Does aggressiveness add value to management?

An overly aggressive manager is bullying, harsh, autocratic and insensitive to the needs and emotions of others. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH 

By MURIITHI NDEGWA

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Summary

• Pushy behaviour derails individual careers and undermines productivity.

This position requires a go-getter, a brilliant and dominant persona, an aggressive individual...” Every once in a while one comes across such a job advert.

These kind of adverts pre-suppose that such masculine qualities, especially at the management level, are valued. But some argue that such approaches are wrong and discourage some people, based on certain gender or personality, from applying for them.

Is aggressiveness in a manager good or bad? According to studies and from observation, the answer is both. Studies by Antlanta based Turknett Leadership Group says aggressiveness can be considered a strength when associated with a drive for results, a willingness to take risks and the pursuit of new business.

On the flipside, it becomes a weakness when it erodes interpersonal relationships. Indeed, in today’s competitive business climate where the ability to work with people is critical, overly aggressive behaviour derails individual careers and undermines organisational effectiveness.

According to Galmore Management and Consulting, an overly aggressive manager is bullying, harsh, autocratic, belligerent, and insensitive to the needs and emotions of others. Managers of this nature tend to be excessively demanding and mostly centered on tasks and results with little to no regard for folks around them.

In the current workplace, where employees frequently know more about their jobs than their supervisors and where individual assertiveness and responsibility are expected, this kind of overly-aggressive leadership is incorrect and inadequate.

Managers who stimulate productivity and significantly decrease turnover are those who excel at building teams and motivating others, and not those who count on their insensitive lifestyle. Aggressive managers are bound for the top spot as they impress others with their dominance, a new study by Damien Gayle claims.

Other studies show that dominant individuals have a significant influence on others and may be easily separated from the crowd due to their distinct characteristics.
Occupational psychologists argue for assertiveness instead of aggressiveness.

Psychology Today journal notes that everyone admires assertive people — those who put forth their needs and views confidently and directly. They stand up for themselves without wielding a metaphorical weapon, and always consider the views of others.

Research shows that aggressive leaders are great at taking charge, making decisions, and being activators. They are great at getting things started and moving people. They can instill high productivity in teams.

According to an article by Galmore, Aggressive Managers Get Ahead Faster, such leaders are usually committed. Galmore notes that it is the manager’s commitment coupled with the aggressiveness that catapult the team forward during bad times.

READ: It takes more than motivational talks, training to be successful

They are also conversant with an organisational structure. An aggressive manager knows how to make people work within the structure. An aggressive manager knows the structure intimately and can use the information to efficiently do every single staff work within the organisation. On the flipside, according to occupational psychologists, these forceful managers dominate others and can sap morale by grunting just a few words—e.g., “I want this now.”

Ultimately, the approach backfires. You can trust someone who is assertive, not so much with an aggressor. Aggressive managers ran the risk of being viewed as difficult and creating a toxic environment, especially if they are leading a team of soft-hearted personalities.

Ivey Business Journal notes that toxic environments can complicate your work, drain your energy, compromise your sanity, derail your projects and destroy your career.

Your ability to deal with these corporate land mines will have a significant impact on your career. To succeed in today’s evolving workplace, leaders must stay attuned to their strengths and weaknesses, adapting their behaviour to complement changing standards and expectations.

Being an aggressive leader can be an excellent quality that compels people to achieve more or can be a toxic characteristic that can destroy more than it can construct — it all depends on the person and the team being led.

Without crossing the line to be obnoxious and pushy, a leader can turn aggressiveness into exceptional leadership and achieve success at a personal and organisational level.