Leaders should be loved, not feared

Are your employees afraid of their leaders? Do they fear bringing up new ideas and suggesting innovative approaches?

If so, you may be missing out on valuable opportunities for improvement, according to a study from the Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia.

In a new paper entitled How the Five Factor Model and revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory predict divergent thinking, UNSW researchers suggest that employees who fear their immediate supervisors are likely to be less creative, at least in contrast to those operating in an open and accepting environment.

Creative workers who feel comfortable with their manager and don’t fear reprimand are likely to suggest “innovative new ways of working”, according to lead author and PhD student Benjamin Walker.

“Office managers could certainly harness the creativity of people who are inclined toward creativity by working with them to set goals which have achievable rewards, and offer them new experiences,” said Mr Walker.

“Many organisations put pressure on their employees with fear of negative consequences such as reprimands or losing their job. While these fear tactics may get employees to work harder, in situations of fear the employees may be less able to generate higher quality work that involves creativity.”

These findings may be a wake up call to organisations still using outdated and unproductive methods of leadership development and succession planning.

Rather than selecting future leaders based on their ability to command and even intimidate other employees, why not consider utilising HR management software to identify and nurture high potentials who hold the respect and affection of their co-workers?

From there, you can ensure you are building a solid pool of leaders who command not with an iron fist, but by creating an open and inviting work atmosphere.