Thursday 5 November, 2009
Many ineffective leaders aspire to a leadership position
because of what they believe they will be empowered to do. In other
words, they yearn for the power and authority to do things their own
way. The most effective leaders begin their development by asking
themselves not what they are empowered to do as a leader, but what kind
of leader they want to be.
It is this focus on the being of leadership — this self-awareness of the
values and principles that these individuals bring to leadership - that
is twice as important as all other skills and factors in leadership
success. This is referred to as “Leadership Character”.
Organisations (or leaders) define the important elements of Leadership Character in the exact same way. Research has identified more than 16 individual character factors that have been linked to leadership success. These are categorised into three principal components:
Leadership Character is the foundation, or Essence, of all effective leadership. It is also one of the least tangible aspects of leadership. Some believe that Leadership Character can't be developed - that people either have it, or they don't. In fact, not only can people develop Leadership Character, but they must do so if they aspire to improve leadership performance. In other words, you can not develop the leader without developing the person. In addition, organisations do not develop Leadership Character in the same ways that they develop other leadership skills. Developing Leadership Character requires getting leaders to acknowledge their value systems, to increase their self-awareness, to experience the impact of character in their lives, and to break old patterns of thinking. Through a combination of experiences, coaching, and support, one can create the reflection necessary to develop Leadership Character.
Based on both in-depth research and practical experience, is that the skills required to execute effective leadership can be defined as four core roles that each leader must fulfill: the Visionary, the Tactician, the Facilitator, and the Contributor.
These roles complement each other, bringing their own strengths to effective leadership. For example, the Visionary focuses on setting direction, while the Tactician ensures activity toward that vision. The Facilitator makes sure that all team members and stakeholders are appropriately involved, while the Contributor ensures that the leader's own talents are being applied. These four roles define the seemingly contradictory responsibilities of a leader - often the greatest challenge of leadership. Being a great leader means being able to effectively balance these four roles and successfully integrate them with Leadership Character.
Different situations call for different types of leadership; therefore, the importance of each role varies by level and by organisation. Yet all four roles are essential for effective leadership at all levels. A first-line supervisor may need to place more emphasis on the Tactician role, but can not ignore the Visionary role. A chief executive officer will need to place more emphasis on the Visionary role, and less on the Contributor role, leaving most implementation issues to the executive team. However, there will still be important - and often times, critical - decisions to be made that require a CEO to draw on his or her Contributor skills. Effective leaders lead from the perspective of all four roles.
In the end, effective leadership is about both Essence and Form - a clarity of purpose for what one wants to be as a leader, and the ability to execute the roles of the Visionary, the Tactician, the Facilitator, and the Contributor. Only through this integration of Essence and Form can a leader effectively engage others in fully committing their energy, creativity, and talents. Today's business climate requires leaders who are role models for this integration - leaders who express an excitement about the possibilities of leadership. To them, leadership is being of service to others. And despite the many challenges they face, effective leaders exude a profound energy, a contagious excitement, and an undying hope about the future that is inspiring to everyone around them.
Source:ceoonline.com
Leadership Character: The Essence of Leadership
Leadership Character is comprised of values, characteristics, and clarity of purpose that determines what one wants to be as a leader. It is expressed in the consistency of behaviour - the degree to which a leader's actions match his or her words. Most people have experienced, in their work or personal lives, a leader who served as a role model for Leadership Character. It was that leader who demonstrated a true interest in you as a person, who mentored or supported you as you grew professionally, and who always seemed to make decisions based on a profound clarity of purpose and intent. It is this kind of leader to whom individuals are drawn and for whom a person is compelled to give maximum energy.Organisations (or leaders) define the important elements of Leadership Character in the exact same way. Research has identified more than 16 individual character factors that have been linked to leadership success. These are categorised into three principal components:
- Personal Character
The character to stay steadfast and decisive in the face of adversity.
- Social Character
Showing others respect, being compassionate, and valuing individual differences.
- Organisational Character
The willingness to put the organisation's and its customers' needs ahead of one's own personal needs.
Leadership Character is the foundation, or Essence, of all effective leadership. It is also one of the least tangible aspects of leadership. Some believe that Leadership Character can't be developed - that people either have it, or they don't. In fact, not only can people develop Leadership Character, but they must do so if they aspire to improve leadership performance. In other words, you can not develop the leader without developing the person. In addition, organisations do not develop Leadership Character in the same ways that they develop other leadership skills. Developing Leadership Character requires getting leaders to acknowledge their value systems, to increase their self-awareness, to experience the impact of character in their lives, and to break old patterns of thinking. Through a combination of experiences, coaching, and support, one can create the reflection necessary to develop Leadership Character.
