OUR LEADERSHIP STYLES AND MANAGERIAL GOALS:

Effective leadership is important to DB creative. Our approach to leadership blends the IMPACT theory and the Path/Goal Leadership Theory while upholding a “Middle-of the Road Leadership Style which reflects a balanced orientation between people and tasks,” (Aadmont, 2013).

At DB Creative, we value our employee’s well being and perspectives and see the benefit of a person-orientation leadership style (Team Leadership Type) . However, we also have a job to do! We set goals and support our employees in their strategies and actions to achieve these goals, thus also welcoming leaders with task-orientation, as well.

We believe in supporting our employees in their aspirations and meeting people and situations where they are. We know that life happens and that needs and wants can change from day to day or month to month (organizational climate), so we encourage leaders to alter their leadership approach and tactics by assessing the current situation and exploring six types of leadership qualities based upon the IMPACT theory, developed by Geiger, Downey, and Johnson in 1980. These styles are: Information, Magnetic, Affiliation, Position, Coercive, and Tactical. As an employee, you will see our leaders implement these qualities within the workplace (Aadmont, 2003).

Our team members are interdependent on each other. Communication is key- even from our leaders. We will always notify our employees of upcoming changes, new opportunities, and share in the success and setbacks of each other- both personally and professionally. Additionally, because we are a small team where every one’s outlook matters, we give our employees a participatory voice in our firm’s decision making. If conflict arrises, we trust that our empowered employees can find solutions on their own, however if mediation is required, we are happy to bring in an outside party as a mediator. Although, we don’t anticipate this happening!

You will often see our leaders walking around the office (MBWA). It has been studied and shown that managers who spend more time walking around and monitoring the behavior and performance of their employees are more effective managers, (Komaki, 1986, Komaki, Zlotnick, and Jensen, 1986). We empower our employees by setting goals and working with our employees to achieve those goals. We utilize the Path-Goal Theory, believing that leaders can help subordinates achieve goals if leaders can be flexible in adopting the most appropriate action/style: Instrumental, Supportive, Participative, Achievement-Oriented. According to this theory, a group will be more effective in achieving goals if the leader works with them to achieve goals (Aamondt, 2003). And because we value communication and transparency, leaders will be open with all employees/subordinates about why they are using a certain approach Blanchard, Zigarmi, & Zigarmi, 1985).

For Prospective Talent: We aim to hire individuals for our small team at DB creative who are able and willing or confident to work for our clients and our vision, based on the situational leadership theory developed by Hersey and Blanchard (1988), follower readiness (the ability and willingness to perform a particular task) is very important to us. This creates an environment where our managers can support subordinates (supporting leadership style) and stay on the same page: working for the same goal with similar levels of enthusiasm and ability.

For our Partners: Our vision for DB Creative is to work with a wide range of industries; from residential developments to fashion bloggers, from politicians to aspiring actors. We look at the individual client and how they fit into the industry’s ecosystem. We strategize how best to develop and grow ideas and grow our clients’ brands. Transformational Leadership and Vision are pinnacle aspects of DB Creative: “Consistent with the notion of transformational leadership, good leaders have a vision of where they want the organization to go and provide direction toward that end,” (Aamondt, Michael G. Industrial/Organizational Psychology, p451, Wadsworth Learning, 2017).

We innovate and challenge norms. We trust our creativity and our intuition.

Our leaders receive continuing education and leadership training and work to master leadership skills.