As a leader, I feel my job is to set the vision and the goals for the company, and then to work with everyone to empower them to dream big and crazy.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>
Melanie Perkins<\/cite>,\u00a0<\/span>Founder and CEO of Canva<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n Her people-oriented leadership has made Canva one of the most successful startup unicorns ever. In 2023, Canva was named the #1 Best Workplace for Innovators<\/a> by FastCompany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How did this happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canva has adopted a people-first strategy right from the start, even during recruitment. Candidates who progress to a certain level in the interview process get a free 6-month subscription to Canva Pro, even if they aren\u2019t selected for the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alphabet and Etsy take a similar approach\u2014they focus on helping employees maintain a good work-life balance. <\/p>\n\n\n
\nA recent survey by the World Economic Forum<\/a> found that 48% of employees would leave their jobs if they prevented them from \u201cenjoying their life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Wondering how you, too, can make your organization more people-oriented? Let\u2019s start with the basics.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tHow to Implement People-Oriented Leadership Strategies<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
- What Is People-Oriented Leadership?\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- Characteristics of People-Oriented Leadership<\/a><\/li>
- People-Oriented vs. Task-Oriented Leadership<\/a>
- Balancing a people-oriented and a task-oriented leadership style<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Strengths and Weaknesses of People-Oriented Leadership<\/a>
- Advantages of people-oriented leadership\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- Disadvantages of people-oriented leadership<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- How to Implement People-Oriented Leadership in Organizations<\/a>
- 1. Cultivate empathy and understanding<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Build trust and relationships<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Prioritize employee well-being<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Empower and delegate<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Foster a positive work culture<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Lead by example<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Measure and evaluate<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- The Need for More People-Oriented Leaders\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
What Is People-Oriented Leadership?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A people-oriented leadership style is a proactive approach to making meaningful interpersonal connections with employees while mentoring them. It\u2019s about keeping your employees\u2019 best interests front and center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People-first leaders treat their workforce as their primary asset. They focus on building a warm, welcoming working environment where employees thrive, staff turnover is low, and ideas and innovation flourish. <\/p>\n\n\n
\nThe importance of people-first leadership in a work environment can be staggering. Gallups\u2019 State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report<\/a> revealed that disengaged employees cost U.S. companies between $450 billion and $550 billion annually.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
So, we can all agree that a people-oriented leader does wonders for their team, company, and themselves. Now, let\u2019s see what people-oriented leadership looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Characteristics of People-Oriented Leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A people-oriented leader has the following FACETS: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
- Fairness: <\/strong>They are fair and unbiased when dealing with all their team members and don\u2019t play favorites. They also deal with concerns such as compensation, leave, overtime, and promotions fairly, keeping the employees’ interests foremost<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approachability: <\/strong>Such leaders make it clear that everyone on their team can approach them and share their concerns, ideas, and feedback. They respond to honest feedback with gratitude and humility<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Collaborative mindset: <\/strong>When it comes to sharing ideas, plans, and concerns with their team members, they are proactive<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Empathy: <\/strong>They can put themselves in their employees\u2019 shoes and see things from their perspective <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Emotional intelligence<\/strong>: They appreciate people\u2019s contributions regularly and share constructive feedback tactfully<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Empowering mindset<\/strong>: The leaders see their role as that of a mentor and empower their employees<\/a> to learn, grow, and take ownership, and they keep honing their own leadership skills<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Trust: <\/strong>They place faith in the integrity of their team members<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Solution-orientedness: <\/strong>They identify areas for improvement in their process primarily by addressing their employees’ pain points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These FACETS are a people-oriented leader\u2019s main assets! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, people-oriented leadership styles often clash with task-oriented approaches. In contrast to people-oriented leaders, a task-oriented leader prioritizes efficiently completing tasks to meet business goals. Each style has its own pros and cons, and both have their supporters and detractors. Let\u2019s compare the two approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People-Oriented vs. Task-Oriented Leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The terms \u2018people-oriented leadership\u2019 and \u2018task-oriented leadership\u2019<\/strong> originated from Fred Fiedler’s contingency model of leadership effectiveness<\/a> in the 1960s. Fiedler proposed that leadership effectiveness depends on the interaction between the leader’s style and the particular situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out how the two approaches differ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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