December 4, 2025 • 8 mins
This episode shows leaders how to tailor their approach using a simple three question Leadership Preferences Survey that improves communication and performance. It explains how personalized leadership creates trust faster and reduces common team issues.
Host: Paul Falavolito
Connect with me on your favorite platform: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Substack, BlueSky, Threads, LinkTree, YouTube
View my website for free leadership resources and exclusive merchandise: www.paulfalavolito.com
Books by Paul Falavolito
Host: Paul Falavolito
Connect with me on your favorite platform: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Substack, BlueSky, Threads, LinkTree, YouTube
View my website for free leadership resources and exclusive merchandise: www.paulfalavolito.com
Books by Paul Falavolito
- The 7 Minute Leadership Handbook: bit.ly/48J8zFG
- The Leadership Academy: https://bit.ly/4lnT1Pf
- The 7 Minute Leadership Survival Guide: https://bit.ly/4ij0g8y
- The Leader's Book of Secrets: http://bit.ly/4oeGzCI
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
performance through strong human relations, team building, and goalagiving. This
is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellavledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
(00:25):
It's episode five forty three. Today we're talking about something
that changes the entire game once you try it. It
is the simplest shortcut to stronger teams, fewer misunderstandings, better morale,
and leaders who stay ahead of problems instead of reacting
to them. Here is the concept. Ask each team member
(00:50):
how they prefer to be led, then adjust. This sounds small,
but it changes everything. Most leaders run their team based
on assumptions, patterns, and whatever leadership style feels natural. They
rely on the way they were led, the way they
think leadership should look, or the habits they grew up with,
(01:14):
and then they wonder why certain people shut down during feedback,
why others never speak up in meetings, and why some
employees stay at arm's length away. Here is the truth.
People do not respond to leadership in the same way.
One person is energized by direct feedback, another once context
(01:38):
before hearing anything critical, and someone else needs a quiet
one on one so they can talk openly. One person
is motivated by recognition, another by a challenge, another by autonomy,
and another by stability. When you try to lead them
all the same way, you unintentionally lead half the team
(02:03):
the wrong way. So here is the story that brings
this to life. A few years ago, I watched a
high performing employee start declining fast, missed deadlines, quieter in meetings,
checking out in conversations. Their leader tried everything, more reminders,
(02:24):
more structure, more check ins. Nothing worked. Then one day
this employee finally said, I shut down when someone hovers
over me. I'm not wired for micromanagement. Tell me the goal,
let me run, and I will deliver every time. The
leader changed their approach that same day. Within a week,
(02:48):
the employee was back to full momentum. Same person, same job,
same skill level, different leadership approach. When you learn how
someone prefers to be led, you unlock their best performance
with much less effort. They feel respected, seen and understood.
(03:08):
They give you more honesty, they bring you issues sooner,
they take more ownership, they stay longer, all because you
adjusted how you communicate, coach and motivate them. This is
where the action move comes in run a leadership preferences survey,
(03:30):
no big forms, no complicated questions, nothing corporate sounding. Three
simple questions that tell you exactly how to lead each
person better. Question one, how do you like to receive feedback?
Some people want it direct, others want it in writing
so they can process it privately, and some want it
(03:53):
with examples because it helps them understand how to improve.
You will be shocked at how much smoother your feedback
conversations become when you know the answer to this one question.
Question two what motivates you most? Recognition, growth, responsibility, challenges, purpose,
(04:18):
money or stability. There is no wrong answer. Every person
has a different fuel source, but when you know their fuel,
you know how to keep their engine running strong. Question three,
how do you prefer to communicate? Email, text, quick calls,
(04:38):
scheduled meetings, or face to face in the office. People
work better and respond faster when communication matches their comfort zone.
Once you have these answers, adjust your approach. Put each
person's preference in their file, Review them before tough conversations,
(05:03):
use them during check ins when you need high performance
under pressure. Lead them the way they said works best
for them. And here's another example. Of how powerful this is.
One of my former employees hated public praise. Every time
I recognize them in a meeting, they froze and looked miserable.
(05:27):
When I finally asked what was going on, they said
something I will never forget. I like knowing you appreciate me,
but please tell me privately. Being recognized in front of
everyone gives me anxiety. I changed my approach immediately. Their
performance took back off because I stopped putting them in
(05:50):
situations that drained them. All it took was one conversation.
This entire strategy shows your people that you take leadership
seriously and that you are paying attention. You are teaching
them that your goal is not to control them, It
is to support them in the way they work best.
(06:14):
That builds trust faster than any team building day or
staff retreat could. This is leadership personalization. When you get
this right, you get better work, fewer conflicts, and a
team that feels connected to you. And here's how to
roll this out today. Step one, send the three question survey.
(06:38):
Step two schedule ten minute conversations to discuss their answers.
Step three adjust your leadership approach for the next thirty days.
Step four, ask them if it feels better and what
else they need. This turns you into a leader who
evolves instead of a leader who repeats the same patterns.
(07:03):
Your team already knows how they want to be led.
