What is Primal Leadership and can it really help you improve your leadership effectiveness and influence?, or is it just some mumbo-jumbo that you can do without on your leadership path because it may confuse and frustrate you instead of actually help you?

Let's take a short quick survey of Primal Leadership and see if actually help your leadership abilities flourish. As we begin, let's dissect primal leadership into 3 core components; they are:

1. Leadership Styles & Approaches
2. Leadership Competency Behavioral Domains
3. Leadership Skills Improvement

So, as we begin, what really is primal leadership? Well, based on the book written by Daniel Goldman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee, they state, and

I quote... "Great leaders move us. They ignite our passion and inspire the best in us. When we try to explain why they are so effective, we speak of strategy, vision, or powerful ideas. But the reality is much more primal: Great leadership works through emotions

...quite simply, in any human group the leader has maximal power to sway everyone's emotions. If people's emotions are pushed toward the range of enthusiasm, performance can soar; if people are driven toward rancor and anxiety, they will be thrown off stride. This indicates another important aspect of primal leadership - its effects extend beyond ensuring that a job is well done. Followers also look to a leader for supportive emotional connections - for empathy.

When leaders drive emotions positively, they bring the best in everyone...this is called the resonance effect. When they drive the emotions negatively, leaders spawn the dissonance effect, which undermines the emotional foundations that let people shine." end quote.

So in a nutshell, primal leadership is based on connecting with people emotionally, then using that connection and those emotions, to lead them effectively. Let's take a look at the 3 core components of primal leadership, starting with leadership styles and approaches.

According to the book, there are six styles of leadership. They are 1.Visionary, 2.Coaching, 3.Affiliative, 4.Democratic, 5.Pace-setting, 6.Commanding, and based on the authors, effective leaders switch between each one depending on the circumstances in connection with emotional intelligence.

Let's break them down...

1. Visions, describes the approach in which a leader inspires people by focusing on long term goals.

2. Coaching, describes the approach in which a leader helps people handle responsibilities and guides them in their development as individuals.

3. Affiliative, describes the approach in which a leader works to create a warm, people friendly working environment in which emotional needs are accommodated.

4. Democratic, describes the approach in which a leader elicits input, insight, feedback, and commitment from everyone involved.

5. Pace-setting, describes the approach in which a leader sets ambitious goals and continually pushes the progress towards those goals.

6. Commanding, describes the approach in which a leader sends out instructions without asking for input from anyone.

Let's take a look at the second core component of primal leadership - the Leadership Competency Behavioral Domains.

According to the book, there are four of these leadership competency domains. They are 1.Self-Awareness, 2.Self-Management, 3.Social Awareness, 4.Relationship Management, and seem to be based primarily on the writing of emotional intelligence.

Let's break them down...

1. Self-Awareness - this relates to your ability to understand your own emotions and how they impact other; it's about being aware of your own strengths, limitations and your capability.

2. Self-Management - this is really about self control and being able to handle your emotions and to use them to produce positive results, rather than negative, destructive results.

3. Social Awareness - this relates to being aware of other people's feelings and emotions as a leader, and really taking interests in others.

4. Relationship Management - is connected to the fact that success rest on your ability to motivate, influence, and guide others to full development.

Let's take a look at the last core component of primal leadership - the Leadership Skills Improvement.

According to the book, there are fives steps you need to become competent in for better leadership. We've named them 1.Self-Identification A, 2.Self-Identification B, 3.Strengths Planning, 4.Experimentation, 5. Trust Development.

Let's break them down...

1. Self Identification A - relates to uncovering your ideal self. It is about drawing on your core beliefs and values to create a picture of the individual you want to become.

2. Self Identification B - relates to coming to grips with your real self, or the individual you are right now; often it also relates to the type of person you appear to be to others. When both identification processes are completed, it become easier to create a full picture of the gaps in your strengths and your weaknesses so you can build an effective plan to move towards your ideal self.

3. Strengths Planning - relates to the next step of creating a plan to build on your strengths and thereby reduce the gaps so your process of achieving results is more realistic.

4. Experimentation - relates to not being afraid to try new stuff as you work to make change happen in your life and leadership according to your plan at phase three.

5. Trust Development - just as the name implies, relates to developing trusting and encouraging relationships with others as you grow and learn as a leader. The linchpin to many of these factors seem to be strong listening skills as a leader, and the ability to connect and communicate clearly and effectively.

When it is all said and done, being able to manage your emotions, connect with those you lead on a deeper level, and exemplify character traits such as honesty, integrity, and fairness, will always boost your leadership influence and help your get the result you are after from your people.