying and Controlling.
Protective type leaders define themselves as intellectually strong and will protect their self-image and ego at all costs; in doing so they risk being critical, arrogant, or creating emotional distance from others. This limits leaders’ ability to influence.
Complying type leaders form their identity around their relationships, and see themselves as good, kind, worthwhile and supportive. This requires being liked, accepted or admired by others. Therefore, such leaders will give up power in exchange for being liked. The risk of complying behaviors includes being overly democratic and unwilling to make decisions in a timely fashion.
Controlling type leaders use power to get things done. Results are what matters most to them. Using power to achieve outcomes often entails diminishing participation and respect for others. This undermines collective effectiveness and intelligence.
Each of these reactive leadership styles is externally defined, based on whatever a leader has been socialized to think is good and right.
Can you see yourself reacting in one of these three styles? We have the capability to act in all three ways, but one is your “go-to” style in challenging and threatening situations. Getting more familiar with your reactive style will pay huge dividends in your leadership effectiveness.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached at 425-533-4330 or email Marty@VondrellLeadership.com, here or on LinkedIn.