The Affiliative Leadership Style

"Peope first task second"

The primary objective of the affiliative style is 'creating harmony. The affiliative style can create a warm and friendly atmosphere. lt can make team members feel valued as individuals - not just as workers. It recognizes each team members emotional needs.

But sometimes people see it as their manager avoiding the hard stuff. Avoiding the stress of giving challenging feedback. Avoiding the process of tackling poor performance. Avoiding the singling out or rewarding of the individual who has made a key contribution. And managers can feel disheartened when their efforts to create harmony' are not responded to with equal warmth - when team members just want to get the job done.

The affiliative style in action

When using this style a manager:

• promotes friendly interactions among co-workers
• places less emphasis on task directions, goals and standards than on meeting team members” emotional needs
• pays attention and cares for ‘the Whole person” and stresses things that keep people happy
• identifies opportunities for positive feedback and avoids performance related confrontations
• rewards personal characteristics as much as job performance

The affiliative style is most effective

• when tasks are routine and team members performance is adequate
• when giving personal help (e.g. supporting individuals through personal difficulties)
• in getting diverse, conflicting groups of individuals to work together harmoniously.

The affiliative style is least effective:

• when team members performance is inadequate and corrective performance feedback is necessary for improvement
• in crisis situations or in complex tasks needing clear direction and control
• with team members who are task-orientated or uninterested in friendship with their manager or colleagues

lf you feel the situation needs you to be more affiliative

• ldentify - and act to resolve - conflict
  • Recognize the individual positive traits of people and accept them for who they are.
  • Encourage everyone to do the same and to work together. Establish a strategy to replace conflict with harmony.
• Sympathize with others
  • Try to express compassion for how people feel.
  • Take time to commiserate with team members when things are not going well for them.
• Accommodate personal needs
  • Put the welfare of your team members before the organization’s goals.
• Trust your team members to perform
  • Trust that your team will perform well if they are treated well.
  • Show that you care about them and are willing to put yourself out for them.
  • Give them the opportunity to reward you with loyalty and performance.
• Initiate personal contacts with your team members
  • Travel with them, have lunch with them
  • Spend a coffee break with each individual in your team.
  • Find out more about each person - what they enjoy, what concerns them, what matters to them at work.
  • Use what you learn to build trust with each individual, as appropriate.
• Provide social activities
  • Hold group activities: parties, picnics, group sports and outings.
• Personal recognition
  • Recognize birthdays and anniversaries, weddings, births of babies, etc.

lf you feel the situation needs you to be less afliliative:

• ls this just a habit?
  • Are you in the habit of using the affiliative style?
  • ls it part of your culture?
  • Do team members rely on being managed in this way?
  • What other managerial style or styles might raise your team’s performance, while maintaining good relationships?
• Did it work in the past?
  • Have you had to deal with team conflict or stress in the past?
  • Did the affiliative style work well for you then?
  • Will it work as well in the situation you face now?
  • Do you think the afiliative style will continue to be effective in the long term?
• What might you be missing out on?
  • What are the risks in using the affiliative style?
  • What impact will it have on the clarity of the team’s vision?
  • What impact will it have on team members’ willingness - and ability - to make a contribution in the long term?
• How do you see yourself as a manager?
  • Do you see your role as primarily about looking after others?
  • Do you believe that team members need looking after?
  • Is your need for warmth, friendship and harmony greater than that of your team members?
  • Which other approaches might be more effective or fulfilling for you - and for your team?
• Are you challenging your team enough?
  • Continue to give each team member positive feedback.
  • But say something that offers some 'stretch’. Ask them how they felt about their contribution.
  • Or tell them about the greater potential you believe you see in them.