Welcome back to this month’s blog series, where we are exploring how to navigate and work with leaders whose styles and approaches might make it challenging for us to be at our best. In this final instalment we share ideas on how to effectively work with overcomplying leaders and colleagues.
What underpins the Overcomplying Leadership Approach?
Overcomplying leaders operate from a set of internal assumptions that prioritise harmony, acceptance, and conflict avoidance. These leaders believe their safety and self-worth are tied to gaining others' approval and meeting external expectations rather than asserting their own intentions, ideas and desires. They often assume that their value comes from being liked, accepted, and seen as a team player and fear rejection, conflict or standing out.
What does Overcomplying Leadership Look Like in Action?
Overcomplying leaders may struggle with assertiveness, decision-making, and championing their own ideas, especially when faced with opposition. They are conservative and play by the rules, avoiding conflict and focusing on consensus-building. This can slow down decision-making, limit innovation and creative problem solving within their teams.
They can be passive and relinquish their power to others and to the circumstances of life, trying to maintain the perceived harmony within their team or organisation. In terms of communication, you may observe these leaders as meek, managing what they say to others, and seeking validation or permission from those in authority before acting.
Driven by a desire to please and serve, they can become over invested in relationships and struggle to maintain healthy boundaries. They can yield to pressure to “fit in”, prioritising the needs of others and saying ‘yes’ when they really want to say ‘no’.
Where overcontrolling leaders and overprotecting leaders might clash directly with each other, overcomplying leaders are more likely to accommodate both of those styles, often at the cost of their own authenticity and effectiveness.
How do you work with Overcomplying Leaders?
Effectively collaborating with overcomplying leaders requires strategies that encourage their assertiveness, experimentation and boundary setting. Here are some approaches to consider:
- Encourage their Authentic Expression and Diverse Perspective - To create an environment where overcomplying leaders feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas, it's crucial to ensure they don’t fear insensitive judgment or feel like a burden when they speak their truth. Emphasise the value of differing perspectives and how respectful challenges can enhance decision-making and outcomes. Actively welcome and solicit their input, making sure they know their contributions are deeply appreciated. When they successfully advocate for their ideas or respectfully disagree with others, acknowledge and celebrate their efforts to build their confidence.
- Support their Assertiveness in Decision-Making - Overcomplying leaders often hesitate when making decisions. Demonstrating trust in their expertise can ease this hesitation. Support their decision-making process by expressing your readiness to back their choices and handle any unexpected results. This builds a strong, collaborative relationship. Additionally, when possible, hold space for them to weigh pros and cons independently before seeking others' input.
- Encourage Experimentation and Learning - Their conservative over reliance on following the rules can stifle experimentation, continuous improvement and learning. Highlight the positive impact of their attention to detail and adherence to standards, while also suggesting opportunities for flexibility or adaptation when appropriate. Frame innovation as a natural progression, not a departure from established norms, and reduce resistance by providing support to explore new ideas that align with organisational goals.
- Acknowledge and Leverage Their Strengths - Overcomplying leaders, at their best, excel at building relationships, fostering team cohesion, and creating harmonious work environments. Recognise their strengths such as sensitivity to others’ needs, reliability, and loyalty. Encourage them to leverage these strengths while gradually expanding their comfort zone to embrace constructive conflict, independent thinking, experimentation and setting healthy boundaries.
The Path to Balanced Leadership
As we conclude this series on navigating challenging leadership styles, it's important to recognise that each style – overcontrolling, overprotecting, and overcomplying –represents a reactive approach to leadership. By understanding these different leadership styles and their underlying drivers, we can foster more empathetic, effective, and authentic leadership in our teams and organisations.
Whether you are working with or embodying these leadership styles, remember that growth and change are always possible. The journey towards more conscious and purposeful leadership is ongoing. The intent for any leader must be to develop a more creative and balanced leadership style, integrating the strengths of each of these approaches while appreciating their limitations and the underlying realities.
Photos by Simon Hurry and Frank McKenna on Unsplash
