How Strengths-Based Leadership Affects Teams

Strength-based leadership focuses on each individual’s core strengths. The methodology believes that when we work on these unique strengths, the team becomes more productive, successful, and involved in the task at hand.

Encouragement is an important tool here, as when people work in their areas of strength, they can perform better and contribute more effort.

So, how well does strength-based leadership work? Let’s find out!

Individual-Focused Leadership in a Fishbowl

“When leading a group, should the leader pay differentiated attention to individual members and the group as a collective simultaneously?” This is the question Joshua Wu, Anne Tsui, and Angelo Kinicki raised in a recent Academy of Management Journal publication. 

Their study of 70 work groups in eight companies found that successful team leaders manage the team, not the individuals.

If you have bought the prevailing wisdom that managing the strengths of individual group members is the best way to manage your group, you could be making a big mistake. 

This study found that providing highly differentiated leadership to each member of your group will indeed increase their individual self-efficacy. However, the increased individual self-efficacy had a negative effect on the group’s collective efficacy and effectiveness.

Importance of Collective Efficacy

Group collective efficacy, on the other hand, had a significant positive effect on group effectiveness. The researchers measured collective efficacy with items that assessed the various tasks the group might perform, not specific tasks any single group member might perform.

Group collective efficacy resulted from group-focused rather than individual-focused leadership. Group-focused leadership produced group identification, which in turn produced a collective sense of efficacy among group members. This type of leadership is where group leaders specify the importance of group members having a strong sense of collective purpose and mission in working with the group.

Balancing Individual and Group Needs 

Popular thinking on leadership asserts that effective leaders must not only inspire the group as a whole but must also be attentive to the unique needs of every group member. This research suggests “that leaders who attempt to satisfy both individual and group needs may inadvertently compromise group processes and outcomes” (p. 101).

If your individualized approach to leadership creates a group full of members where some have high self-efficacy and see themselves as “high potentials” while others do not, you are likely sub-optimizing the performance of your group as a whole. The differences in individual efficacy among group members affect how they feel about each other and their ability to accomplish things together. This is especially critical when group tasks require extensive interdependence among members.

When group performance matters and people need to work closely together to be effective, the belief that “we can do it” is more important than any individual’s belief that “I can do it.” If you lead a group like this, you probably want to keep that strength-based snake oil on the shelf.

Key Insights on the Strength-Based Leadership Theory

Strength leadership encourages individuals to stand out. On the other hand, group-focused leadership is more about the importance of shared objectives. It is the leaders’ responsibility to set clear goals. This way, the team works unified towards a purpose. They synergize their efforts and can collectively do much more than individuals. 

Teams with better team-oriented goals are also likely to work towards collaborative success. This creates a positive environment where team achievements are celebrated. 

The Role of Leadership Style in Team Dynamics

The leadership style also impacts the team. Leaders who are focused on individual strengths create an environment where employees compete, whereas, in a group-focused leadership style, they are more supportive of each other. 

The collective approach also builds trust and strengthens the group, enabling higher performance, especially in tasks that require more collaborative efforts.

Group-Focused Leadership Boosts Morale

Leadership style also has a major impact on employee morale. Group members feel valued when their leaders applaud and appreciate their efforts. This builds a supportive environment where employees feel valued for their efforts and perform better even under stressful situations.

Long-Term Benefits of Collective Efficacy

Collective efficacy is the shared belief among team members of their collective power. This enables them to achieve objectives and supports the team’s long-term success. 

Teams with high collective efficacy will perform better, exhibit innovative skills, and easily adapt to challenging situations. When leaders build collective efficacy, they lay the foundation for continuous improvement, problem-solving, and resilience. 

This will better equip the team to handle upcoming challenges or changes. It will also keep them motivated and promote a culture of support.

Wrap Up

The key findings from Wu, Tsui, and Kinicki’s study give us a heads-up that when we believe collaboration is essential, we emphasize the team’s collective purpose and shared goals. 

This drives higher success than focusing on individual strength. Although strength-based leadership has its own advantages, collective efficacy is what propels the team forward. 

Therefore, leaders looking to create more robust and connected teams should try to build a sense of unity amongst the members and prioritize collective goals. This will develop more productive teams and create an environment where all team members feel valued and united in purpose.

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Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Management at The University of Nevada, Reno. He earned his doctorate in Business Administration at Oklahoma State University. Bret blogs about leadership and social business at his website Positive Organizational Behavior. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.