All you need to do is ask when you adjust
for each person, they give you their best work because
you show them you respect who they are. That is
how you build a team that performs with consistency and
with trust. And before we wrap up, I want to
(07:26):
let you know that my YouTube channel is now home
to leadership content from this show. I'm adding leadership short
videos built from the strongest moments in each episode, and
I will be uploading select full video interviews too. So
if YouTube is your platform, head over to my channel
and subscribe. The link is in the description of this
(07:48):
show and on my website. Your support there helps push
this message to more leaders who need it around the world.
This has been the seven minute Leadership podcast, and I
thank you for listening. For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts,
visit paulfellowalito dot com.
Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
performance through strong human relations, team building, and goalagiving. This
is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellavledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
(00:25):
It's episode five forty three. Today we're talking about something
that changes the entire game once you try it. It
is the simplest shortcut to stronger teams, fewer misunderstandings, better morale,
and leaders who stay ahead of problems instead of reacting
to them. Here is the concept. Ask each team member
(00:50):
how they prefer to be led, then adjust. This sounds small,
but it changes everything. Most leaders run their team based
on assumptions, patterns, and whatever leadership style feels natural. They
rely on the way they were led, the way they
think leadership should look, or the habits they grew up with,
(01:14):
and then they wonder why certain people shut down during feedback,
why others never speak up in meetings, and why some
employees stay at arm's length away. Here is the truth.
People do not respond to leadership in the same way.
One person is energized by direct feedback, another once context
(01:38):
before hearing anything critical, and someone else needs a quiet
one on one so they can talk openly. One person
is motivated by recognition, another by a challenge, another by autonomy,
and another by stability. When you try to lead them
all the same way, you unintentionally lead half the team
(02:03):
the wrong way. So here is the story that brings
this to life. A few years ago, I watched a
high performing employee start declining fast, missed deadlines, quieter in meetings,
checking out in conversations. Their leader tried everything, more reminders,
(02:24):
more structure, more check ins. Nothing worked. Then one day
this employee finally said, I shut down when someone hovers
over me. I'm not wired for micromanagement. Tell me the goal,
let me run, and I will deliver every time. The
leader changed their approach that same day. Within a week,
(02:48):
the employee was back to full momentum. Same person, same job,
same skill level, different leadership approach. When you learn how
someone prefers to be led, you unlock their best performance
with much less effort. They feel respected, seen and understood.
(03:08):
They give you more honesty, they bring you issues sooner,
they take more ownership, they stay longer, all because you
adjusted how you communicate, coach and motivate them. This is
where the action move comes in run a leadership preferences survey,
(03:30):
no big forms, no complicated questions, nothing corporate sounding. Three
simple questions that tell you exactly how to lead each
person better. Question one, how do you like to receive feedback?
Some people want it direct, others want it in writing
so they can process it privately, and some want it
(03:53):
with examples because it helps them understand how to improve.
You will be shocked at how much smoother your feedback
conversations become when you know the answer to this one question.
Question two what motivates you most? Recognition, growth, responsibility, challenges, purpose,
(04:18):
money or stability. There is no wrong answer. Every person
has a different fuel source, but when you know their fuel,
you know how to keep their engine running strong. Question three,
how do you prefer to communicate? Email, text, quick calls,
(04:38):
scheduled meetings, or face to face in the office. People
work better and respond faster when communication matches their comfort zone.
Once you have these answers, adjust your approach. Put each
person's preference in their file, Review them before tough conversations,
(05:03):
use them during check ins when you need high performance
under pressure. Lead them the way they said works best
for them. And here's another example. Of how powerful this is.
One of my former employees hated public praise. Every time
I recognize them in a meeting, they froze and looked miserable.
(05:27):
When I finally asked what was going on, they said
something I will never forget. I like knowing you appreciate me,
but please tell me privately. Being recognized in front of
everyone gives me anxiety. I changed my approach immediately. Their
performance took back off because I stopped putting them in
(05:50):
situations that drained them. All it took was one conversation.
This entire strategy shows your people that you take leadership
seriously and that you are paying attention. You are teaching
them that your goal is not to control them, It
is to support them in the way they work best.
(06:14):
That builds trust faster than any team building day or
staff retreat could. This is leadership personalization. When you get
this right, you get better work, fewer conflicts, and a
team that feels connected to you. And here's how to
roll this out today. Step one, send the three question survey.
(06:38):
Step two schedule ten minute conversations to discuss their answers.
Step three adjust your leadership approach for the next thirty days.
Step four, ask them if it feels better and what
else they need. This turns you into a leader who
evolves instead of a leader who repeats the same patterns.
(07:03):
Your team already knows how they want to be led.
All you need to do is ask when you adjust
for each person, they give you their best work because
you show them you respect who they are. That is
how you build a team that performs with consistency and
with trust. And before we wrap up, I want to
(07:26):
let you know that my YouTube channel is now home
to leadership content from this show. I'm adding leadership short
videos built from the strongest moments in each episode, and
I will be uploading select full video interviews too. So
if YouTube is your platform, head over to my channel
and subscribe. The link is in the description of this
(07:48):
show and on my website. Your support there helps push
this message to more leaders who need it around the world.
This has been the seven minute Leadership podcast, and I
thank you for listening. For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts,
visit paulfellowalito dot com.
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