What Type Of Leader Are you?

I recently started playing tennis and one of my instructors helped to make the game simple. He said, "Hit through 4 balls." Voila- I'm ready for Wimbleton! There's more to the game, obviously, but focusing on all of the details at one time was overwhelming. It's a gift to take something complicated, extract the core essence, and then teach it simply. Here's my attempt to make leadership simple. I first help my clients focus on their attitude, and there are only two choices; anabolic and catabolic. In this article, we'll look at making leadership simple by choosing to be more anabolic and less catabolic.

International Professional Excellence (iPEC) in coaching defines leadership as the ability to inspire and motivate others and yourself to take life-changing action to create extraordinary results that last. According to iPEC's definition, each and every one of us is a leader. Higher levels of anabolic energy are associated with more effective leadership. Anabolic energy is building energy, and whether in the workplace or at home, great leaders build relationships, teams, families, and businesses. On the other hand, catabolic energy is destructive. Catabolic leaders destroy and break down everything around them.

Let's look first at the overall style of the catabolic leader. A catabolic leader manages. The definition of "manage" is "to handle, direct, govern, or control in action or use," and "to dominate or influence." Catabolic leaders control others. They tell others what to do and how to do it. The catabolic leader keeps the other people in the relationship in a non-powerful position - and then most likely complains to everyone around that "I can't seem to find good help," and "no one does things as well as I do."

An anabolic leader, on the other hand, leads. The definition of "lead" – "to go before or with to show the way" and "to guide in direction, course, and action" sounds supportive and empowering, and it is. The anabolic leader doesn't control and doesn't push people, but instead, it inspires them by words, action, and personal example. One principle states that "Each of us is greater and wiser than we appear to be." Anabolic leaders realize this, and thus, don't feel the need to tell people what to do, as they realize that everyone has their own answers and gifts.

Then a catabolic leader TELLS or DEMANDS that someone does something, most likely, they will respond metabolically – "I won't," "I have to," or "I need to." When an anabolic leader REQUESTS that someone do something or ASKS for someone's input on a project, they're much more likely to respond with the anabolic "I want to" or "I choose to." The more anabolic the leader, the greater the probability of success in the task.

As you lead this week, make it simple. Shift from catabolic to anabolic, starting with yourself and then with others. Want more anabolic energy in your life but not sure how to get it? Let's schedule a 30-minute chat to talk about it.

Tracy Pajer, CPC, ACC-ICF, ELI-MP

Founder + Principal Coach at Tracy Pajer Coaching System