When assignments are given that require a group to come together to accomplish something or for problem-solving, there is a lot of thought as to who should be in that group. They are assembled based on their skills, accomplishments or status. But should the person with status be the leader?

Some companies assign a sponsor and name a project leader. They want accountability and someone to move the group forward. But, what they really need is someone who will drive the project forward. Someone who will inspire the group to fall in love with the problem so that their passion drives impactful, world-changing initiatives. This is where intermittent leadership should be leveraged.

Intermittent Leadership

Leadership doesn’t have to be a full-time job. We already know a leader isn’t a leader because of title, salary, education or calling themselves one. A leader is a leader when the followers say they are. Therefore, leadership can be intermittent based on the situation.

Intermittent leadership is when someone becomes the leader as a result of their excitement about a particular problem that needs an extraordinary solution. They become the unspoken leader but the leader that the others follow.

Traits of an Intermittent Leader

• Experience – they have deep and rich experience with a particular topic, strategy or task
• Expertise – they are the subject matter expert with deep expertise regarding the topic, strategy or task
• Stepping Up – they don’t sit on the sidelines, they contribute in a meaningful way and inspire others to do the same
• Stepping Aside – when they are seen as the leader but do not possess the above they easily and quickly step aside allowing another person to rise as the leader because that is what is best for the project

Why You Should Leverage Intermittent Leadership to Improve Solving

Some leadership styles are generalists while others are specialists. For the leaders that are specialists, it allows them to gain a deep understanding of their own expertise. At the same time, the generalists gain enough familiarity with other topics, strategies or tasks to make necessary connections.

When leadership becomes intermittent the group becomes stronger. Strengths become highlighted and optimized and individual styles are satisfied. This creates energy and passion. Genuine enthusiasm for what they are working towards builds within the group. This is the unicorn. This is the goal. By bringing a team together for problem-solving that drives impactful, world-changing initiatives.

These traits are necessary for intermittent leadership. Make them a part of the group rules. Talk about the advantages and talk through the concerns. Help inspire the group to want to do just that much better. Become that much stronger. Intermittent leadership done consistently will become second nature and improve overall problem-solving capabilities.

Last updated on January 5th, 2019 at 07:20 am