In a recent Die Presse article, Christina Schweiger, Head of the Human Resources & Organization Study Programs, talks about her current research work on leadership skills and “servant leadership”.
In an increasingly complex work environment, there is often a desire for clear leadership. In the complex web of leadership and organization, managers are repeatedly faced with paradoxical decisions which can have far-reaching consequences for employees or the success of the company. For example, managers should ensure customer satisfaction through high service quality and at the same time reduce personnel costs in the service area. Another example is the challenge of enabling employees to work from home while at the same time assessing their performance as well as possible.
There is no perfect decision
In an interview with Die Presse (in German), Christina Schweiger says it’s normal “that you can never please everyone. Because there is no such thing as a perfect decision. The task is more like juggling two balls that need to be kept in balance.” This is where “servant leadership” can have a positive effect as an example of a modern understanding of corporate management: Leadership as a service means lean structures and open discussions at equal level. The manager is more of a coach than a commander.
Skill set for coping with paradoxical leadership situations
This requires special skills and behaviours on which Christina Schweiger, together with organizational consultant and FH lecturer Stefan Teufl, wrote an article in “Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO)”. In ”Both/And Leadership: Führungskompetenzen im Kontext organisationaler Spannungsfelder und Paradoxien” they shed light on competencies that are necessary for coping with such paradoxical leadership situations. They also highlight the consequences for personnel and management development and present a skillset for overcoming these challenges in practice.