So many times I’ve seen this kind of approach to engaging in management development and it can be really frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand the need to trade off cash with the ideals of what we could achieve. However, if you are the kind that builds “return on investment” into their programmes as a matter of course, the issue of physical cash should become less of a problem. Here’s why.

In simple terms, if I spend 500k on a piece of kit or an asset to the business, then I’d expect a return of anywhere between 20% and 50% depending on the ability of the kit to earn or save money. If I’m really lucky it may have the ability to generate me double what I put in. So if I invest, say 2k on a person’s development, they should be able to return me maybe 2-3k worth of saving or improvement. Not wholly unreasonable is it?

Now imagine your management development programme is going to develop 130 managers and each one costs you 2k, that’s a huge 260k of investment! That’s a pretty sizable number for a training programme! So, each of your delegates has to improve an aspect of their business area to the tune of 2k and the programme will have paid for itself. In reality some people may save more and some less, but the key thing is that they are saving and improving things, whilst at the same time growing their own capability.

In a recent programme I’ve been working on, the savings from delegates ranged from 10k to 1.2million. The average was around 40k. Given that there were 130 delegates that works out somewhere around the 520k mark. In reality, taking into account actual savings, this client has saved just under 2million from the improvements delegates have made. Now our 260k programme fee doesn’t look like such a large investment!

So, coming back to my topic, many management and leadership development programmes fail because often the client predetermines the budget with no concept of the “return on investment” and often sees it as another training programme. Alternatively, the supplier fails to create a strong mechanism for producing tangible improvement or does it half-heartedly. At the end of these programmes the client is often left with the view that it was a big investment for not much gain, which if managed correctly clearly doesn’t have to be the case.

Oh and I haven’t even talked about all the other intangible improvements which offer additional benefits such as employee satisfaction, retention, sickness, internal promotions and the service your customers get. Why didn’t I mention these things earlier? Well, because this is typically the stuff that the other suppliers focus on instead of the tangible return on investment. Most of which is affected by any number of other projects, initiatives or situations that occur in everyday working.

So, when you are developing your thoughts for a leadership or management programme, understand what you expect the returns should be from the programme and then consider how much you’d be willing to invest to achieve that return. Then you hopefully have a sensible framework with which to engage a supplier.

Leadership development is one of the most popular learning and development topics within the training industry and has been for some time. Leadership development can be a hard area to address if employees recognise the need instead of the leaders themselves. After all telling a senior figure in any organisation that they need further development can be pretty career limiting.

Having said this, leadership development needs to be an ongoing exercise, as leaders play an active and vital role in any organisations’ future success. The methods and theory of leadership has evolved over the years and the number of options available to organisations is constantly increasing.

Learning and development is no longer restricted to the teacher-pupil style format and because of this, the levels of complexity when designing development programmes has also increased. The main reason for this increase in complexity is the realisation that a ‘one-size fits all’ approach does not work. The development of leaders depends greatly on our own personalities, our experiences, the client organisation, the context we are working in at the time. All of these aspects are important to integrate and deal with effectively within the development programme for it to be a success.

A good leadership development programme needs to have the right balance of leadership development sessions and supporting activities for all delegates. This gives the delegates the new knowledge they need and an environment in which to practice, which helps transfer the learning to the workplace.

Another aspect that needs consideration is which delivery option is best for your leadership development project. The style of delivery is very important as this helps to set the tone for the development programme. A leadership development programme can be delivered in many ways and some options that are available include a completely bespoke programme, designed completely around the organisations’ needs, a ready-to-run programme, an experiential event or a development award.

Over the past couple of years experiential events and development awards, like the ILM, have become popular methods for developing leaders. The reason for this growing popularity is because experiential events remove all classroom boundaries and allows the delegates’ natural leadership style to be seen and not the one they create.

A development award enables an organisation to get their leadership programme recognised by an accredited body in the field, which can add extra credibility to the programme. There is no right or wrong delivery option as all have different positive aspects.

The key to selecting the best method is by evaluating the delivery option and course content against the proposed leadership development project’s critical success factors. The key though to any leadership development should be its ability to create a new sense of purpose in the delegates that drives performance improvement that is tangible.

