| Leadership resources in the following articles
include:
Balanced Scorecard
The Balanced Scorecard is a tool that can be used byleaders to
achieve real cultural change throughout the organisation. This
article explains why and how.
A guide to real change
The Balanced Scorecard was developed in the early 1990s byRobert Kaplan and David Norton, to provide a new form of
strategic management. The key features of the Balanced
Scorecard approach are that it:
- has a limited number of measurements
- focuses on the important factors for strategic success
- is not overly complex
- does not confuse, or diffuse focus, bycontaining too
many objectives or too much information
- is broad-ranging (including strategy, customers,
financial management, business processes and
learning/development)
- relates the diverse areas together in a dynamic
relationship
The balanced scorecard provides a simple but effective
answer to the questions "what does the organisation need to do
to succeed?" and "how can we get every employee working in the
same direction?"
Balanced scorecard and organisational teamwork
The Balanced Scorecard can play a key role in achieving
real change in organisational teamwork. Although team/organisational
performance is dependent on many things, a major part is
played by:
- the degree of collective focus on the overall goal
- simplicity of that goal
- clarity of visible measurement of that goal
- speed of communication of measurement results
These principles makes it easier, for example, for sports
teams to build a performance culture than many businesses,
because:
- the goals of sports teams are very clear (eg: to win the
league)
- measurement is simple, both in the short term (by goals
scored) or long term (by position in the table)
- communication of progress to organisational members, and
their supporters, is clear and instant (everyone sees when a
goal is scored, or the team wins a match, and the updated
tables are reported within minutes of each match finishing)
The difficulties faced bybusiness
It is often difficult to improve overall organisational
performance in a business because the collective goals are
unclear. Employees are often only aware of the aims of their
own "team island", and regard other team islands as having a
different job. Individuals are often motivated to "do their
bit", but they lack the overall understanding of where the
organisation is going or how the various team islands are
supposed to work together for collective good. Whereas a
sports team is often characterised bya focus on goals,
results and league tables, businesses are often characterised byan absence of such a unifying force.
The role of Balanced Scorecard
The Balanced Scorecard can help overcome such difficulties byproviding a focus that unifies all parts of the business.
It provides a methodology that turns the eyes of all employees
to a single direction. The Balanced Scorecard can therefore be
a very effective tool for changing the organisational culture,
breaking down the barriers between team islands, creating an
overall team culture and thereby improving organisational
performance |
Developing Leaders through Coaching
Leaders are often under so much pressure to deliver that they
can't develop themselves. This article (on using role stretch in
coaching) examines how to achieve both delivery and development.
How to manage role stretch
Executive Coaching is a service provided byindependent
coaches, aimed at helping the coachee achieve higher levels of
performance and personal fulfilment in their work.
One of the key areas to address in executive coaching is
the degree of stretch between
- the executive's personality, preferences and skills, and
- their work role and how they approach it.
Executive Coaching and performance
There are broadly two schools of thought on how to increase
performance in Executive Coaching. |
This article examines how to manage
role stretch in order to get the optimum balance of both
performance and personal development/fulfilment |
- Playing to natural strengths leads to peak performance.
- Greater adaptability enables the executive to take
whichever approach is appropriate for the situation.
Our view is that both of these can be true and they
represent an important tension that needs to be managed
effectively. The main aims in executive coaching are therefore
to:
- raise awareness of the differing needs of the individual
and the job
- identify the degree of stretch currently being
experienced between the two
- set goals for the degree of stretch that the individual
needs to achieve
- establish an action plan to achieve that new degree of
stretch - ie to be stretched more or to be stretched less
The table below provides a useful framework for discussing
these steps during executive coaching.
| |
Small stretch
(role is close to personal preferences) |
Big stretch
(role is very different from personal preferences) |
Good stretch
(experienced as good bythe individual) |
Fulfilment, contentment, sense of
enjoyment, feeling of “I’m in the right job”, wanting to
contribute, enthusiasm, personal needs met, willingness to
adapt (temporarily) to others’ differing styles. |
Meeting challenges, striving to improve,
a feeling of “this is doing me good”, sense of personal
development, increasing comfort with non-preferred roles,
other forums where personal needs met. |
Bad stretch
(experienced as bad bythe individual) |
Boredom, stagnation, character
‘ossification’, lack of challenge, feeling of “I’ve done
it all before”, lack of flexibility, unwillingness to
accommodate others’ styles. |
Stress, demotivation, difficulty coping,
a feeling of “I can’t go on with this”, looking for other
jobs, opting out, depression, ‘no light at the end of the
tunnel’. |
The client should place themselves in the table according
to where they are now, and then according to where they want
to be.
