If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”
-John Quincy Adams
You might think about taking on more leadership responsibilities as your career progresses. In which case, selecting a leadership style that complements your strengths can help you excel in any role. You may decide to incorporate task-oriented leadership into your management methods. We will define task-oriented leadership and provide examples of its characteristics in this article.
What are the 4 Basic Leadership Styles?
Autocratic
Authoritarian leadership is another term for autocratic leadership. An autocratic leader makes decisions independently and with little input from group members. They tend to make decisions based on their own ideas and avoid seeking outside advice. This level of control is beneficial in some situations because it reduces the number of decision-making steps and keeps things moving, especially in stressful situations. It also establishes a clear chain of command. It can, however, be discouraging to team morale.
Democratic
It is a leadership style that encourages group participation in decision-making. A democratic leader encourages open debate and the exchange of ideas, while also providing guidance when necessary. A democratic leadership style is advantageous because it allows the team to be open to new ideas and solutions. It also encourages teamwork and morale within a group.
Transformational
Transformational leadership is an inspirational leadership style that focuses on providing proactive, passionate leadership that allows everyone to succeed. This leadership type is advantageous because it can motivate the team to strive for the best results and to improve themselves. This empowerment boosts team productivity and morale. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, can sometimes lack focus, preferring to focus on the big picture and long-term improvement.
Laissez-faire
Hands-off leadership is another term for laissez-faire leadership. Laissez-faire leaders take a hands-off approach to leadership, allowing their team to make decisions. This can be useful in some situations because it allows employees to get on with their work and make their own decisions, saving time.
What is the Task-Oriented Leadership Style?
What does task-oriented mean? Task-oriented leadership is concerned with achieving objectives. Task-oriented leaders delegate tasks, establish transparent processes and set deadlines to ensure that all team members remain focused and complete their portions of the project on time. Managers of this style create a structured workplace with clearly defined priorities and schedules. Consider task-oriented leadership if you frequently need to complete many objectives on time.
What is an Example of Task-Oriented Leadership?
One of the excellent task-oriented leadership examples is the project managers who are in charge of big projects. Project managers are typically concerned with completing the project within the time frame specified and meeting the project objectives.
Strategies of Task-Oriented Leaders
Here are some task-oriented strategies you can employ to help your team achieve its objectives:
Communicate Specific Goals
You must explain tasks to your team so that everyone understands and follows the steps toward the goal. Delegating responsibilities, providing simple instructions, and outlining tasks are all examples of this. For example, a sales manager might set a goal for each of their sales agents to make $25,000 in sales in one month. They assign each sales agent a specific territory and instruct them on how to approach potential customers.
Establish Procedures
Create simple processes that everyone on the team can follow. Simple processes help team members maintain focus and can boost productivity. A marketing director, for example, describes how the development process should work for the team. They specify how much time should be spent brainstorming and designing in order to achieve their target concept goal.
Establish Clear Deadlines
Every goal must have a specific deadline in order to be met. If necessary, establish soft and hard deadlines. You can schedule reminders at regular intervals to ensure that everyone on your team is aware of the timeline. For example, the sales manager set a one-month deadline for their team to generate $25,000 in sales revenue.
Offer Employees Guidance
When your team faces a challenge, you should be willing to assist them. To help your team understand their roles and responsibilities, answer questions and provide feedback. A restaurant’s staff manager, for example, holds a weekly meeting where the team can share progress and ask questions. The manager can respond to individual questions and address common problems that the team faces.
Implement an Employee Rewards System
You will need a rewards system to encourage all employees to stay on task for task-oriented leadership to be successful. For example, the sales manager may reward any sales agent who exceeds the monthly sales target. The bonus motivates sales agents to increase company revenue and rewards them for their efforts, which increases their loyalty to the company.
Task-Oriented Leadership Skills
To succeed as a task-oriented leader, you can practice and hone the following abilities:
Prioritisation
It is critical to be able to sort tasks, determine their importance, and devise a plan to complete those tasks. When prioritising tasks, consider sorting them by urgency, effort required, and deadline.
Time Management
Task-oriented leaders are skilled at creating schedules and assisting others in adhering to them. Implement shared, interactive calendars and to-do lists, and require employees to submit regular progress reports.
Strategy
Getting things done on time necessitates careful planning. You must be able to put procedures in place that your team can understand and follow. Set incremental milestones that lead to achieving the overall goal to help guide your team.
Delegation
The ability to delegate tasks so that each contributor is productive is a critical component of task-oriented leadership. Identify team members’ strengths and skills to determine which assignments are best for them.
Communication
Effective communication is essential for task-oriented leaders to ensure that their teams understand their responsibilities. You’ll need to figure out how to communicate your plans and goals to team members in the best way possible, whether through email, one-on-one conversations, or group meetings.
Why is Task-Oriented Leadership Important?
Here are some advantages of task-oriented leadership:
Achieve More Goals
Task-oriented leaders are more likely to achieve more in less time if they focus on developing the most effective method for completing tasks. This enables them to take on more tasks and achieve more objectives. Achieving more goals can provide an organisation with a competitive advantage and ultimately improve profitability.
Meet Deadlines
Task-oriented leaders constantly supervise their employees and adhere to strict deadlines. Employees are encouraged to be more effective and productive as a result of this. Leaders who are task-oriented create simple and efficient processes that make task completion easier and faster. As a result, employees can always meet their deadlines.
