The pacesetting leader “leads by example”. He or she sets high standards and expects the team to understand the rationale behind what is being modeled. The pacesetting leader wants to do things better and faster and expect the team to do the same. Poor performance is not tolerated and all employees should raise up their performance to meet the standards, otherwise the pacesetting leader will take over to rescue the situation when an employee experiences some difficulties.
Advantage
The pacesetting leadership style is effective when a company is in need of quick results. The pacesetting leader’s biggest asset is his or her ability to set high standards and engage the team in achieving the goal in a short time. The pacesetting leader does not tolerate poor performance and will make sure that all the tasks are well done and on time.
Disadvantage
As the coercive method, the pacesetting leadership style becomes ineffective if it is used for a long term due to the stress and pressure it provokes within the workplace. Employees have a lot of tasks to accomplish in a short time. And that can tire the team members and deteriorate their morale quickly. It is also not favorable when the team is new or inexperienced. Instructions are being bombarded to the employees and excellent results are expected in a very limited amount of time, there is no room for learners.
The pacesetting leadership can be very effective when a group or company needs results in a very short amount of time. However it cannot be the default leadership style of any company because it can destroy the workplace climate. But something is sure the pacesetting style can be very effective if used sparingly.
Related articles:
Coercive Leadership Style,
Authoritative Leadership Style,
Affiliative Leadership Style,
Democratic Leadership Style,
Coaching Leadership Style.