It is often difficult for executives to choose to behave in
different ways, because they are under pressure to deliver
organisational goals. In such circumstances, rather than swim
against the tide, they should change the nature of external
pressure/demands being placed on them. This usually does not
involve changing existing organisational goals, but rather
changing their work environment - for example, by:
- changing the reporting structure
- recruiting new team members
- redistributing responsibilities: delegating work or
taking on new tasks
- setting behavioural goals/targets and publishing them
- introducing a new steering/stakeholder committee with a
specific brief, to scrutinise the deliverables from the
executive's department in a particular way
- appointing a deputy
- introducing new processes, eg: running meetings in a
different way
- etc.
The aim of such actions, from an executive coaching
viewpoint, is to change the external stretch so that job
pressures and personal development are aligned. |
Transformational Leadership
Why transformational leadership is particularly relevant for
Owner/Directors as they seek to grow their business.
Insights for Owner/Directors
by Adrian Banger
The very behaviours and ways of thinking that enable a
business to get started may in time limit the Company’s growth
and ultimately lead to its demise.
A strong, task focused behavioural style, where the founder
has a conviction that he or she is right and brushes aside the
doubters, is invaluable in getting a business started.
However, if the founder is not able to flex their style and
recognise and nurture the talents of other people in the
business then the potential success of the business is
compromised.
The founders will find themselves tied to working in the
business rather than on it.
What is Transformational Leadership?
Transformational Leadership emphasises behaviours that
inspire and nurture others. It is a model of Leadership that
meets both the challenges of a rapidly changing environment
and the need to emotionally engage everyone within the
organisation. |
|
|
Transformational Leadership is about a range of behaviours that
include:
- Developing and sharing an inspiring vision of the
organisation’s future
- Behaving in ways that bring out the best in individuals and
teams
- Showing genuine concern and respect for others
- Continuously investing in the development of themselves and
others
- Developing a culture of collaboration rather than command
and control where change is welcomed as an opportunity rather
than a threat
- Recognising that leadership needs to be demonstrated at
times byeveryone in the organisation
Why is Transformational Leadership important for
Owner/Directors?
Founders of SMEs invariably become the “technical” expert of
the business during its early phase of growth when they have the
greatest knowledge of the products, processes and markets. This
knowledge, coupled with a very hands-on, results oriented
behavioural style, invariably drives the success of the business
in its early years.
However, as the business grows and employs more people, the
business owner needs to develop his or her ability to nurture and
grow the talent within the organisation if the organisation is
going to grow healthily. Whilst some people are naturally endowed
with some of the behaviours and ways of thinking that characterise
effective leaders, many of the skills of leadership can be learned
and developed, given a desire to do so.
How can Owner/Directors develop Transformational Leadership?
The first step is to build an awareness of the benefits of
investing in developing their “soft skills” and the consequences
of not! This realisation may be triggered bymany events, ranging
from feeling that they are the only people capable of making a
decision in the business to a recognition that major change is
needed.
The next step is to identify what are the key characteristics
of the Owner/Director's style, which of those are helping the
business move forward and which are holding it back. There are
many assessment tools available, including behavioural profiling,
which can provide a “baggage free”, non judgemental base for
discussion with the individual. Once the areas that will have the
greatest leverage in ensuring the Company’s long term future have
been identified, a personal development plan can be compiled.
The final implementation phase of the process will vary
according to the preferred learning style of the individual. It is
unlikely that going on a course or reading “How to” books will, in
themselves, lead to the development of the desired behaviours.
Sustainable behavioural change comes from:
- Awareness of the benefits and consequences of different
approaches
- Guidance in the development of new ways of thinking /
behaving
- Support and feedback during the experimentation phase
Executive coaching, especially where the coach has the skills
and experience to include elements of mentoring, training and
consulting, is the most likely route to success.
