Advantages of Affiliate Leadership Style

The most suitable word to describe an affiliate leadership style is “harmonious.” Unlike autocratic leadership, affiliate leadership does not focus on a rigid working style. Affiliate leaders work to keep their team gelled. They have excellent communication skills that enable them to resolve conflicts within the company. Affiliate leaders carry optimistic weather within them and give positive energy to the people around them. Let’s tell you further about this style and the advantages of affiliate leadership.

What is Affiliate Leadership

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines affiliative as “Relating to the formation of social and emotional bonds with others or the desire to create such bonds.”

Affiliate leadership is one of the six leadership styles by Goleman. It is a less stern type of leadership where the focus lies on the people and their relationships within the workplace. The leaders ensure harmony and positive relations to improve job satisfaction among employees. Following this type of leadership model allows the managers to understand the concerns of the employees about each other and the organizational structure. The leaders resolve conflicts between the employees where needed. They prove to be immensely useful during a crisis when the employees look for a confidant.

Advantages of Affiliate Leadership Style

Creates Harmony

The main advantage of the affiliate leadership style is that it creates harmony among employees of one or different departments. It enables them to communicate easily and understand underlying issues. Effective communication and a sense of inclusiveness help build close-knit teams. It helps improve job satisfaction and reduces the employee turnover rate.

Improved Morale and Trust

Affiliate leaders motivate employees and build trust in them. They enable the workers to use their abilities to their best by allowing innovation and creativity. Transparency among the employees contributes significantly to morale building. Lack of innovation and decision-making in different organizational systems may cause disappointment.

Reduces Workplace Stress

An affiliate leadership structure does not push the employees to follow a specific set of rules. When the employees are under no stress working per strict instructions, they perform better. They intake the positivity around them and resonate with the same energy. The exchange of positive energy in a workplace just makes everything better instantly.

Employees Feel Valued

Employees in an affiliate leadership system feel valued because of the appreciation from their employers. The managers trust their workers and give them due appreciation for their performance. The trust and encouragement from the leader boost their confidence. They strive to work better to make their leader happy as it makes them satisfied too.

Better Emotional Recovery

Sometimes businesses face crises, and that affects everyone. However, when your employees play an active role in sharing ideas and making decisions, they feel responsible for it. The knitting and gelling between the teammates come into play in these situations. They realize the problems the company is facing and own them. An affiliate leader informs them that the team can get over it together. They do not blame individuals. Instead, they support their team and push them to move forward.

Characteristics of Affiliate Leadership

Affiliate leaders also have specific characteristics that distinguish them from other leadership styles. While laissez-faire also offers a rather informal leadership system, they do not primarily focus on harmony and conflict resolution. Affiliate leadership focuses on better communication and relations in the company. Other characteristics of affiliate leadership include

Focuses on People

Affiliate leaders make their employees a priority in the system. They understand and value the emotions and feelings of individuals and teams. Focusing more on the people tells them that they are important to the company and work more efficiently. As an affiliate leader, you may also remember the birthdays of your workers and ask about their families in case of crisis. Many leaders prefer team dinners and lunches to celebrate milestones with their employees. Focusing on people is the fundamental characteristic of the affiliate leadership style.

Flexibility

Many employees do not like coercive or authoritative leadership styles because they do not offer flexibility. Alternatively, the affiliate leadership style focuses on flexibility to ensure harmony in the company. This kind of leadership has a high level of trust, resulting in better flexibility within the organization. Affiliate leaders do not hesitate to change or bend the rules a little for the employees. Their goal is not to bind the employees to particular guidelines but to allow freedom and innovation.

Communication

No affiliate leader can be successful without effective communication skills. When you are responsible for resolving content and promoting harmony, you must try to communicate with both parties. Any miscommunication can wipe away all your efforts and give rise to further issues. Building bonds also improve communication within the department and with others.

Strong Moral Values

Strong moral values are an essential trait of a good human, but they are also critical for affiliate leaders. An affiliate leader must have strong moral values to differentiate the good from the bad conduct in the company. They have to make sure that unethical behavior is discouraged in the beginning to avoid complications. The affiliate leadership style focuses highly on empathy and understanding. As a leader, you must be able to open up to your employees in a friendly manner, so they confide in you for their problems.

Continuous Feedback

If you wonder what makes an affiliate leader successful, providing feedback to your employees matters significantly. This exhibits your knowledge and interest in the employee’s behavior and progress. Offering positive criticism and appreciation to the employees also promotes cooperative behavior.

The Bottom Line

Affiliate leaders are among the most liked managers in an organization. They work to knit the team together by resolving conflicts and improving communication. One of the most fundamental advantages of the affiliate leadership style is a morale and confidence boost in the employees. Affiliated leadership managers possess strong moral values to sort the issues adequately. This leadership style focuses on people and makes them feel valued. Appreciated employees give their best and understand the position of their managers as well.