Out of
the Box Coaching and
Breakthroughs with the Enneagram,
Mary R. Bast, Ph.D.
Copyright © 1999. All rights reserved. Revised:
July 16, 2010
Forceful and Enabling Leadership: You Can Do Both
A report from the Center for Creative Leadership by Robert Kaplan shows business leaders too often believe that being forceful and being enabling are mutually exclusive. While distinctly different behaviors can characterize these two styles, they are both complementary and necessary to effective leadership. Kaplan emphasizes the importance of versatility in response to the demands of the job. The table below points out that the controversy over which style is "better" is based on a polarized view of extreme behaviors (the left and right-hand columns, "too forceful" or "too enabling"). The most effective executives are those who have the versatility to use both forceful and enabling leadership behaviors, when appropriate (the two middle columns). The complete study can be ordered through:
Center for Creative Leadership
Post Office Box 26300
Greensboro, North Carolina 27438-6300
Too Forceful |
Forceful |
Enabling |
Too Enabling |
| Takes over, doesn't give people enough rope. | Leads personally. Is personally involved in solving the unit's problems. | Enables subordinates to lead. Is able to let go and give individuals the latitude to do their jobs. | Empowers to a fault. Gives people too much rope. |
| Other people don't speak out, aren't heard. | Lets people know clearly and with feeling where he or she stands on issues. Declares self. | Interested in where other people stand on issues. Is receptive to their ideas. | People don't know where he or she stands. |
| Insensitive, callous. | Makes tough calls -- including those that have an adverse effect on people. | Compassionate, responsive to people's needs and feelings. | Overly accommodating. Is nice to people at the expense of the work. |
| Harshly judgmental. Dismisses the contributions of others. Is an "unloving critic." | Makes judgments. Zeros in on what is substandard or is not working -- in an individual's or unit's performance. | Shows appreciation. Makes other people feel good about their contributions. Helps people feel valued. | Gives false praise or praises indiscriminately. Is an "uncritical lover." |
| Parochial, a partisan, rivalrous. | Competitive. Is highly motivated to excel and have the unit excel. | A team player. Helps other units or the larger organization perform well. | Sacrifices sharp focus on own unit. |
| Pushes too hard. Demands the impossible. Risks burnout. | Intense can-do attitude. Expects everyone to do whatever it takes to get the job done. | Realistic about limits on people's capacity to perform or produce. | Too understanding. Doesn't expect enough. |
| Arrogant. Fills own space and some of yours, too. | Confident. Gives people the feeling of belief in own self and abilities. | Modest, aware of not knowing everything, can be wrong. | Self-effacing or down on self. Doesn't fill own space. |
| Sticks rigidly to a course of action, despite strong evidence it's not working. | Persistent. Stays the course -- even in the face of adversity. | Flexible, willing to change course if the plan doesn't seem to be working. | Inconsistent, changeable; too quick to change course. |
| Forces issues when finesse would work better. | Raises tough issues. Acts as a "forcing function." | Fosters harmony, contains conflict, defuses tension. | Avoids or smoothes over tense issues that need attention. |