Trying to evaluate a person’s improvement in leadership is tough. Why, because so many other factors influence the changes.  In my experience most senior people in organisations aren’t so worried about a scientific evaluation to prove the development works. What they want is some clear indication that things are moving in the right direction and that this can be attributed to changes in leadership approach.

When designing any leadership development programme, you should always focus on what you expect the outcomes to be and identify realistic ways in which you can measure the outcomes.  An example of this would be improvements in your employee survey results for leadership perceptions or improvements in absence and labour turnover that can be linked to changes in leadership style.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of tools such as competency frameworks, psychometrics and 360 feedback for increasing self awareness.  After all, you cannot change what you do not know needs changing!

I have experienced this need in providing a range of different ways to deliver the same learning.  I had the opportunity to do some work for a friend’s client a few years back but unfortunately couldn’t fit it in around other commitments.  I had, however, spent some time with the client in order to understand their need and determine what solution would best suit the need.  The solution was largely about being able to undertake activities, self review and apply the learning in the next situation.  From my point of view the key to the success of this piece of work was not the activities or reviews, or even the application of the learning to the next activity.  It was about having the right facilitator working with the team to drive and challenge them in the right way.

I put together a programme and earmarked an individual I thought would be great in my place.  My friend decided to use somebody else, much to my protest and rationalised explanation.  My concern was that this other person (whom I knew) did not have the right style of facilitation to support the client.  Anyway, long story short, my friend used her anyway and sure enough the client’s feedback was that she wasn’t anything like as challenging as she needed to be and they got little out of the work.

One solution, but two very different styles which would produce two different sets of outcomes.  Which is right?  In reality it is often a judgement call based on experience, understanding of a client and their team and knowing your capabilities.

There are indeed lots of different ways to develop teams with different styles, from outdoor team activities to weekend retreats designed to bring people closer together.  I have seen teams likened to animal types to understand themselves better, drawing rich pictures from their lives, shouting beliefs at the top of their voices to rid themselves of their limited thinking and I’ve even seen them scared witless on the brink of a breakdown in order to better themselves.

The truth is, any one of these things could work if it is the right approach for the right team of individuals.  Invariably, the more extreme the approach the more mixed the results can be based on people’s personal preferences, phobias and levels of comfort (ah the good ole comfort zone!).

So, on to the real subject of this post, Gallup’s Q12.  If you want to develop a great team and you want something which everyone is going to be able to understand, get involved in and make it link to workplace effectiveness, you could do worse than to utilise the Gallup Q12.

Gallup have been in the survey business for many years and are pretty much the leaders at doing this sort of stuff.  My gripe for many years is that most of these employee survey tools are pretty woolly, have lots of influencing factors that limit the accuracy of the results and are hugely open to interpretation.  Therefore it’s an ok picture of the big areas to focus on, but we shouldn’t use the results as a tablet of stone.

However, Q12 survey has been researched and tested with organisations and Gallup have some pretty compelling evidence that suggests this is one survey tool to take note of.  That for me is what makes this a great tool for thinking about your own team’s development.  Gallup have made tangible links to improved financial performance for those organisations that do well in the Q12 areas.  Having now worked with a number of organisations that have or do use Q12 I believe it is a great vehicle for benchmarking your team and focusing development activity on areas that really can make a tangible difference.

So what is the Q12?

Gallup’s Q12 is a set of core statements that, if an organisation works on and does well in, will be really effective in improving performance financially. Below are the 12 statements.

• Do you know what is expected of you at work?
• Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
• At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
• In the last seven days, have your received recognition or praise for doing good work?
• Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
• Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
• At work, do your opinions seem to count?
• Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
• Are your associates (fellow employees) commited to doing quality work?
• Do you have a best friend at work?
• In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
• In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Copyright © 1993-1998 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the Q12® questions for public or commercial purposes, without the written permission of Gallup, Inc.  Gallup® and Q12® are Trademarks of Gallup, Inc.”

As an example of what Q12 claims, if we take the first statement “Do you know what is expected of you at work?”.  Gallup claim that organisations who ensure people understand not only what they are meant to be doing but also how it fits into the overall goal of the business could expect to see up to a 30% improvement in profitability.  Even if your organisation or department say profitability or effieciency savings of half that amount it’s got to be worth it, hasn’t it?

