The phrase ‘think outside the box’ is trite and not at all practical. ‘Think inside the box’ is where great leaders go to get more out of their teams. In Lead Inside the Box – How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results, Victor Prince looks at the need to evaluate the amount of output you get from a team member and compare that to the amount of time and energy you have to invest in them. He calls this ‘leadership capital’ and in this brief article we want to explain this concept a little further.
A core part of the theory is what he calls ‘the Leadership Matrix’ (or “the box” for short). Within that matrix which can be seen in the diagram below, he defines behavioural archetypes from Slackers to Rising Stars and everything in between.
The real insight in this simple matrix lies in practical advice on how to lead people to improve their performance. By understanding the behaviours your team members will demonstrate and how best to invest your time and effort into them, you’ll get a clearer picture of the 8 archetypical behaviours that can show up in the box. With that understanding, you can begin leading differently which will improve your performance. Those archetypes are as follows:
Exemplars are categorized by their career aspirations. Some Exemplars want their great performance to provide them with a stepping stone to larger roles and responsibilities. These are the ‘Rising Stars’. Other Exemplars are content remaining in their current roles. They’re experts and they’re satisfied with delivering outstanding results without much interference from others. These individuals are the ‘Domain Masters’.
Detractors are defined by the root cause of their performance issues. Some don’t have the skills they need to do their job. These individuals are the ‘Square Pegs’. We call Detractors who have the skills to do the job but lack the will to do it the ‘Slackers’.
High Cost Producers break into subtypes based on the kinds of costs they incur. Some get results but at the high cost of damaging team morale and destroying the goodwill you and your team have accrued with others. These individuals are the ‘Steamrollers’. High Cost Producers who get results but require an inordinate amount of hand-holding from their leader to get them are the ‘Squeaky Wheels’.
Passenger subtypes are determined by the kind of output they produce. Some only work to get their pay. They expend the bare minimum amount of effort required to keep getting paid. These are the behaviours of your ‘Stowaways’. Other Passengers exert a great deal of energy but they focus on tasks they want to do, not tasks you need them to do. We refer to Passengers behaving this way as ‘Joyriders’.
By assessing your team in terms of how much you have to invest in them versus the results you get, you can categorize your team member’s behaviour and get a better perspective on how to lead them. The better you understand how much leadership capital you’re investing in someone and the results you’re getting from those investments, the more effectively you’ll be able to lead them.
Dr. Jon Warner is a prolific author, management consultant and executive coach with over 30 years experience. He has an MBA and a PhD in Organizational Psychology. Jon can be reached at OptimalJon@gmail.com
Colin is the Director of ResourceZone International. He has 35 years of ministry experience as a pastor, college lecturer and consultant/coach to consultants, denominational leaders and local church pastors. He can be reached at info@resourcezone.com.au
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