How to know if you're a crusader

Velasquez and Gleitsman offer three indicators of the crusader approach:

1.       You have a lot of passion: Crusader leaders believe passionately that their way is the best way forward, making them less likely to accept or consider alternative perspectives, which can lead to exhaustion.

2.       Frustration can get the best of you when things move slowly: Crusaders often see themselves as needing to single-handedly push to make progress.

3.       Others have modeled crusader behavior — and it worked: Some leaders end up using the crusader approach because they've seen the immediate results in the past. But in the longer-term, this approach can backfire and undermine a leader's ability to achieve lasting change.

While the crusader approach can instill confidence and self-efficacy in leaders as they see the short-term impact of their ideas, it can often end up being counterproductive, Velasquez and Gleitsman write. Crusader leaders are often seen as closed minded, inflexible, and overly passionate.

As a result, Velasquez and Gleitsman write that crusader leaders tend to:

• Speak up frequently, sometimes dominating conversations
• Interrupt others or answer questions with their own viewpoint
• Be outspoken about their opinions and pushing their agenda without considering others' perspectives
• Exhibit frustration when faced with resistance and double down on their viewpoint, assuming pushback stems from ignorance

6 ways to become a collaborative leader

Working as a collaborative leader rather than a crusader can be a more effective approach to drive lasting change in the workplace, Velasquez and Gleitsman write. They offer six tips to become a more collaborative leader:

1. Understand your culture's organization — and play within those rules

"[H]ow influential we are is ultimately in the hands of those we want to influence," Velasquez and Gleitsman write. "And influence is highly context dependent."

Velasquez and Gleitsman say it's best to determine how things work in your organization, looking for clues on what does and doesn't work. In meetings, pay attention to what behaviors are rewarded and which aren't effective. And watch the most effective leaders within the organization and consider asking how they may approach a situation like yours.

2. Determine when it's best to push back

Crusader leaders tend to fight for big change, and sometimes those changes can be too complicated to be changed by one person, Velasquez and Gleitsman write.

For example, if you're a manager at a software company and you notice inefficiencies in the company's software development process and recruitment strategy, you may be tempted to tackle both problems as a crusader leader. But you may find that changing the recruitment strategy is more complex and requires collaborative efforts from a broad coalition of people, potentially even leading the recruitment team to respond defensively, Velasquez and Gleitsman write.

Instead, Velasquez and Gleitsman write that you should tackle the software development process, where you have expertise and can likely make a significant and meaningful impact.

3. Ask for feedback

Research has found that people often don't realize how they act in certain situations or misremember their actions, which leads to an inaccurate perception of themselves.

Velasquez and Gleitsman write that leaders should "be relentless" in asking for feedback and suggestions to better understand how their approach is perceived and what they can do to improve.

Seeking out feedback "not only cultivates self-awareness, but also gives you a comprehensive understanding of your actions' consequences, including potential negative effects on team dynamics, morale, and productivity," Velasquez and Gleitsman write.

4. Establish and grow relationships

"It's crucial to build and foster a winning coalition of individuals who can support your ideas," Velasquez and Gleitsman write. They say an organization is like a heavy wagon that's hard to stop and steer. "Instead of trying to push or pull the wagon alone, leaders should get on the wagon and work with the drivers to steer it from the inside."

One way to do this is to algin your ideas with the ideas of others to gain supporters and allies, Velasquez and Gleitsman write.

5. Cultivate curiosity and openness

Instead of focusing solely on your own perspective, try to cultivate curiosity about different ways to see challenges and solutions, Velasquez and Gleitsman write. Ask open questions of coworkers who don't share your view and try to determine where your shared perspectives are.

"Nobody wants to 'negotiate' with someone who isn't open to other perspectives and can only see the world through their own limited view," Velasquez and Gleitsman write.

6. Think about long-term objectives

Sometimes being a crusader can be useful, especially when immediate change is needed and you have the authority to do it, Velasquez and Gleitsman write. But if you want to achieve long-lasting change, you likely can't do it alone.

Velasquez and Gleitsman write that you should confront yourself with three questions when facing a problem:

1.       Is this problem mine to solve?

2.       Do I need to solve it alone?

3.       Do I need to solve it now?

"Affecting lasting change is not a solitary quest, but an inherently shared effort. It requires embracing a collaborative mindset that respects and includes diverse perspectives, maintains a strategic focus, and patiently navigates the complexities of organizational dynamics," Velasquez and Gleitsman write. "It's not about surrendering your passion or advocacy but leveraging them in a more inclusive, strategic, and ultimately effective way." (Velasquez/Gleitsman, Harvard Business Review, 7/10)

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