Conclusion
Transformational Leadership skills are essential for
Owner/Directors to grow their business beyond the initial phase
and flourish in the long term. The challenge is to get
Owner/Directors to recognise that investing in themselves is
likely to have an even greater impact on the success of the
Company than many of the more traditional investments in
manufacturing or marketing.
Leadership Qualities
There are many views on what makes a good leader. Is there a
definitive list of qualities or skills that aspiring leaders
should try and acquire? What makes a good
leader?
Do you believe you have what it
takes to be a good leader?
Is your organisation looking to develop potential leaders?
This article examines the fit - or sometimes the mis-fit -
between organisational needs and individual talent.
What makes a good leader?
The leadership qualities that are required to make a
good leader can vary in different organisations, teams and
situations. This is one of the fundamental principles
underlying most popular leadership systems such as
Situational Leadership (develop byBlanchard and Hersey in
the late 1960s).
However, the idea that leadership qualities and style
depend on the context is not a new concept. It is a point
demonstrated, for example, bythe play "The Admirable
Crichton" written in 1902: two characters swap their roles
as leader and servant, according to the changes in the
situation. The film "Twelve O'Clock High" was produced in
1949 and shows how certain behaviours, unacceptable in
some contexts, can be examples of great leadership in
others. And there are many contrasting examples of
leadership going much further back to biblical times and
other periods of recorded history.
Organisational or individual perspective?
How you approach leadership qualities will depend on
whether you are looking at the subject from the
perspective of an organisation or an individual.
The aim of an organisational perspective is to improve
organisational performance byidentifying and developing
leadership potential. At the outset, the needs of the
organisation are usually well-defined but the individuals,
who may become leaders, are unknown. The organisational
task is therefore one of:
- identifying the profile of leadership qualities that
will enhance organisational performance
- selecting individuals whose character, skills and
potential closely match that profile
- developing those individuals so their potential
becomes a reality
|
|
The Admirable Crichton
The Admirable Crichton is a play byJ M
Barrie about how leadership qualities required to succeed
can vary in different contexts.
It tells the story of an aristocratic
family and their servants; leadership is provided byLord
Brocklehurst, because his qualities are ideally suited for
English high society. Crichton, the butler, performs a
subservient role. However, when the family and servants
are shipwrecked and marooned on a desert island, the
qualities required to lead them through their struggle for
survival are very different: Crichton's qualities are more
suited, so he assumes the leadership role.
Ultimately, when they are rescued, Crichton demonstrates
great understanding of the importance of adapting to the
context, and quickly relinquishes his leadership role.
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a film starring
Gregory Peck that illustrates how "unacceptable"
behaviours can sometimes play an important role in
leadership.
The film tells the story of a failing
bomber group that is transformed byBrigadier Savage
(Gregory Peck). One of the key actions he performed was to
demote and humiliate Lieutenant Colonel Ben Gately,
forcing him to write the words "leper colony" on his
plane.
In many modern business contexts, such
behaviour bySavage might be labelled unacceptable, being
classified as psychological bullying or providing grounds
for claiming constructive dismissal. In the context of the
bomber group, however, Savage's action is usually taught
as an example of great leadership. |
That is, an organisation develops a framework to assess
people and develop those who are chosen.
An individual's perspective on leadership, however, is very
different: the aim is for the individual to develop into a
position of leadership. From this perspective, you are who you
are and if your leadership qualities are not valued bythe
organisation you are working for, then you are going to find
it difficult to progress.
However, there may be other organisations or teams who are
looking for different leadership qualities, ones that suit
your talents. These other organisations offer you the best
chance to develop. The individual task is therefore one of:
- understanding one's own leadership qualities or
potential
- selecting an organisation or context where those
attributes will be valued
|
Conclusion
What makes a good leader?
There is no single, definitive list of leadership qualities
to answer that question, because the answer depends on the
context. A particular characteristic or skill may demonstrate
greater leadership in one organisational culture but be
unacceptable or ineffective in another. In some instances (as
discussed in our article on the basics of leadership),
leadership might result not from personal qualities but from
being in a position that represents a group's direction.
