Some
thoughts on leadership and managing
The following chapter
provides a wide range of miscellaneous quotes, checklists and ideas involving
the concept of management and leadership. Use it to stimulate your own thinking
and ideas. Perhaps the ideas might help you to reflect on your own leadership
style and approach, or provide some stimulus for a discussion with colleagues or
a presentation of some kind.
Leadership
– a test case of adversity
Few great leaders
encountered defeats so consistently before enjoying ultimate victory as did
this individual. A frequently reported listing of these failures includes the
following:
Leadership
attributes
John
Gardner studied a large number of organizations and leaders and concluded
that there were some qualities and attributes that did appear to point to a
set of generic attributes:
•
Physical vitality and stamina
•
Intelligence and action oriented judgement
•
Eagerness to accept responsibility
•
Task competence
•
Understanding of followers and their needs
•
Skills in dealing with people
•
Need for achievement
•
Capacity to motivate people
•
Courage and resolution
•
Trustworthiness
•
Decisiveness
•
Self-confidence
•
Assertiveness
•
Adaptability/ Flexibility
John Gardner, On
Leadership, New York Free Press, 1989.
|
The leader and change
Warren Bennis, while president of the University of
Cincinnati.
“My moment of truth
came toward the end of my first ten months. It was one of those nights in the
office. The clock was moving toward four in the morning, and I was still not
through with the incredible mass of paper stacked before me. I was bone weary
and soul weary, and I found myself muttering, `either I can’t manage this place,
or it’s unmanageable’. I reached for my calendar and ran my eyes down each
hour, half-hour, and quarter-hour to see where my time had gone that day, the
day before, the month before... My discovery was this: I had become the
victim of a vast, amorphous, unwitting, unconscious conspiracy to prevent me
from doing anything whatever to change the university’s status quo.”
|
How to
be an outstanding manager
“Good
managers realize that the difference between them and others in the business
lies in the transition they have made from completing jobs and tasks themselves
to `getting things done through others’. Whatever the manager achieves has a multiplier
effect. If she or he gets it right, others will get it right. If he or she
screws it up, others
will
screw it up. I find myself intolerant of management books that seek to
prescribe exactly `how it should be done’. My own experience shows that there
are many different ways of achieving one’s aims and many different ways of
leading an industrial company. I have worked with leaders whose style is so
totally different to my own that I have found it incomprehensible that they
achieve results, but nevertheless they do. Each one of us has to develop our
own style, and our own approach, using such skills and personal qualities as we
have inherited...
My
own experience of trying to teach and train managers is that it is extremely
difficult to teach grown-up people anything. It is, however, relatively easy to
create conditions under which people will teach themselves. Indeed, most people
wish to improve their own performance and are eager to do so. That is why there
are so many books on management published and that is why I have read
practically all of them. As I said earlier, too many make impossible promises
and claims for no one can manage or lead in someone else’s clothes. What each
of us does over a long period of trial and error is to acquire a set of tools
with which we are comfortable and which we can apply in different ways to the
myriad problems which we need to solve.”
John
Harvey-Jones
Former Chief
Executive and Chairman of ICI
Making
it Happen
“There is a
difference between leadership and management. The leader and those who follow
represent one of the oldest, most natural and most effective human relationships.
The manager and those managed are a later product with neither so romantic or
inspiring history. Leadership is the spirit, compounded by personality and vision
– its practice is an art. Management is of the mind, more a
matter of
accurate calculation, statistics, methods, timetables and routine – its
practice is a science.”
Marshall Sir William Slim
|
Positive rules for leaders who want to achieve
excellent results
1. Involve all relevant
people from the start.
2. Have a single, fully
worked out object in view – aim to kill one bird with many stones, not two
birds with one.
3. Having obtained the
best possible information and counsel in concert, act on it, in concert.
4. Be governed by what
you know, rather than what you fear.
5. Embody the decisions
in a comprehensive plan that everybody knows and that will cover the expected
consequences of setback or success.