Gallup’s website has lots on information about how to use the Q12 in an organisation but it basically comes down to this.

• Be open to recieving the feedback
• Use it as a starting point to develop your understanding
• Talk about the results openly
• Engage your team in identifying the things that will improve things
• Create an action plan that dovetails into your business plans
• Remember, it’s tool for improving performance not just creating warm fluffy places to work

Alongside using Q12, you will be able to identify other tools and approaches that can help you tackle areas of concern on the Q12 results but remember to make sure not only the solution is right but that the person working with you is right for you too.

Obviously this is just a short snippet about team development and specifically how Q12 can provide a great insight to your team’s development needs.  It’s not intended to go into Q12 in detail.  If you want to know more about the tool, look at Gallup’s website, there is a whole bunch of information there.  If you want to talk to me about how I’ve used Q12 with other team’s then drop me an e-mail.

Likewise, if you have experience of using Q12, including success or pitfalls then please do post a comment for others.

The comments and questions from many of my workshop participants and coaching clients often reveal that their basic concept of leadership is about being in charge – i.e. obtaining a position of power, having the most information, and giving orders. The classic boss. From this viewpoint, effective leadership requires having the answer to any question brought to you by someone lower in the hierarchy so you can tell them the right thing to do. What leaders do is make decisions and give marching orders.

There is indeed a command-and-control aspect of leadership. However in today’s knowledge-based environment, most value is created by bringing together specialized know-how from interdependent sources. The head of almost any organization needs the knowledge of customers, matrixed team members, vendors, professionals, or other stakeholders over whom they exert little power. Executives, business owners, and team leaders find themselves needing to bring out knowledge rather than impart it.

So in a knowledge, service, and interdependent environment, if you are not actually telling people what actions to take, what is it that leaders DO to get results?

The following are seven leadership ACTIONS other than telling someone what to do:  exemplify, acknowledge, articulate, frame, follow, facilitate, and presence. (Yes, the latter is intentionally used as an active verb – see why below).

Exemplify

Do yourself what you want others to do. Walk the talk. One of the most powerful acts of leadership is setting an example. Gandhi said it best, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Acknowledge

If serving as an example is powerful, so is acknowledging others who serve as examples. In a world where we couldn’t possibly have time to attend to everything, showing interest, asking questions, giving something attention all elevate an item in importance. The act of offering recognition, public and private, formal and informal, to those who are already performing well can deeply impact future behavior of those recognized and those who witness it.

Articulate

There is tremendous force in effectively speaking on behalf of a group, to give meaningful voice to collective values, and goals. To inform others, to be able to summarize the what, why, and how of a circumstance, to describe the current path, and to invite people to a vision of the future – all are potential leadership actions of consequence.

Frame

Framing means using expressions that guide what someone is likely to think (or not think) about an issue, the way that a picture frame puts boundaries around an image. All language involves not only the direct meaning of the words used, but also a host of associations and ideas that channel our thinking in specific directions. For example, public policy makers saying they are “hard on crime” creates different ideas than if they say they are interested in “safe neighborhoods” although either could be about the role of the police department. There is a different set of thoughts that arise when an executive says “everyone here is family” rather than saying “we treat each other like customers” – although both expressions may intend to convey a positive work relationships.

Follow

Leading doesn’t happen until someone follows. Often the most significant act one can do is to follow someone else’s lead – especially if others will then follow you.

Facilitate

If knowledge-based work is about bringing together diverse know-how, dialogue is the process by which this know-how is synthesized into something of value. The ability to convene, listen to different perspectives, steer conversations so everyone can contribute, and guide people through processes for joint problem-solving and decision making are all critical to knowledge environments, especially those seeking to bring out the best talents of everyone involved.

Presence

Woody Allen once remarked that eighty percent of success is showing up. Absolutely, one has to show up to do any act of leadership. How much more powerful if one takes leadership action when fully present, ready to make a contribution with the all the personal gifts one has to offer. 

Used as a verb, to presence is taking action to be present, physically, cognitively and emotionally. One not simply participates, rather brings into existence deeper understanding, a specific emotional tone, or a spirit that is shared with others. Presencing is one of the key elements of bringing about substantive change in human endeavors, as studied by the Society for Organizational Learning over the last couple of decades.