Develop Effective Systems
Task-oriented leaders are more likely to develop effective systems because they are always looking for the most efficient way to complete tasks. This can include efficient shortcuts, automation, or simple processes that get the job done. These effective systems can become an integral part of an organization long after the leader has left.
Help Employees Develop
Task-oriented leaders encourage their employees to practice their skills as they encourage them to complete more jobs. Task-oriented leaders are also likely to invest in training to increase the effectiveness of their employees This can help employees develop into more capable professionals.
Improve Client Relationships
Task-oriented leaders prioritise completing high-quality work in the shortest amount of time. This can have a positive impact on clients, who may then view the organization as trustworthy. Clients may become more eager to do business with that organization as a result, as they can expect quality work.
Potential Issues of the Task-Oriented Leadership Style
The following are possible task-oriented leadership disadvantages that leaders need to prevent:
Employee Burnout
This refers to fatigue due to excessive work. This can be solved by allowing adequate breaks and incorporating automation into their processes.
Low Employee Morale
This is a lack of motivation that can be caused by an unhealthy work environment. Leaders can deal with this by incentivising work and showing concern for their employees.
Unhealthy Rivalry
Task-oriented leaders are more likely to reward employees solely on performance, resulting in unhealthy rivalry. Rewarding ethical behaviour and teamwork is a good solution.
Poor Work-Life Balance
Employees who work for a leader who is focused on task completion may have little time for their personal lives. Work-life balance can be achieved by implementing considerate work schedules and allowing time off.
Unhealthy Work Environment
Excessive task focus can lead to overburdened employees who develop negative attitudes. To avoid this, promote a healthy work environment that prioritises your employees’ wellbeing.
Famous Task-Oriented Leaders
Tim Cook
He is the CEO of Apple, one of the world’s largest technology companies and the eighth largest company on Forbes’ Global 2000 list. Cook has assisted Apple in its evolution following Jobs’ death, including the opening of Apple retail stores in China. Therefore his thoughts on leadership are of interest:
It’s about finding your values and committing to them. It’s about making choices. Some are easy. Some are hard. And some will make you question everything.”
Sheryl Sandberg
She was the CEO of Facebook and a strong supporter of women in business. Her thoughts on leadership are as follows:
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
Jack Ma
Jack Ma was the first mainland Chinese businessperson to appear on the cover of Forbes magazine. He founded the Alibaba Group, a conglomerate of internet companies. He is China’s richest man. Consider what he says about leadership:
“Leadership is your instinct, and then it’s your training. Leaders are always positive; they never complain.”
Task-Oriented Leadership vs. People-Oriented Leadership
People-oriented leaders promote creativity and innovation because they think that team members’ happiness leads to increased productivity. Instead, task-oriented leadership concentrates on achieving a set objective as quickly and effectively as possible. Depending on their workplace and goals, many leaders combine task- and relationship-oriented styles. Take into account these suggestions to incorporate people-oriented leadership into your management style:
Focus on Your Team’s Needs
Make sure your team feels comfortable with their assigned work. Provide members with training to help them learn the necessary skills for success.
Motivate Employees and Inspire Loyalty
People-oriented leaders focus on their team’s needs, and as a result, their members are more invested in the company’s long-term goals and vision. Recognise hard work and accomplishments to boost morale.
Allow Members of the Team to Create
Inform your team that you support their decisions in order to foster their creativity. Encouragement of your team’s creativity may lead to members discovering new and more efficient ways to complete tasks.
Tips to Decide Which Leadership Style to Use
When managing a team, deciding which leadership style to use can be difficult. Here are some pointers to consider:
Understand the Needs of Your Team
As a leader, you must understand your team’s various strengths, weaknesses, wants, and needs. Once you have a comprehensive picture of your team. You can create a better-informed decision about the best leadership style for them It may also assist you in realising that you need to take a variety of approaches to get the most out of your team by incorporating different leadership styles in different situations.
Consider Your Team’s Level of Experience
Your leadership style may need to take into account the experience of your team. A more supportive and structured leadership style, for example, would benefit a relatively new or inexperienced team. This will aid in the development of their skills and comprehension of their duties and responsibilities. If you have a highly experienced team, a more relaxed leadership style may be appropriate because you can be confident in their abilities with minimal supervision. As your team grows and develops, you may naturally transition to a more relaxed leadership style because your team are becoming more self-sufficient.
Keep in Mind That No Single Leadership Style is Ideal
Everyone is unique, and a diverse team will include a diverse range of personalities and preferences. Remember that you can’t always please everyone all of the time. Instead, consider your team’s overall needs and adapt your leadership style to get the most out of them. Then, once you’ve decided on a leadership style, you’re not committed to it indefinitely, and you can change your mind at any time. You’ll find a style that works for you as long as you’re focused on providing the best leadership for your team.
So, which of the four leadership styles fits you and your company’s culture? Take this leadership style quiz to determine what kind of leader you are.
Conclusion
All organisations require task-oriented leadership because, without it, very few tasks would be completed. You must meet deadlines, explain procedures to clients, and then reap the benefits. Therefore, to avoid dysfunctional working relationships, it is critical to balance this type of leadership with relationship-oriented leadership. Leaders must consider their own health and stress levels in order for the workforce to become more productive and engaged.