6. Entrust the plan’s
execution to competent people with no conflicting responsibilities.
7. Leave operational
people to operate.
8. In the event of
serious failure, start again to review and renew the decisions.
9. Only abandon the
decision when it is plain to all that the objectives cannot be achieved.
Robert Heller, The Decision Makers
|
Thriving
on chaos – Tom Peters
1. The best
and brightest people will gravitate towards those corporations that foster
personal growth.
2. The
manager’s new role is that of coach, teacher and mentor.
3. The best
people want ownership – psychic and literal – in a company; the best
companies are providing it.
4. Companies
will increasingly turn to third-party contractors, shifting from hired labour
to contract labour.
5.
Authoritarian management is yielding to a networking, people style of
management.
6.
Entrepreneurship within corporations – entrepreneurship – is creating new
products and new markets and revitalizing companies inside out.
7. Quality
will be paramount.
8. Intuition
and creativity are challenging the `it’s all in the numbers’ business school
philosophy.
9. Large
corporations are emulating the positive and productive qualities of small
business.
10. The dawn
of the information economy has fostered a massive shift from infrastructure
to quality of life.
Selected
from his best selling work Thriving on Chaos.
|
The generosity of a
great leader
Nelson Mandela, shortly after the
end of apartheid, delivered a speech that showed immense generosity and
humility in the face of the struggles he had faced in life. It demonstrated
his uniqueness as a leader.
“I would like to take this opportunity
to thank the world leaders who have given messages of support. I would also
congratulate Mr FW De Klerk for the four years that we have worked together, quarrelled,
addressed sensitive problems and at the end of our heated exchanges were able
to shake hands and to drink coffee. To the people of South Africa and the
world who are watching, the election has been a triumph for the human spirit.
South Africa’s heroes are legends
across the generations. But it is the people who are true heroes. The
election victory is one of the most important moments in the life of South
Africa. I am proud of the ordinary, humble people of South Africa who have
shown calm, patient determination to reclaim South Africa, and joy that we
can loudly proclaim from the rooftops – free at last!
I intend to be a servant not a
leader; as one above others. I pledge to use all my strength and ability to
live up to the world’s expectations of me.”
Nelson
Mandela
|
Personal
effectiveness for leaders
Check yourself
against this programme once a month for the next six months.
Protect your most
valuable commodity – time:
DEVELOP
A NEW PERSONAL SENSE OF TIME
• Do not rely on
memory; record where your time goes.
PLAN
AHEAD
• Make plans on how
you are going to spend your time a day, a week, a month and one year ahead.
Plan your time in terms of opportunities and results, priorities and deadlines.
MAKE
THE MOST OF YOUR BEST TIME
• Programme important
tasks for the time of day you function best. Have planned quiet periods for
creative thinking.
CAPITALIZE
ON MARGINAL TIME
• Squeeze activities
into the minutes you spend waiting for a train or between meetings.
AVOID
CLUTTER
• Try re-organizing
your desk for effectiveness. Sort papers into categories according to action
priorities. Generate as little paper as possible yourself.
DO
IT NOW
• `Procrastination is
the thief of time’.
• `My object was
always to do the business of the day in the day’ – Lord Wellington.
LEARN
TO SAY ‘NO’
• Do not let others
misappropriate your time.
• Decline tactfully
but firmly to avoid over-commitment.
USE
THE TELEPHONE AS A TIME-SAVING TOOL
• Keep telephone
calls down to minimum length.
• Screen telephone
interruptions.
DELEGATE
• Learn to delegate
as much as possible.
MEETINGS
• Keep them short.
• Sharpen your skills
as a chairperson.
• Cut out unnecessary
meetings.