A final word of wisdom. While all of the seven actions can be enhanced when done from a position of authority or responsibility, having a leadership title is not a requirement. Anyone can presence, exemplify, acknowledge, articulate, frame, follow, or facilitate to gain followers for a course of action.

Leading is far more than making decisions and directing others. In the 21st century leadership will increasingly focus on giving people a genuine choice about their action, while making the choice to follow compelling.

A leader is first of all a person who serves people. In order to lead, people need to know that you care about them. You show you care by excellent service to them.

A leader has a mission that matters. Leaders become impassioned by a vision of an improvement in people’s lives and that passion becomes a driving force.

A leader is a great thinker. Without big thinking, we’d have no big results — and very few small ones. It is the big thinking of leaders that moves humanity forward. They are able to see people, places and things in a bigger and better light than currently exists. They see potential. They seek opportunity. They find answers before others have asked the questions. Big, productive thinking flows from a fully functional imagination. Creative thinkers have open minds to all thoughts — they don’t judge or reject ideas prematurely or automatically. Leaders and big thinkers can literally change the world because they believe they can. That belief comes from a deep faith in themselves and others. People often don’t have that faith in themselves, so they welcome and gladly follow a leader who does have that faith and vision.

A leader has high ethics. Ethics are high standards of honest and honourable dealings based on our morals. Ethics are a set of basic working tenets for life and business. How we act and what we do, our methods of functioning, and how we apply our morals is our ethical behaviour. Ethics are APPLICATION. To live by your own ethical standards, you must first be clear what they are. Life is more fast-paced than ever before. “Winning” and getting ahead and making lots of money have become the common measures of success and, too often, that means “no matter what the cost.” Ethics are all too-often compromised on personal and professional levels.

A leader is a change Master. Communication, travel, science and technology — the reasons behind our “shrinking world” — have meant that change happens at exponential speed in our times. That means all change, positive and negative, designed and accidental. We must adapt — or become extinct. Extinction may take the form of products that are unmarketable, management styles that are ineffective, systems that are pointless, or relationships that are meaningless.

There will be times when change happens that is out of your control — maybe not even foreseen by you. There will be other times when you create change for the benefit of your vision and the people you lead. In either case, you cannot determine how other people will change or react, but you can impact their openness and receptivity. Provide new information to expand your followers’ thinking. Show them how their lives or work may become easier, more efficient, more pleasant, etc. once the change is in place. Provide new ideas to spark their creativity and broaden their horizons. Help them to imagine what things would be like with the change in place — how much better (and not so bad) than they had first thought. Create an open door by brainstorming and considering the possibilities.

Provide new experiences to build a desire for a belief in the value of change. Introduce “tests” or “examples” of what the change might mean for people to “try out.” Perhaps your situation would be appropriate for people to go see another environment with the change in place — so they can experience it for themselves.

A leader is sensitive. In any type of leadership role, you will be more effective by incorporating sensitivity to economic policy, government regulations, quality control, excellent service, trends, and so forth. Equally important is a sensitivity to the people you are leading. You can only be as effective as are the people you are leading. By supporting them on issues important to them, you are nurturing their effectiveness. Leaders who can make a difference understand that people return value when they are valued. When they see a connection between their personal goals and those of an organization, they will work very hard to further the organization’s goals. Your sensitivity to people will help you match the right person to the right job or task. It will help you take an appropriate amount of risk to set an example for others and help them gain confidence in their own actions. People become renewed and fulfilled when their leader is able to help them deliver their own best performances. Leaders today work WITH people to empower them to bring out their best abilities, whereas leaders used to do things TO people to elevate their status.

A leader is a risk taker. There wouldn’t be much point in having a mission to make a difference and all the right big ideas if we didn’t have the courage to take a few risks to make it happen. Without risk, many of the big ideas would never even be possible and results would never materialize. Quite simply, the risk is the glue between a big idea and turning it into reality. Risk means that you may suffer harm or loss as a result of taking certain actions. Sometimes that harm is serious physical danger, but more often it is a fear of failure and ridicule in the eyes of friends and associates. It’s important to have a strong belief in what you’re doing, so that the risk of criticism or ridicule don’t matter enough to hold you back.

