Becoming a More Impactful Leader by Harnessing Your Inner Management Style

I’ve always liked to think that I know myself and my work style pretty well. I know my Enneagram. I know my Myers-Briggs personality type. I’ve taken both assessments from a personal lens, as well as a professional lens—and on more than one occasion. But I didn’t realize until 2024 that I was missing something that changed not only my way of thinking about myself, but also what I both want and need out of my career and life.

Last year was a year of major changes for me. I had already been expecting that on a personal level. I knew that a proposal from my fiancé was imminent. I also had set some extremely high goals for my activities outside of work—from publishing my first children’s book to releasing two songs globally with UK artist Adam Wedd. What I was not expecting, though, was a significant career change. I had been with the same public relations agency for 18 years and, if you had asked me not long ago, I would have said that I had no plans of leaving anytime soon, if ever.

It's often said that we grow when we’re pushed outside of our comfort zones, and while I have always agreed with this, 2024 was the year that these words really resonated. It was also the first year I sat down and truly dug deep into who I am as a person and as a leader. I was used to developing strategies and insights for clients, but I had yet to develop strategic framework for my own management style. I was forced to think about it. What made me different? What made me stand out? What core beliefs made me a more impactful leader?

When I completed the exercise, it helped me better determine my goals for the future—and allowed me to identify and become employed at company that embraces and embodies the same core values. For me, I found that my management style centers around what I now call “The Four E’s.” I’m sharing the results of my own exercise below, as I believe many leaders will find similarities and areas of overlap. 

As you’re reading through my “Four E’s,” take note of how they may intersect with your own management style and where they may differ. While personalities are unique, I believe that that virtually all leaders will find they need to embrace the below “E’s” in at least some capacity.

Empathy: People First. Always.

For me, empathy was the easiest characteristic to build out within my management style framework. As a very strong Type 2 Enneagram and mental health advocate, I already knew that empathy was a top strength (and subsequently that it has the potential to be an area of weakness or internal conflict, depending on how it’s harnessed). 
Empathy may not be on everyone’s top four in regard to management style, but it’s something that I believe should be considered by everyone—because when it comes to being a leader, it’s needed. Research from Gallup has shown that less than one in four employees in the U.S. feels strongly that their employer cares about their well-being. At the same time, those who do believe their employers care are 71% less likely to feel burnout, 69% less likely to look for a new job, and five times more likely to advocate for their company as a great place to work—factors that quite literally impact an employer’s bottom line. 

So, how do you lead with empathy? The superpower here is being able to put yourself in other people’s shoes. For example, if a strong employee is suddenly acting distant or submitting work not up to typical standards, what are some possible reasons? Is there something going on in the employee’s personal life? Have there been changes at work to the employee’s team or the company in general? Is it time to have a conversation with the employee? I’ve been in situations like this as a manager where something personal was going on—and as a result, was able to help the employee navigate challenges while showing empathy and grace during difficult times. Not everyone will be forthcoming—and that’s okay—but showing empathy and creating a safe space for team members goes a long way in helping to foster an additional “E”: engagement.

Enthusiasm: Enjoy What You Do. Do What You Enjoy.

When I was in my 20s, someone I worked with once told me that I smile too much. I think my response was a smile, because my initial thought was that I didn’t think that this person smiled enough. I still smile a lot, but some of my favorite people do not—and one of my greatest joys in life is being able to get the ones who don’t to crack a smile. The reality is that enthusiasm comes in many shapes and forms—and with and without smiles—but harnessing the trait itself can be invaluable for managers.

One thing that I know about myself is that I’m passionate and optimistic. I set high personal goals and I work until I achieve them—while simultaneously balancing expectations for team members as a manager (e.g., setting the bar high and encouraging big thinking, but also being realistic when it comes to assessment, reflection and go-forward strategies). I’m a believer that my enthusiastic attitude (paired with tenacity and resilience) is what has contributed to me achieving the vast majority of my goals in life.

Don’t get me wrong…I’m also a thorough planner and once received criticism for having a contingency plan for my contingency plan. But, it’s never been difficult for me personally to find a way to get excited about things. Throughout my career, I remember being told at times that I wouldn’t enjoy working on certain clients because they were boring, or because the content was dry or unreasonable. Those often ended up being my favorite and longest-tenured clients. When I hear that something is going to be unpleasant, I like to table any initial reactions and give myself time to process each situation. In almost all cases, it’s a “challenge accepted” from me…and I make it a goal to channel my inner Mary Poppins and make outputs as rewarding as possible. (“For every job that must be done there is an element of fun. You find the fun and…snap…the job’s a game.”)   

All of that said, this is a part of my personal management style. It’s worked for me. It may not work for everyone the same way, but I am willing to bet that the core word behind it all…enthusiasm…will. Regardless of how a manager handles enthusiasm, it matters. If you aren’t passionate about what you’re doing, can you really expect your team to care?

Efficiency: On Time. On Brand.

This is a big one for virtually all companies. Efficiency is expected of almost all employees, but studies have consistently shown that most employees are only productive around 60% of the time. 

For me, efficiency is about being on time (or early, if possible) with deliverables, but without sacrificing being on brand or on message. I’m big on providing quick responses to confirm receipt and timing, as well as providing updates when needed if something is taking longer and the reasons why…and the “why” should always being compelling.

In order for leaders to expect efficiency from employees, it’s also important to walk the walk—and that may mean investment in training programs or exercises to boost efficiency and productivity among the team in general and separately among leaders, who face additional challenges and responsibilities. It’s also important for leaders to take a step back and identify strengths and weaknesses when it comes to team performance and efficiencies. Do any changes need to be made? Which changes are the easiest to make for quicker results? 

In the past year, we’ve also seen several companies implement new policies when it comes to return-to-office schedules. While every situation is unique and there are great benefits to face-to-face time, it’s also important to take a step back and review statistics surrounding remote work before determining a strategy—especially when leadership or team members have differing views. A Stanford study, for example, found that working from home increases productivity by up to 13%, while another study from Buffer found that 70% of remote workers find it easier to do focused work, and 65% find it easier to manage stress. 

Effectiveness: Strong Results. Quality Over Quantity.

Who doesn’t want to be effective? For me, achieving strong results for myself, my team and my clients will always be top-of-mind…but effectiveness goes far beyond that. When building out my management style framework, effectiveness felt like the final stage in being able to determine the success of specific initiatives or efforts and ultimately begin the cycle of assessment, reassessment and future growth. 

When thinking about effectiveness, for me it’s about quality over quantity. Unless someone is participating in a hot dog eating contest and results are defined quite literally by volume, most companies—and clients—will ask for quantity (think media relations) but at the end of the day, will favor quality.

In the world of communications, effectiveness is quite subjective. Determining effectiveness comes down to setting specific goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). Establishing and reenforcing these goals can help to optimize performance and ultimately achieve desired outcomes.    

With the start of the New Year, I’ve been paying even closer attention to how I’m leveraging “The Four E’s” in my work—and in life—as a way to strengthen my outputs. I encourage everyone at all levels—and particularly those in leadership—to go through a similar type of reflection and personal branding. You may just learn something new about yourself and how to harness your inner management style to benefit your own goals and those of your company.