Is your leadership style more tachometer or speedometer?

The speedometer in a car measures miles per hour. The tachometer measures the engine’s revolutions per minute. For a leader, the speedometer measures how fast you are going while the tachometer measures your intensity.

In a car it’s possible that the engine revs way up–a high tachometer–even though the car isn’t going that fast (climbing a steep hill). It’s also possible for the engine to sound completely relaxed yet be going super fast (sports car on the freeway).

How would a team member describe your style?

Many of us have worked for leaders who’s tachometer is revving all the time. Their intensity on everything is over the top, but they aren’t going anywhere fast.

And, many of us have worked for other leaders that feel relaxed (more often than not) yet they are doing 80 on the freeway.

What’s the difference?

I think it has to do with comfort amid uncertainty. High tachometer leaders are futilely trying to control everything, everybody, every current event, and every future possibility. High speedometer leaders relax into–and dance with–the uncertainty.

But a more important difference is how these leaders make you feel (which then correlates to your long term productivity).

Do you feel you must control the uncontrollable? Always anxious, on edge, double checking everything all the time for perfection?

Or, do you feel like you can focus, relax, and just work amid the uncertainty?

#teams #teamwork #leadership #workingtogether