A leader is a Decision Maker. Until decisions to take action are made, all you have is ideas and potential. At its worst, indecisiveness wastes time, effort, money, energy, and…life. Smart leaders understand that the wrong decision is better than no decision at all. And, NOT deciding actually is a decision, but for all the wrong reasons. As difficult as it may be to decide, when you determined to lead, you chose to be a decision maker. Decisions give birth to action, excitement and results. Indecision gives birth to regret.

A leader has Power. By using your power to empower others will foster confidence them. The result will be more energy and efficiency on the team. People will trust themselves when they see that you have entrusted them with power. They’ll be bigger thinkers and maybe develop into leaders themselves. You will bring out the best and the potential of people when you empower them to take action. Wise leaders who support others by sharing power find that their own personal power grows in terms of loyalty and respect.

Those who covet power and hold it close become dictatorial, authoritative, and….alienated. When power is shared, it grows; when it is guarded, it vanishes. Wise leaders also know that true power is not flaunted or forced. Effective leaders don’t intimidate or “pull rank.” Effective power is typically used quietly, through persuasion, cooperation, respect, and example. Power at its dynamic best is used when it is needed, in emergencies and crises. Its value is in creating support for people and projects, rather than tearing them down.

A leader communicates effectively. Without effective communication, you simply won’t be able to make a difference. Good communicators have two things going for them — SKILL and PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY, which takes the form of attitude and passion. Just as you don’t know what’s going on if you don’t see it first-hand, you will be totally out of touch if you don’t LISTEN to the people. Listening is the way you learn what’s going on — and how people are being affected. More often than not, when there are problems in an organization, the leader hasn’t paid attention well enough to hear about them until it’s too late. Learn the art of communication from experts.

A leader is a team builder. One of the most rewarding aspects of leadership is to contribute to and watch people grow into their own potential. As they solve problems, build skills and reach goals, you’ll realize that you’re actually making a difference with them. You’ll soon learn that most people are just waiting to be asked to help make a difference on the planet. The best way to do this together is with teams. Attract the right people and then motivate and train them and you’ll be on your way to making a big difference.

A leader is courageous. The role of leaders has become global, demanding the courage to act in the best interests of the people in our country and around the planet. Courage also inspires followers. As they see their leader go down difficult paths, face danger, make sacrifices, stand up for their beliefs, and remain true to their strengths and instincts, followers also become more courageous and strong.

A leader is committed. People who have a fear of commitment can never be a leader. A leader is committed to his followers and to show the above traits.

About the Author:
Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel’s global expertise in leadership and change helps organizations maximize human resources, solve people problems and increase bottom line results. Business savvy and people smart, she understands how to help people be their best and what it takes to make a business work. Sheila is a successful entrepreneur, best selling business author and a hall-of-fame keynote speaker.

Her newest book, A New Breed Of Leader:
8 Leadership Qualities That Matter Most In the Real World … What Works, What Doesn’t and Why, is praised for its timeliness; “… Uniquely in tune with our era of change … right book, right time.”

At a recent networking meeting, I had the opportunity to hear Pernille Spiers-Lopez speak.

Danish born, Pernille immigrated to the United States about 26 years ago as a young woman. After a few jobs that didn’t pan out for her, she found herself working in the Marketplace at Ikea, an international home furnishings retail chain originating from Sweden. Rising quickly through the company, Pernille was vaulted to become President of Ikea North America in 1997.  An innovator and change advocate, she shared that her rise to success and personal life satisfaction was tremendously aided by her commitment to her spiritual and personal growth journey.

Here are the keys to success she spoke about:

1. Know your values – what you stand for. Live your life in alignment with your values so that you are being true to who you are.

2. Grow yourself as a person; invest in yourself and your people. As a result of changes she initiated at Ikea that were employee supportive, the chain has shown increases in profits and employee retention. Personally, she credits her own consciousness journey as adding more joy and peace to her life as well as helping her to be an effective leader.

3. Be courageous. As President of Ikea, she initiated multiple company changes that dramatically increased employee retention including: addressing flexibility needs, creating a “quiet room” for nursing mothers, and substantially increasing the number of women and minorities in management She spoke quite a bit about being willing to trust herself in her choices and actions. Knowing who she is gives her courage to make the tough and easier decisions as a leader, wife and mother with compassion and strength.

