Do You Want to Be a Better Leader?

Let the Six Domains of Leadership(TM) Guide You

Leadership is both a position you may hold and a role you are choosing to embrace. Perhaps you were just promoted into this role or have been in this role, and in leadership, for years. The same challenge exists: how do you get those on your team to work together to get great things done? What can you do to be an effective leader in each new situation or challenge you and your team face?

HOW DO I BUILD THOSE SKILLS? WHERE DO I START?

Searching for leadership development online will yield millions of results. If you narrow it down to leadership models, you still have a multitude of results. If you pick one, how do you know it’ll yield the results you expect, and need? Will it improve your leadership or be a waste of time and money? And is there someone who can help you in this journey?

GOOD NEWS: There’s a proven model!

It has been developed and tested at a major US university’s graduate school of business, Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. It has been used by thousands of executives to improve their leadership. Best of all, it makes sense, it is easy to understand, and there are experienced coaches to help you in your journey! Delta Leadership Inc. is the provider of this model, knowledge, techniques, and coaching.

AN OVERVIEW

As the name implies, the Six Domains of Leadership or SDL frames leadership into six domains of leader behavior that yield results (leadership effects) that the leader aims to achieve. It is represented by a pyramid that highlights the interdependence among the domains.

The base of the pyramid consists of three leadership domains: Personal, Relational, and Contextual. The three other domains rest on these three.

In the middle of the pyramid is Relational Leadership. It is the cornerstone of leadership as it yields trust (leadership effect). Trust between the leader and the followers. Trust between the leader and their manager. Trust with peers and others. Without trust, it is very difficult to lead. All the other domains rest or lean on it. Concern and respect, understanding, and fair treatment are key focus areas of Relational Leadership.

But the leader must demonstrate that they are a credible leader, the leadership effect of Personal Leadership, which is to the left of Relational Leadership. The leader must be seen as authentic, dedicated, and having a vision that they communicate to the team.

Understanding the context is critical to teams. How do they fit with each other and with other teams? How do they handle complex issues? Who are they (this is the reason why many teams adopt names and even mascots to represent themselves). The goal of Contextual Leadership is to build a sense of community. It is to the right of Relational Leadership.

Just above this base are Inspirational and Supportive Leadership. The goal (leadership effect) of Inspirational Leadership is for the team to have (and execute on) high aspirations. Aim high! The leader must set the expectations, demonstrate a can do attitude (enthusiasm and optimism), and promote innovation. Building on the vision provided by Personal Leadership, this domain enables teams to deliver great accomplishments.

But they must feel safe, which is why Supportive Leadership is to the right of Inspirational Leadership. It provides the safety and security the team needs. It helps the team understand what they are capable of and manages blame. All of these behaviors a leader undertakes to make sure that the team has the initiative to drive the high aspirations.

Finally, Responsible Leadership is at the pinnacle of the pyramid. It builds on the other five domains to achieve stewardship of the team and the organization. It supports high ethics, a solid public role, and a balance between short- and long-term concerns and between inner and outer demands.

OK, SO NOW WHAT?

OK, so now you understand the model in a superficial way. How do you learn more and execute using it? No practice usually means no growth (remember your coach in school?) Well, we have training programs to help you better understand the model, a 360 survey to better guide your understanding and plans, and expert coaches to guide you in your leadership growth.

Think about it: with Delta Leadership’s help you will learn how to improve your leadership skills, be guided in the effort by your own assessment and feedback from others, and be assisted by an experienced coach. A full package!

As a fully certified Six Domains of Leadership coach, I have extensive experience in the model, how to apply it, and how to help you improve your leadership skills and drive efforts in your organization. Call or email me to discuss how I can help you! Click the "I want to be a better leader" button for us to connect.