How to foster a pacesetter leadership style in your team

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There is an old saying that a team is only as fast as its slowest member. While this is true, there is something more true and pertinent. Each team can only be as fast as the pace set by its leader.

For example, if a leader is enthusiastic about generative AI and encourages team members to use it, adoption and therefore outcomes will improve, even if the risks are greater.

However, if the leader remains skeptical and chooses to wait and see, the company could lose its first-mover advantage.

In essence, the pace at which a leader adapts to market changes will define the speed of change in the organization. This phenomenon is called pace-setting leadership.

In this blog post, we explore what it is, why it works, and how you can integrate it into your organization.

What is the pace-setting leadership style?
The Pacesetting leadership style is an approach to business management that prioritizes the leader's role in obtaining high-quality results from a motivated and high-performing team.

Daniel Goleman, a popular psychologist and author, introduced this leadership style along with five others in his book Primary Leadership . He describes six leadership styles:

Visionary: Inspires team members with clear vision and direction
Coaching: Focuses on the personal development of employees to enhance their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.
Affiliative: Focuses on creating team harmony and staying connected
Democratic: Encourages collaboration and consensus within the team
Command : Solve problems with authority
Set performance standards and lead by example
Each of these leadership styles has its own needs and application possibilities. In this article, we will focus on the space-setting leadership style .

Before we get into the details, it's south korea number data important to note that "pacing" doesn't mean speeding up. It doesn't automatically require things to go faster. In fact, in situations of crisis or change, it can help to set a slower pace to make sure everyone is on board and comfortable.

Let's now look at what pace-setting leadership looks like in practice.



Key Characteristics of Pace-Setting Leadership
A good pacesetter doesn't just set the pace. He also sets the roadmap and destination for the journey. He is therefore characterized by the following.

Setting the bar very high
Pace-setting leaders set high standards and expect their team to meet them. They also tend to lead by example and show what it means to raise the bar. This creates a culture where team members are constantly striving for excellence, which is a hallmark of pace-setting leaders.

Results-oriented
The pace-setting leadership style sets high goals and focuses on achieving them. It drives the team toward concrete results, constantly improving individual and team productivity.

Improving efficiency
The term “pacing” also includes aspects of consistency and repeatability. When pacesetting leaders set goals, they demand faster execution without compromising quality. This is ideal for fast-paced environments with high-performing teams.

High competition
Pace-setting leadership works best in high-performing, self-managing teams . This means that team members are expected to take ownership of tasks and execute them with great competence.