4. Surround yourself with good people. In addition to building a strong workforce, she mentioned her participation in two business groups gives her additional support in being successful.

5. Embrace innovation and change. She sees possibilities and improvement in the experience of change to be inviting rather than fearing the unknown. Attitude affects how we view things – as a positive or a negative; compelling or repelling. With all of the positive innovations she has initiated at work, she commented with a small laugh that her teams have asked her not to make any more big changes this year. Her pride in what she has accomplished as a leader at Ikea was evident.

6. Be passionate. What makes you feel the most alive, calls to your heart, and brings you the most joy? She acknowledged how her passion fuels her courage and willingness to show up.

7. Take a stand for what you believe in no matter if it’s an unpopular position or meets resistance. Trust in yourself and inner knowing without wavering when you feel solidly clear about something you believe in. Hold onto that power without giving it away to others. Her passion and trust in her instincts and abilities empowers her to stand strong as a leader. She stated she is not afraid to stand up for her values and fight for what she believes is right.

8. Set personal and business boundaries. With her busy schedule, Pernille clearly states that when she’s at work, she is fully focused on the demands of her job. She works 8-5, has no Blackberry, and turns her cell phone off when she’s at home. What keeps her strong is listening to her body and her intuition while having strong work-life balance boundaries. She’s learned to separate her work and home life so that she can be fully present to what matters most in her life.

Her favorite books include:

“The Art of Possibility” – by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander  (One of my all-time favorites too!!!)

“7 Habits of Highly Effective People” – by Stephen Covey (a classic)

“The Alchemist” – by Paulo Coelho

“The Leader Within” -  by Drea Zigarmi,  Ken Blanchard,  Michael O’Connor, & Carl Edeburn

“The Dance” – by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

I found her presentation inspirational and confirming. We are the Creators of our own life; the architects of the reality we wish to create. The inner journey of personal growth is a critical component to creating a life filled with successes and failures (learning experiences) that lead to the fulfillment of deep desires, prosperity, and happiness.

Whether you run a company, lead a team, head a household, sit on a committee, or work with people to achieve a shared goal, we’re all leaders. You might be behind the scenes or highly visible in your company, your leadership contribution is critical to your organization’s success. At a minimum, you are the leader of your own life.

Passion is a great motivator and catalyst. When we align our decisions and actions with our passions, values, and soul path, our life can takes on greater meaning and joy.

Consider the following questions:

1. What are you passionate about?

2. How is your passion expressed in your life?

3. Where might you be holding back and suppressing your passion (s)? (fears, doubts, limiting beliefs)

4. What gives you courage? Recall some of the bravest things you’ve done that you’re proud of.

5. In what do you totally trust?

6. What are you gratefull for?

7. How can you use your trust courage, and gratitude to unleash your passions to be more fully expressed and live the life you are meant to live?

8. What are you ready to say YES to TODAY?

9. What actions will you commit to taking in the next 30 days? What do you need to help you succeed? (accountability partner, systems and structures, a coach, a therapist)..

The concept of the Inner Game was developed by Tim Gallwey as a way of helping people to achieve excellence in various sports, e.g. tennis, golf and skiing, and also in music. More recently he has extended his ideas into business and management training, and they are clearly also highly relevant in all learning situations. The concept is quite simple. If we consider tennis, for example, people trying to develop their skills in tennis can spend considerable time concentrating on their ‘Outer Game’, e.g. how to stand, how to hold the racket, how to serve, etc. All this effort can cause considerable anxiety and tension for the player, and as a result performance suffers. By contrast, Gallwey proposes that the secret of success lies in one’s Inner Game, i.e. one’s whole mental approach, and that by progressively refining this, one’s game will be transformed. His approach therefore rests on the close interconnectedness of the way we think and the way we act.

