Introduction to Leadership

Rory O’Sullivan

27th February 2012

Outline

What is Leadership? Importance of Vision Leadership Skills Leadership Archetypes Situational Leadership Model The Risks of Leading Change Scenarios

What is Leadership?

Leadership V Management

“Management is doing things right

Leadership is doing the right thing”

Peter J. Drucker

A Theory of Leadership– R.J. Starratt

Assumptions:1. Leadership implies a relationship with

other people2. Leadership is something that is

exercised over time rather than in a single act or event

3. Leadership takes place in relation to some organisation, agency, institution or community

What Leadership is not! It is not present simply because a

person occupies a “leadership position”

It is more than a style, a trait, a group of behaviours, or a degree of effectiveness

It is not a part that is identified as encompassing a whole, e.g. risk-taking, decisiveness, foresight

Characteristics of Leadership

Rooted in meaning Emerges out of a vision Emerges out of a dramatic sense Requires the articulation of a vision Embodies the vision in

organisational structures Continuous or periodic renewal of

the institution

Importance of Vision Peters & Austin, 1985A Vision is a concise statement/picture

of where the organisation and its people are heading

In leadership the issue is not the substance of the vision but the importance of having one, being able to communicate it and implement it.

Vision comes first!

Starts with a single individual “committee’s vision” – be wary! Dream or fantasy – a sense of the

possible Bandwagon or hearse! Beware! – too many attempts at the

vision process can create apathy

Vision and Action!

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world!

J.A. Barker 1990

Development of a Vision Stakeholders – who are they and

what do they want? Environmental factors Guiding Values & Principles – Core

Values Organisational analysis e.g. SWOT Change Management Potential Barriers

Vision Statement

Example, Europa Hotel Belfast

“We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”

Vision Statement

Martin Luther King, 1963

“I have a dream that one day my four children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colours of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today”

Vision Statement?

Barack Obama, 2008

Yes we can!

(Is feidir linn?)

Leadership Skills Technical – least important ?

Organisational Administrative

Human – very important ? People management Motivation

Conceptual – most important ? Strategic planning Vision

Leadership ArchetypesBen Walden, 2008

Great King - Static Masculine – Order

Great Mother – Static Feminine – Nurture

Warrior – Dynamic Masculine – Action

Medicine Woman – Dynamic Feminine - Change

Medicine Woman – ChangeCharacter Qualities

VisionaryCreates changesEnthusiastic“Sparky”ImaginativePaints Pictures(with words)

CreativeAdaptableDemonstrativeAnimatedInspiredDynamicExperimental

Great Mother – NurtureCharacter Qualities

ReassuringSupportiveResponsiveHelpfulRelationalReceptiveRadiates Warmth

EncouragingEmpatheticSharingRelaxedWelcomingBuilds TrustDevelops others

Warrior – ActionCharacter Qualities

InspiringPersuasiveSelling VisionCompetitiveStrong WilledConfidentChallenging

MotivatingForcefulTask focused“Call to Arms”RousingInstils beliefConfronting

Good King – OrderCharacter Qualities

Sets ObjectivesPraises successInformativeRecognises EffortAuthoritativeControlling

influenceAttention to detail

DeliberatePreciseMethodicalAnalyticalLogicalAssessmentPractical

Negative Leadership Potentials

Good King – Too Much Order Bitter Old Man

Great Mother – Over Nurture Devouring Mother

Warrior – Action Only Mercenary Tyrant

Medicine Woman – Addicted to Change Madwoman

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky

Leadership often involves challenging people (including yourself) to live up to their words, to close the gap between their espoused value and their behaviour

It is often about helping groups make difficult choices

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky

Leadership can come from any place within or even outside an organisation.

The more authority you have, the more you risk when you exercise leadership.

Leadership is dangerous because you are rarely authorised to lead.

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky If leadership were about giving people

good news the job would be easy. People do not resist change as such.

People resist loss. You place yourself in the line when you

tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear.

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky The problems that require leadership

are those that the experts cannot solve The solution to these adaptive

challenges lie not in technical answers, but rather in people themselves.

Successful leaders in any field tend to emphasize personal relationships.

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky

Remember when you ask people to participate in adaptive change, you are asking a lot. You may be asking them to choose between two values, both important to the way they understand themselves.

You may be asking people to close the distance between their espoused values and their actual behaviour.

The Risks of Leading Change

Ref. Heifetz and Linsky Any significant adaptive change that

benefits the organisation as a whole may clearly and tangibly hurt some of those who thrived under the status quo. If people simply cannot or will not go along with change, then they will become casualties.

If you signal your unwillingness to sustain casualties, you invite people to ignore your goals.

LeadershipScenario 1

Crisis Situation

Significant Budget Cuts/Loss of Business

How should a leader behave?

LeadershipScenario 2

Traumatic Event

In a small company/organisation a colleague’s mother dies suddenly and unexpectedly.

What should the leader do?

Rudolph GiulianiMayor of New York in 2001

Weddings Discretionary Funerals Mandatory

LeadershipScenario 3

Conflict situation in the organisation

Staff is split on a particular issue

How should a leader behave?

Wanted“The Perfect Leader”

A miracle worker who can do more with less, pacify rival groups, endure chronic second guessing, tolerate low levels of support, process large volumes of paper and work double shifts (at least 75 nights per year), he or she will have carte blanche to innovate, but cannot spend much money, replace any personnel or upset any constituency.

- Michael Fullan, 1995

Thank You

Questions?