Four Roles: The Form of Leadership
While Leadership Character is the foundation of effective leadership, it alone is not sufficient. Unless this foundation is supplemented by the skills and knowledge required to execute on those values and principles, the leader fails to produce the tangible results necessary for creating organisational success.Based on both in-depth research and practical experience, is that the skills required to execute effective leadership can be defined as four core roles that each leader must fulfill: the Visionary, the Tactician, the Facilitator, and the Contributor.
These roles complement each other, bringing their own strengths to effective leadership. For example, the Visionary focuses on setting direction, while the Tactician ensures activity toward that vision. The Facilitator makes sure that all team members and stakeholders are appropriately involved, while the Contributor ensures that the leader's own talents are being applied. These four roles define the seemingly contradictory responsibilities of a leader - often the greatest challenge of leadership. Being a great leader means being able to effectively balance these four roles and successfully integrate them with Leadership Character.
Different situations call for different types of leadership; therefore, the importance of each role varies by level and by organisation. Yet all four roles are essential for effective leadership at all levels. A first-line supervisor may need to place more emphasis on the Tactician role, but can not ignore the Visionary role. A chief executive officer will need to place more emphasis on the Visionary role, and less on the Contributor role, leaving most implementation issues to the executive team. However, there will still be important - and often times, critical - decisions to be made that require a CEO to draw on his or her Contributor skills. Effective leaders lead from the perspective of all four roles.
The Visionary
The Visionary guides organisational and individual growth through creation of a compelling vision. While important at all organisational levels, this visionary role assumes different forms as a leader's span of control broadens. Senior managers need to have a keen understanding of their competitive marketplace, and then use that information to craft a vision and strategy for the organisation. They also need to involve others in the refinement of that vision, and to share that vision in a way that promotes commitment to achieving it. Nevertheless, even first-line supervisors will need to translate the organisation's vision and strategy into meaningful work for his or her employees, and understand the needs of his or her internal customers.The Tactician
If the Visionary asks, "What?" the Tactician asks, "How?" In the role of Tactician, the leader assures that business results are achieved through effective management of tasks and responsibilities. The effective Tactician plans work activities that are both achievable and challenging for the employee, appropriately delegates tasks, objectives, and decisions to others, monitors and reviews performance to ensure that organisational objectives are being met, and readily supports others' performance.The Facilitator
The Facilitator creates an environment of collaboration and partnership to ensure effective working relationships - a key responsibility at every level of leadership. In the role of Facilitator, effective leaders deal with conflict, build teams, and apply communication skills to influence action and decisions. Fulfilling their role as Facilitator, the leader creates the environment where everyone feels valued and knows that they are making a contribution to the success of the organisation.The Contributor
Finally, the Contributor focuses on creating organisational success through the use of personal talents. While leaders may not typically be the doers, they are often called upon to use their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making skills. In particular, senior managers need to apply their knowledge and understanding of how decisions really get made in the organisation.Integrated Leadership: Performance with Fulfillment
Integrating the four roles - the Visionary, the Tactician, the Facilitator, and the Contributor - with the underlying foundation of Leadership Character creates the conditions necessary for achieving performance with fulfillment. Both performance and fulfillment are essential to sustained high performance - people will not achieve sustained high performance without feeling fulfilled, and people will not feel fulfilled unless they are performing at high levels.Integration of Essence and Form
Unlike the four roles of leadership, Leadership Character is equally emphasized regardless of where, or at what level, a leader works. Leadership Character may be expressed differently, depending on a leader's position, the organisation's values, and even the specific business the organisation faces. But it is not the case that Character is more critical as you move toward higher levels of leadership. This is because people need a leader who is clearly grounded in what he or she stands for as a leader - especially in times of change. With so many factors disrupting the work environment today, leaders with a well-developed sense of self can provide that beacon of stability: the consistency of purpose and values that employees need to remain focused and on task, regardless of the level in the organisation.In the end, effective leadership is about both Essence and Form - a clarity of purpose for what one wants to be as a leader, and the ability to execute the roles of the Visionary, the Tactician, the Facilitator, and the Contributor. Only through this integration of Essence and Form can a leader effectively engage others in fully committing their energy, creativity, and talents. Today's business climate requires leaders who are role models for this integration - leaders who express an excitement about the possibilities of leadership. To them, leadership is being of service to others. And despite the many challenges they face, effective leaders exude a profound energy, a contagious excitement, and an undying hope about the future that is inspiring to everyone around them.
Source:ceoonline.com
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