John
Adair, Effective Leadership
Leadership
and change
“And
one should bear in mind that there is nothing more difficult to execute, nor
more dubious of success, nor more dangerous to administer than to introduce a
new order of things; for he who introduces it has all those who profit from the
old order as his enemies, and he has only lukewarm allies in all those who might
profit from the new. This luke-warmness partly stems from fear of their
adversaries who have the law on their side, and partly from skepticism of men,
who do not truly believe in new things unless they have actually had personal experience
of them. Therefore, it happens that whenever those who are enemies have the
chance to attack, they do so enthusiastically, whereas those others defend
hesitantly, so that they, together with the prince, are in danger.”
Nicolo Machiavelli, The Prince.
Differentiating
leading from managing
Throughout this article you will
have read of distinctions between managing and leading. Consider your own
preferences in relation to the following
1. Leadership is an art – Management is a
science
2. Leaders lead people – Managers manage
things
3. Leaders operate in the future
– Managers
deal in the present
4. Leaders are agents of change –
Managers
deal with the status-quo
5. Leaders empower – Managers’
control
6. Leaders strive for
effectiveness – Managers aim for efficiency
7. Leaders inspire – Managers seek
compliance
8. Leaders listen – Manager talk
9. Leaders make people feel
strong – Managers’
direct people
10. Leaders stretch people – Managers
maintain people
11. Leaders excite people – Managers
monitor people
12. Leaders defy order – Managers seek
order
13. Leaders make time – Managers are
busy
14. Leaders experiment – Managers create
routines
15. Leaders create institutions – Managers
run them
Leadership
styles
Discussion Generator – a personal
perspective on some leaders and their styles – Where would you place people on your
list?
CHARISMATIC
LEADERS
|
AUTOCRATIC/
ASSERTIVE LEADERS
|
DEMOCRATIC
LEADERS
|
General De
Gaulle
|
Margaret
Thatcher
|
John
Major
|
Mrs Gandi
|
Francois
Mitterrand
|
Bill
Clinton
|
John F
Kennedy
|
Richard Nixon
|
George
Bush Snr
|
General
Franco
|
V. Giscard
d’Estaing
|
Anita
Roddick
|
Bill Clinton
|
George W Bush
|
Richard
Branson
|
Napoleon
|
Lou Gerstener
|
Lucianno
Bennetton
|
Jack Welch
|
Alex Ferguson
|
John
Brown
|
Richard
Branson
|
Robert Maxwell
|
David
Sainsbury
|
Ronald Reagan
|
John Birt
|
Sir
John Harvey Jones
|
Mikhail
Gorbachev
|
Vladimir
Putin
|
|
Winston
Churchill
|
Lord King
|
|
Ataturk
|
Sir Richard
Greenbury
|
|
Bill Gates
|
Al Dunlap
|
|
Lee Iacocca
|
Tony Blair
|
|
Sir John
Harvey Jones
|
||
John Chambers
|
||
Nelson
Mandela
|
||
Mahatma
Ghandi
|
Checklist
for meeting individual needs
1 Have
I agreed with each of my team their key responsibilities and required standards
of performance?
2 Does
my team have all the resources necessary to achieve their key tasks (including
sufficient authority)?
3 Have
I made provision for the training and development of team members?
4 Do I
praise excellent performance? In the case of average performance, do I
criticize constructively and provide, where appropriate, help and guidance?
5 Have
I achieved the right balance between controlling and letting go?
7 Could
I delegate additional authority? For example, could Sam arrange the project
review meeting and run it? Could James take on some of my existing reporting
relationships?
8 Do I
engage in regular team and individual performance reviews?
9 Do I
know enough about each team member to enable me to have an accurate understanding
of their individual needs, strengths and development needs?
Checklist
for achieving the task
1 Am I
clear about my own responsibilities and authority? Have I agreed this with my
boss?
2 Am I
clear about the objectives of my team/unit?
3 Have
I worked out an action plan for reaching these objectives and discussed it with
my team?
4 Is
the team sufficiently capable? Could the team be restructured to deliver better
results?
5 Does
everyone know exactly what their role and key responsibilities are? Does each team
member have clearly defined and agreed performance targets?
6 Is
anyone over-loaded or insufficiently allocated a workload?
7 Are
the lines of authority and accountability clear within the team?