The approach taken in the pursuit of leadership qualities
depends on your point of view: organisations select
individuals that fit their leadership framework (to satisfy
their needs for better performance); in a similar way,
individuals should select organisations that value what they
have to offer (to satisfy their needs for career development). |
Leadership Styles
Eight leadership styles, when to use them, and when not to use
them. A basic introduction and guide
| Modern leadership demands an ability to adapt
one's style to achieve the maximum effectiveness. Rather than
using one's own preferred style, excellent leaders are able to
take different approaches to suit the various needs of
differing situations.
This page describes a popular model of leadership styles,
that can be used as the basis for leadership training or
individual coaching. A modern leader will:
- develop flexibility and adaptability to be able to use
any of the styles
- recognise the different demands of each situation
- use the style(s) that will give optimum success
|
These leadership styles are based on Carl
Jung's eight psychological types, and have been
operationalized through the MTR-i® questionnaire. |
The table below describes each of the styles, and gives
examples when the style should or should not be used.
| |
Leadership
styles |
When to use |
When not to
use |
ACTIVE BLUE
ESFJ/ENFJ, Extraverted Feeling (Jung), or Coach (MTR-i)
|
| |
People-oriented, motivator, builds personal
relationships, likeable, interpersonal skills, cares for
others |
Commitment from others is critical, or
sensitive situations |
Decisions need to be forced through, conflict
is being avoided |
REFLECTIVE BLUE
ISFP/INFP, Introverted Feeling (Jung), or Campaigner (MTR-i)
|
| |
Value-driven, has passion for key issues,
focuses on important themes, champions the cause |
The group has lost its sense of identity, or
it is doing too many unimportant things |
There is a problem that needs to be solved
with dispassionate objectivity (eg: technical issues) |
ACTIVE GREEN
ENTP/ENFP, Extraverted Intuition (Jung), or Explorer (MTR-i)
|
| |
Tries things that are new, prototypes,
introduces change, looks for unexpected outcomes, creates new
opportunities, experiments |
The group is 'stuck in a rut', or the status
quo needs to be challenged |
There are already too many initiatives under
way and some stability is needed |
REFLECTIVE GREEN
INTJ/INFJ, Introverted Intuition (Jung), or Innovator (MTR-i)
|
| |
Develops long term vision, produces radical
ideas, foresees the future, anticipates what is outside
current knowledge |
Radical change is needed, change is a long
term activity |
There are immediate dangers, the group may
not survive in the short term |
ACTIVE YELLOW
ESTP/ESFP, Extraverted Sensing (Jung), or Sculptor (MTR-i)
|
| |
Takes action, produces results, leads from
the front, sets an example, does what is asked of others |
There is some inertia, or lack of achievement
has destroyed motivation |
The group is being too expedient, current
success may ebb in the future |
REFLECTIVE YELLOW
ISTJ/ISFJ, Introverted Sensing (Jung), or Curator (MTR-i)
|
| |
Observes, listens, clarifies goals,
establishes realistic expectations, makes aims crystal clear
|
The direction is vague or expectations have
not been articulated |
There are already too many goals or too much
information |
ACTIVE RED
ESTJ/ENTJ, Extraverted Thinking (Jung), or Conductor (MTR-i)
|
| |
Organises, makes plans, sets measurable
goals, coordinates work of different people, manages resources
|
There is chaos/lack of organisation, or there
are no measures of achievement |
There are so many processes that creativity
has been stifled |
REFLECTIVE RED
ISTP/INTP, Introverted Thinking (Jung), or Scientist (MTR-i)
|
| |
Analyses, uses models, produces explanations,
compares other situations, engages in intellectual debate |
The situation is complex or driven bytechnical solutions |
People's feelings are paramount, or the group
go round in circular arguments |
Conclusion/summary
This model of leadership styles can be used to increase the
effectiveness of a leader. The key to success is developing the
external awareness of what is required, and the internal
flexibility to be able to access each style as appropriate.
The Difference between Leadership and Management
What is leadership, and what is the difference between
leadership and management? This article examines the basic concept
of leadership.
What is leadership, and what is the
difference between leadership and management? In a nutshell:
- Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a
group that they follow. A leader is the spearhead for that
new direction.
- Management controls or directs people/resources in a
group according to principles or values that have already
been established.
The difference between leadership and management can be
illustrated byconsidering what happens when you have one
without the other.
