The Natural Leader Blog

Strictly Come Leadership

Posted in News
20th October 2024

When it comes to leadership, are you ‘naturally’ a Shirley, Anton, Motsi or Craig? Collectively, this year’s panel of Strictly Come Dancing judges offer a masterclass in impact; a vital competency for every leader.

Take a moment to think of your leadership. The impact comes, not always in what you ‘do’ but more often in how you choose to ‘be.’ Which of the judging panel would you choose to be if you were:

  • Launching a new vision for the company? Would you want to be more Craig or more Anton?
  • Holding a courageous conversation with a member of the board? Surely this takes more Shirley?
  • The CEO, opening the AGM? Maybe Motsi is a must?

Let’s look at them a little more closely

Shirley: Always leading with the positive, honesty is delivered with compassion. She is constructive in her feedback, she takes care of the motivation of the dancer. Acting both as a mentor and as a coach, she blends encouragement and direction beautifully.

Craig: Taking his role as a judge, more ‘strictly,’ he prides himself on delivering his technical expertise first and foremost. He is more direct in his delivery style and has characterised his leadership by perhaps becoming considered as the ‘mean one.’ Or to some, he may just always seem to simply ‘say things how they are?’ It certainly stands out when makes a positive comment and labels a dancer or dance as being ‘marv-el-ous.’

Motsi: Leads with the impact of the dance, the emotion, the feeling and often links the technique of dancing with the outcome for the audience. Easy to praise she packs her impact by picking up on the dancing highlights and lowlights. Her communication is speedy, full of energy and body language that supports her point. Listen carefully or you’ll miss her running commentary.

Anton: Can always be relied upon for gentle honesty and fierce support. Claudia and Tess often come to him after Craig or when the mood needs lifting. He is consistently generous in his praise for contestants and his impact on the professionals, the dancers, the audience and the viewers never seems to fail to be positive and bring the ‘feel good’ factor.

Each has the same motivation, to encourage and improve the dancers. Each of them does It their own unique and wonderful style.

Strictly doing it their way darling

So. just what is it about how they choose to ‘be’ that makes them so different and such a compelling combination? Look a little more closely through the lens of ‘leadership being’ and there are some common tools that each manage use to. All of them can act as a useful lens for the leader who seeks to choose their impact.

  • Entering the Space. While dancing into a room isn’t always practical for a board meeting, as soon as Tess and Claudia introduce them, the judges own their space and take their place on that floor. Confident, welcoming and open. You know when they arrive.
    • LESSON. How you walk into a room, even before you speak, speaks volumes.
  • Physical presence. As dancers, even as they sit, they all hold themselves upright, on the edge of their seats, feet firmly on the floor, watching carefully, with a straight back and a relaxed front. They are ‘on’ and ‘ready’ in their physical stance.
    • LESSON. Be aware of how your body is communicating how others perceive you.
  • Intention. Each of the judges has a clear intention before they deliver. To motivate, to encourage, to support, to provide detailed criticism. When your intention is set, your language, body language and tone follows.
    • LESSON here is huge power in the intention you hold.
  • Language. Choose your words. Softer negative feedback uses words like ‘perhaps’ or ‘maybe’ or ‘next time’. The technical expertise in Craig, takes away the human element to concentrate on an appraisal of technique. Using technical terms detracts from the human focus and pinpoints the dance move, making it feel impersonal and detached.
    • LESSON. Words matter, careful chosen words are used by those who are full of care for their impact.
  • Making senses. While Craig may ‘see,’ Shirley may ‘think’, Motsi may ‘feel’, Anton ‘is moved by’ and ‘touched by’. All senses, learning and leadership styles are covered in just one panel. Using all your senses in your feedback can be help those receiving it to know the impact they have had.
    • LESSON Don’t just ‘think’. Know that you can also say ‘I felt, I sensed, I saw’
  • Energy. The relentless energy and pace that Motsi has, is a direct comparison to Craig’s consistent and controlled delivery. When Anton’s bursts of enthusiasm, result in him standing up from his chair, his energy spills over to the audience and his panel members.
    • LESSON Think about how you use your energy to support the impact you want to have.

Why does your natural leadership style matter?

The simple answer is that, recognising your comfortable way or natural way of ‘being’ as a leader means that you can not only step more into it for more impact but, more importantly, you can recognise when you need to be something different.

Who is on your judging panel?

It is no accident that the Strictly judging panel is a formidable team of four. Together, they make a successful and popular viewing experience. What ensures success is the blend of all the styles. This is the learning for the leader.

In one day and sometimes within the space of an hour, a leader has to move from hosting a motivating team talk, to a formal board meeting where all perspectives but be invited and heard before some tough decisions are made. Then perhaps on to a compassionate, one-to-one conversation. It just wouldn’t be right to be a Craig all day!

And what’s more, throughout all of this, the leaders’ impact is most powerful when they remain their natural self, authentic and congruent in every situation. The skill is not to perform or be inauthentic, in fact it is quite the opposite. The skill and practice is to be a Motsi when required, an Anton at a moment’s notice, a Craig when it is called for and Shirley in between times.

Welcome to the natural leader. Leadership development that allows leaders to be at their natural best. We enable leaders to drive sustainable change, through exceptional human connection and communication. Our impact is optimal, healthy and enduring leadership. And that means its a ‘ten’ from everyone.

Keep leading!