8 Are
there any capability gaps in the team (including me) that might prevent us
achieving our goals? If so, what are my plans for addressing these gaps?
9 Are
we focused on the right priorities?
10 Do I
receive regular information that enables me to check progress?
11 Do I
regularly review performance? Have I achieved the tasks set twelve months ago?
12 Does
my work and behaviour set the best possible example to the team?
Checklist
for maintaining the team
1 Do I
set team objectives with members and ensure that everyone understands them?
2 Is
the team clear as to the working standards expected, e.g. in time keeping,
quality of work, procedures? Am I fair and impartial in enforcing the rules? Is
the team aware of the consequences of infringement (penalties)?
3 Is
the size of the team correct and are the right people working together? Is
there a need for new teams to be developed?
4 Do I
look for opportunities for building teamwork into tasks?
5 Do I
take action on matters likely to disrupt the team, e.g. unjustified differentials
in reward, uneven workloads?
6 Is
the grievance procedure understood by all? Do I deal with all grievances and
complaints promptly?
7 Do I
welcome and encourage new ideas and suggestions from the team?
8 Do I
provide regular opportunities for genuine discussion of the team before taking
decisions affecting them, e.g. decisions relating to work plans, work methods
and standards?
9 Do I
regularly brief the team (e.g. monthly) on the organization’s plans and any
future developments?
10 Is
the overall performance of each individual regularly (e.g. annually) reviewed?
11 Am I
sure that, for individual work, capability and reward are in balance?
12 If
after opportunities for training and development, an individual is still not
meeting the requirements of the job, do I try and find a position for them
which matches their capacity – or see that someone else does?
13 Do I
know enough about the members of the team to enable me to have an accurate
picture of their needs, aptitudes and attitudes? Do I really know how they feel
about things?
14 Do I
give sufficient time and personal attention to matters of direct concern to
team members?
Leading
high performing teams
This checklist is designed to
help you think about the behaviours your leadership style might be generating
in your team. Read over the scales and mark the behaviours of your team. What
do the results say about how you may be exercising your leadership role?
1. Listening skills amongst the team
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
2. Participation by team member
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
3.
Team based involvement in
decision-making
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
4.
Building and developing on
individual contributions
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
5.
Setting clear objectives
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
6.
Managing time and priorities
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
7.
Sensitivity of group members to the
feelings of others
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
8.
Effectiveness of the team in
managing conflict situations
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
9.
Levels of creativity and innovation
within the team
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
Low High
The
American Management Association’s (AMA) core competencies of effective executive
leaders
The American Management
Association have developed a list of core competencies needed for effective executive
leadership. The model was developed in association with Dr John Nichols a UK
based leadership consultant.
The strategic
competency: Leading with the head
Think, plan and organize
analytically and
intuitively.
TYPICAL
BEHAVIOURS
• Creates a clear vision of what
is to be accomplished
• Develops strategies and plans
• Uses intuition imaginatively
• Understands today in terms of
the big picture and identifies trends
• Balances the short with the
long term
• Is logical and planful
• Is open minded and receptive to
new ideas
• Tackles complex problems
creatively
• Is decisive, but
flexible
The performance
management competency: Leading
with the hands
Orchestrate an
effective organizational or team effort to achieve the desired results.
TYPICAL
BEHAVIOURS
• Sets a clear
direction and challenging goals
• Assigns roles and responsibilities
• Matches style to
individuals and situations
• Coaches, empowers
and delegates where appropriate
• Gives timely praise
and corrective feedback as appropriate
• Recognizes people
and rewards them for their achievements
• Confronts and improves
poor performance; disciplines when necessary
• Handles crises;
identifies and resolves conflicts
• Represents and
advocates for the organization/team
• Builds a cohesive
team of people working together towards common goals
• Leads change,
brings people with them, overcomes resistance
The inspirational
competency: Leading with the heart
Enlist, energise and
empower others to struggle to achieve shared goals through effective
communication of the vision, commitment to demonstrated values and the use of
positive power and influence.