Leadership without management
...sets a direction or vision that others follow, without
considering too much how the new direction is going to be
achieved. Other people then have to work hard in the trail
that is left behind, picking up the pieces and making it
work. Eg: in Lord of the Rings, at the council of Elrond,
Frodo Baggins rescues the council from conflict bytaking
responsibility for the quest of destroying the ring - but
most of the management of the group comes from others.
Management without leadership
...controls resources to maintain the status quo or
ensure things happen according to already-established plans.
Eg: a referee manages a sports game, but does not usually
provide "leadership" because there is no new change, no new
direction - the referee is controlling resources to ensure
that the laws of the game are followed and status quo is
maintained.
Leadership combined with management
...does both - it both sets a new direction and manages
the resources to achieve it. Eg: a newly elected president
or prime minister.
Some potential confusions...
The absence of leadership/management is not to be confused
with participatory or facilitative management, which can be a
very effective form of leadership.
Also, the absence of leadership should not be confused with
the type of leadership that calls for 'no action' to be taken.
For example, Ghandi's calls for protests to stop demonstrated
great leadership, because taking no action was a new direction
for the Indian people at that time.
Symbolic Leadership
When a leader acts as a figure-head without setting any
direction, technically this is not leadership. However, the
figure head may be viewed as a leader. For example, in the UK,
the monarch is often viewed as a leader, but actually provides
very little leadership (most of the 'leadership' in the UK
comes from political figures).
However, if a new group sets a direction of its own accord,
it will often express that new direction in the form of a
leader. For example, Nelson Mandela was regarded as a great
leader even though he was in prison and unable to communicate
with his followers! And he had been historically classified as
a "terrorist"! Yet his symbolic power grew across the world.
This was because he was a symbolic spearhead of the
anti-apartheid movement.
However, Nelson Mandela was more than just a symbolic
leader. When he was released from prison, he showed great
leadership in the statesmanship he showed, and in reaching out
a hand of friendship to his oppressors. This landed a
double-whammy blow against the apartheid regime, because:
- During the period when Nelson Mandela was imprisoned
(when his ability to provide personal, direct leadership was
limited) he continued to grow in power and influence as the
symbolic leader for the anti-apartheid movement.
- Following his release from prison, he demonstrated
actual leadership.
Leadership and Management Summary
Leadership is about setting a new direction for a group;
management is about directing and controlling according to
established principles. However, someone can be a symbolic
leader if they emerge as the spearhead of a direction the
group sets for itself.
|
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
The emergence and relevance of emotional intelligence for
modern leaders.
| by Roy Childs
Emotional Intelligence has become a vital part of how
today's leaders meet the significant challenges they face.
Emotional Intelligence can help leaders in an evermore
difficult leadership role, one that fewer and fewer people
seem capable of fulfilling. And in the middle of the “Talent
War”, especially at the highest levels in organisations,
emotional intelligence can give developing leaders a
competitive edge.
In this article, we'll take a look at:
- How the importance of Emotional Intelligence was
recognised
- Why Emotional Intelligence is needed in Leadership
- The new demands leaders have to meet
- How to use Emotional Intelligence in developing
leadership
How the importance of Emotional Intelligence was
recognised
In 1980 Reuven Bar-on was researching the qualities that
lead to success. He showed there was much more than
traditional Intelligence or IQ and developed the concept of
Emotional Intelligence – the Emotional Quotient or EQ was
born. |
In 1985 an influential psychologist called Howard Gardener also
challenged the current view of intelligence and proposed 7
multiple intelligences which included social intelligence.
The idea that success in both life and in work (at least where
managing people is a significant factor) became highly credible
and organisations have recognised how their best leaders and
managers need to develop their understanding of themselves and
others.
In 1995 Daniel Goleman published the best seller “Emotional
Intelligence” which has done a great deal for popularising the
concept.
Why Emotional Intelligence is needed in Leadership
Emotional Intelligence does not fit the classic historical
models of leadership. The latter are usually associated with great
figures of military history and conjure up charismatic and
sometimes despotic images. However, people often use the same
language for leadership today - bold, brave and tough with a
strong sense of purpose and resolve. However, this does not fit
today's needs, because:
- today’s workforce does not accept the autocratic style often
adopted byleaders following historical models of leadership.
