Week 3: Theories in Action

Now that I’ve completed my third week of my internship, I’m beginning to feel like I’ve really gotten into the swing of my routine and have had sufficient time to better understand how the team at Six One works. With that, I have had a chance to reflect on what I’ve learned throughout my various leadership courses and have been able to see first-hand how they apply to my summer workplace. One of the immediate connections I’ve made is the combination of task and relationship oriented leadership that is used across the entire agency. 

Despite varying seniority levels of team members, everyone does an exceptional job of using both task and relationship management at work. I’ve found that this method stems from the founder of the agency, Kilee, as it is largely how she runs the entire business. While she is extremely task-driven in order to ensure that all of our clients are having their needs met at all times, she also values the relationships that she has with each of her employees. In many businesses this can be a difficult balancing act, but Kilee does a good job of separating when she’s being task-oriented and when she’s being more relationship-oriented. I’ve found that this is extremely important, for a couple of reasons. By being relationship-oriented and showing her employees that she truly cares about them, how they feel, what they’re working on, and overall what’s going on in their lives, she has been able to earn both their trust and respect. In return, when it comes time for her to delegate tasks and lead the team in major projects or navigate problems, everyone strives to go above and beyond and does whatever it takes to help her. This is because she’s established those relationships with her team, and has earned their unwavering trust, respect, and support. 

Typically, a task-oriented leader is someone who is able to focus solely on the delegation and completion of tasks. They put the task at hand above all else, and ensure that it’s seen through to completion. Obviously, this is vital to the success of any company as it’s how progress is made in an effective manner. On the other hand, a relationship-oriented leader is someone who is more concerned with the social fabric of the people within an organization. They establish connections with the people they work with and strive to bring their team together. This type of leadership is just as important, as it ensures that co-workers are able to complete their best work and are all on the same page when it comes to what needs to be done. That being said, Six One’s culture is a perfect combination of both task and relationship oriented leadership, and it shows in the work that they do.