TYPICAL
BEHAVIOURS
• Communicates an
inspiring vision that grabs attention
• Promotes open,
wideband, interactive communication
• Understands others,
their values, aspirations, needs and desires, and
pitches messages accordingly
• Expresses self-confidently
and assertively but not aggressively
• Influences through
the use of positive power and influences using negotiation, involvement,
direction and example
• Uses power mostly
with restraint and tact – but quickly and assuredly when necessary
• Satisfies the
security, status and social needs of others
• Provides meaning
for people and inspires enthusiasm about ideas and efforts
• Shapes a
high-achievement culture where work is meaningful, interesting and challenging
The character
competency: Leading through trust
Conduct yourself in a
responsible, ethical way that earns trust.
TYPICAL
BEHAVIOURS
• Acts ethically,
with integrity
• Upholds values and
principles that create a climate of trust and integrity
• Demonstrates
courage to take tough decisions in line with principles
• Keeps promises
• Accepts
accountability for own actions and those of followers
• Sets a worthy
example to others
We can summarise the
different aspects of our AMA Leadership Model
– what leaders do,
the leadership process and the underlying competencies – in the following
model.
Leadership
skills and personal characteristics – A useful checklist
1.
Leadership – Provides direction under uncertain conditions; has an intense
‘desire to succeed’ coupled with the perseverance and creativity to ensure
success; has the ability to ‘fire up’ large audiences; communicates complex
ideas in a simple and straightforward manner; is assertive; shows initiative;
is driven to do an ‘outrageously’ good job.
2.
Strategic thinking – Can deal with ideas at an abstract level; readily
learns and understands concepts outside of his/her immediate functional area;
has the ability to conceptualise ‘what could be’; uses one’s imagination in
creating a vision that forms the basis for deciding on new concepts for which
there is no data.
3.
Innovation and creativity – Is perceptive, intuitive and creative. Sees
more than the obvious when confronted with business situations and problems,
rapidly identifying the implications; uses innovative approaches and leading
edge technologies in solving problems.
4.
Risk taking and a ‘bias for action’ – is willing to take
personal risks to advance new ideas and programs for the success of the
company; has the courage to commit sizeable resources based on a blend of
analysis and intuition; is comfortable with making the percentages, rather than
achieving success with each initiative; trusts own judgement and instincts
without requiring definitive proof; prefers quick and approximate actions to
slow and precise approaches.
5.
Decision-making – Has the ability to make difficult, unpopular choices
in order to achieve larger strategic objectives; constantly gathers and
analyses information from others; is open to influence and change; demonstrates
confidence, strength of conviction and sound judgement.
6.
Knowledge of field – Has a fundamental understanding of ideas techniques,
leading edge supplied technologies, trends and discoveries (both inside and
outside the company) that pertain to assigned work responsibilities; seeks out
and quickly understands new developments.
7.
Managerial proficiency – Has a set of well-honed ‘fundamental operating
principles’ to help guide goal-setting, problem identification and
decision-making; has the capacity to drive a negotiation to closing without
compromising away one’s central requirements; understands complex operational
issues quickly and takes appropriate action; executes well.
8.
Resourcefulness – Adapts to rapidly changing conditions; learns from
successes and failure; mediates differences; maintains a flexible and
constructive orientation; buffers pressures received from others; demonstrates
a high level of initiative, drive, persistence and involvement.
9.
Maturity and stability – Has an accurate picture of strengths and areas
for improvement; is willing to learn and improve; controls emotions; refrains
from over-reacting.
10.
Communications – Expresses ideas and concerns clearly and persuasively;
is proficient and confident making formal presentations; participates easily
and influentially in business meetings; has flexible and effective writing
skills.
11.
Interpersonal competence – Listens effectively; is sensitive to the needs
of people; develops rapport and trust; gives criticism appropriately; solicits
interpersonal feedback; is candid and direct in a constructive manner; accepts
interpersonal differences.
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