- leadership has had to evolve to match a growing sense of
democracy and independence in the workforce
- employees now have far more options and choices than the
foot soldiers of yesterday
The new demands leaders have to meet
Leaders now need to manage and lead an “empowered” workforce
and go beyond the consultative, co-operative and democratic styles
of today. These new demands include:
- consultation and involvement – but leaders still get
criticised for not having and communicating a compelling vision
and purpose
- autonomy and freedom – but leaders are still expected to
take full responsibility when things go wrong
- opportunities for growth, challenge and glory - but
leaders must be on hand to coach and mentor us so that we
develop our potential
- inclusion and team spirit – but we still want our leaders
to give us individual recognition and acknowledgement.
However, there are not enough talented (ie: super-human)
individuals who can meet all these demands.
How to use Emotional Intelligence in developing leadership
There are now a number of models and questionnaires aimed at
measuring Emotional Intelligence, often based on self-report
questionnaires. However, this approach has obvious limitations in
identifying levels of self-awareness – how can you be aware of
what you are not aware of!
So, whilst questionnaires can play a part, better approaches
also involve:
- experiential exercises
- 360 feedback processes These provide much more effective and
comprehensive ways of identifying possible strengths and
weaknesses in Emotional Intelligence terms. When the
self-assessment and 360 is undertaken online, and results
processed bysomeone independent, it assures confidentiality to
the extent that achieves a much higher level of honesty in the
feedback and assessment. This approach challenges complacency
and can enable people to grow and develop.
Conclusion
The assessment of EI in leadership is complex. The use of
simple self-report questionnaires to explore self-awareness has
significant limitations. Team Focus approach the topic using a
sophisticated variety of approaches including 360 feedback and
experiential exercises. This brings the whole concept alive and
allows individuals to go beyond their existing knowledge and
comfort zones thus producing real impact, growth and change. TFL
are happy to work with companies and to guarantee change and
improvement.
Improving Customer Service
Six key steps for leaders to turn a customer service culture
into Customer Relationship Management.
6 steps from Customer Service
by Susan and Derek Nash
One of the ongoing challenges successful businesses face is
in optimizing customer satisfaction and developing Customer
Relationship Management. So many companies “jump on the
bandwagon” of improving customer service in order to impact
customer retention levels. Yet, since 1994, customer
satisfaction has dropped in nearly every sector of the economy
according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index compiled bythe University of Michigan. So why is this? Raising
customer satisfaction levels requires a comprehensive systems
approach.
This article will cover:
- The importance of a clear customer experience strategy
- Selecting the correct people
- Developing, motivating and managing your people
- Establishing effective service delivery processes
- Building in continuous improvement
- Ensuring managers are the key change-agents
|
Susan and Derek Nash are
joint owners of EM-Power, Inc. a consulting firm that works
with a wide range of Fortune 500 organizations implementing
customer relationship management strategies and developing
effective leaders. They are authors of "Deliver Outstanding
Service", and “Delighting your Customer” all published byHow
To Books.
|
Setting a Clear Customer Experience Strategy
Often organisations confuse defining a customer experience
strategy with creating a “slogan”. How many companies create a
slogan without any supporting initiatives, thereby disillusioning
employees and creating a “flavour of the month?”
To establish a good strategy certain key practices are
required:
- Understand the overall organisational vision and mission
- Define the organisation’s customer service direction, slogan
and values
- Ensure customer service is defined as a key responsibility
for the business/department
- Share the customer experience strategy via a comprehensive
communications program
- Ensure that this strategy does not conflict with other
business strategies. As consultants, it is amazing how often we
hear organisations say, “Improving Customer Service is a
priority, and we are also introducing stringent cost-cutting
measures.” This can present a tough dichotomy.
Selecting the Correct People
It’s really hard to teach an elephant to dance!
When recruiting employees to provide customer service, the
process often tends to concentrate more on functional expertise,
technical competence and knowledge rather than interpersonal
skills. However, lack of the right attitude can drastically impact
client satisfaction levels. Research has in fact shown that
attitude is the most important requirement: skills and functional
expertise can be taught.
Therefore in selecting the right people:
- Define the critical job requirements
- Develop scenario-based interviews/assessment centres to
screen and select candidates
- Involve multiple team members in the hiring process
- Ensure evaluation is based on objective, not the subjective
“Be Like Me” criteria
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