Understanding the role of a leader in:
- setting out a clear, meaningful and believed-in purpose; and
- providing the necessary environment in which people can develop, learn and improve for the good of themselves and the organisation.
Determining what a desirable leader looks like, and how to identify and develop people into such leaders.
| Post Title: | Summary ‘teaser’: | Month Published: |
| Two parallel tracks | Alfie Kohn on changing the status quo: The move to systems thinking will take time. We must work together over the long term to help affect change, and in the short term try to minimise the harm of the current. | Dec 2014 |
| Stating the obvious! | A Change in thinking is required: It is really easy for a leader to say what they would like the result to look like. However, an organisation will not move towards this ideal without changing its thinking. | Dec 2014 |
| Which pill is it? | Awesome quotes from ‘The Matrix’: It is your choice regarding looking for a better way. You can ignore the evidence and attempt to retain the status quo…or begin a journey of discovery and enlightenment. | Dec 2014 |
| I’m right behind you… | Deming on ‘Leadership cannot be delegated’: A leader should not lead ‘from the front’ (telling you what to do) or ‘from behind’ (merely providing support). They should be ‘alongside you’ throughout the journey. | Feb 2015 |
| Educator, not Guru | Russell Ackoff quote: Be wary of each supposed new management cult. | Mar 2015 |
| People are people, so why should it be? | Everyone of us is different: The aim should be to get the best out of each of us, not pit us against each other. | Mar 2015 |
| Confusion over two words | Management and Leadership are not the same thing: people either follow, or they don’t. | Mar 2015 |
| The answer always seems to be… | Empowerment is a pre-occupation of ‘command and control’ managers. Try leadership instead. | May 2015 |
| Chalk and Cheese | A comparison of two approaches: Beware setting up a ‘corporate team’ to implement change. It cannot be delegated by leadership, to be done by others. | Jun 2015 |
| People and relationships | Being an ‘Adult’, with Berne, Hertzberg and Kohn: Leaders need to work hard at establishing (and maintaining) adult-adult relationships with their people. This requires the removal of management instruments that destroy this. Rewards rupture relationships. | Jul 2015 |
| Being an All Black | Steve Hansen interview: Creating the right environment allows the collective group to give their best. Motivation comes from within. The results will come. | Sep 2015 |
| Social Workers, Sociopaths and Politicians | I deserve this level of pay! A comparison of three different types of people. | Oct 2015 |
| Farmers and Facilitation | Toyota’s leadership development model: The role of a manager is to facilitate improvement through others, not to be a ‘hero’. This has major implications as to who should be promoted, why and when. | Nov 2015 |
| A Pet Hate of Mine | It’s the Annual Corporate ‘Road Show’ and the ‘main act’ is being introduced onto the stage! | Dec 2015 |
| “We have an open door policy here” | Is the Manager’s door open? Really? But in what way? How about ‘going to the gemba’ instead! | Mar 2016 |
| “So, tell me about yourself” | The interview question – “what are your greatest weaknesses”: showing the similarity with the performance review process, and what is wrong with both. | Mar 2016 |
| Pick me, pick me! | Why oh why would you get rid of great people?! An explanation and comparison of ‘strategy as fit’ and ‘strategy as stretch’. | Mar 2016 |
| Yellow Polka Dot Belts | Karen Martin quote: A short and sweet post sharing a most excellent quote about leadership instead of fancy coloured (Black, Green…) belts | May 2016 |
| ‘Catch Ball’ | Towards real collaboration: Why the HR game of ‘consultation’ is a one-way mandate masquerading as meaningful collaboration…and a look at a better way, using the concept of ‘catch ball’. | Jun 2016 |
| Don’t be an Ostrich | ‘Command and Control’ managers really don’t like being referred to as…well…’Command and Control’ managers. But what should we think, and even do, about this? | Jul 2016 |
| Are you a Lady? | Margaret Thatcher quote: Are you a ‘Leader’? Really? Who says? (The answer to this is crucial) …or have you got this confused with ‘Power’? | Sep 2016 |
| The notion of ‘Leadership’ | Elliott Jaques: An exploration of what leadership is really about | Nov 2017 |
| Gemba walking: A ‘how to’ guide | Some thoughts on how to go about performing regular and effective Gemba walks | Nov 2019 |
Squire to the Giants 