Key Elements of the Inner Game

If you wish to win your ‘Inner Game’ Gallwey recommends that you should:

·     develop the art of relaxed concentration

·     not try too hard

The basic theory is that our bodies can naturally achieve excellence in many things, but that when we move into ‘trying mode’ we interfere with this natural ability, and performance suffers. Instead, Gallwey recommends that we become very relaxed, let go and move into ‘awareness mode’, in which we can visualise our performance. And so instead of having a busy mind – worrying, calculating, controlling – we achieve a quiet mind – focused, aware and centred. Such a state of mind is vital when learning to juggle for example, and it has much in common with that of meditation and with the right brain consciousness that people should adopt when drawing or painting. This kind of mind state is also referred to as ‘getting in the zone’.

Some other indicators of a mind in ‘awareness mode’ are as follows:

·     A feeling of confidence and the absence of anxiety and self-doubt

·     No obsession with success and no fear of failure

·     An absence of competitiveness, the focus being on playing beautifully and excellently

·     One’s peak performance comes without effort and when not thinking about it

Spirit Consulting Group works with teams and individuals to take the concept of ‘Inner Game’ and apply it to their own performance. It has been well documented that the most effective way to learn is through practical activities which allow reflection of ‘real’ performance. The ‘Inner Game’ draws on two key aspects of performance; the ‘outer game’ and the ‘inner game’. Our outer game is largely about physical technique, equipment, subject knowledge etc. All of these things allow us to physically create a performance and to some extent can aid good performance. Our inner game however, is the thing that creates the difference between good and elite performance consistently. Often our inner game gets interfered with by the anxieties, phobias and doubts that we have in relation to carrying out something and wanting so badly to do it well.

We help you and your team to explore what those interferences are and adopt techniques that can help overcome the interferences. As your inner game becomes stronger and the interferences become smaller so your performance begins to improve. We then help you to cement that learning by building good performance habits that will create the consistency you need to be an elite performer, all of the time.

To find out more about how the ‘Inner Game’ could help you or your business team call us on 01283 535562 or e-mail us andrew.hughes@spiritconsulting.co.uk.

From strategy and selection to training and culture, organisations that take a holistic approach to growing leaders will be the most successful.

[standfirst]

“Are there any organisations that grow leaders?” they asked me.  Two main board directors of ICI were with me in my room at the University of Surrey, where I had recently become the world’s first Professor of Leadership Studies.

That year – 1981 – had not been a good year for ICI, the “bellwether of British industry” as the company was universally known (a bellwether is a ram that leads a flock with a bell around its neck). ICI, they told me, had declared no dividend that year – the first time since 1926.  Seven of their nine divisions were lossmakers.

ICI was broadly in the wrong markets – bulk chemicals as opposed to speciality ones – and its  60,000 managers and staff were infected by a backward-working and bureaucratic organisational culture.

The leadership growth imperative

“At board level, we have identified six new policies,” they continued. “Top of the list is to develop manager-leaders.  Who are the organisations – apart from the armed services, for we have looked at them – who are growing leaders?  Who do you recommend we should look at?”

I recall that silence fell as I looked thoughtfully out of the window.  About 300 organisations that year were participating in leadership training courses based on my action-centred leadership model.  But they didn’t ask me who was training leaders; they asked me who was growing leaders. “No one,” I replied. “Right,” they said, “ICI will do it. Will you help us?”

At my suggestion, ICI selected 25 young managers from all nine divisions to meet for five days.  Our task was to work out a leadership development strategy for ICI, a strategy for growing leaders.  It was the first time any organisation, public or private, had done that.

A few days earlier, the appointment of John Harvey-Jones as chairman had been announced and he joined us one evening.  He shared with us his new strategic ideas for the group, making it clear that transforming managers into business leaders was a vital part of that strategy.  Harvey-Jones added that he was going to start at the top with the main board, and he hoped that we would meet in the middle.

Business leadership and business success

Over the next five years, I worked with all nine divisions, at all levels and in every function.  At the end of the five years, ICI was the first British company in history to make a billion pounds profit in one year.  Of course, factors other than business leadership, such as favourable exchange rates, were involved in that result, but it nailed to the masthead forever the strong nexus between good leadership and business success.  The armed services were never in doubt about that link.  As the Greek poet Euripides put it, “ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head.”

In How To Grow Leaders (2005), I have summarised my experience – not just with ICI but many other public and private organisations – of what works in developing leaders.

The Seven Principles is a simple framework for you to apply in your context.  Each one is easy to state and may sound at first like mere common sense.  So they are, but common sense is seldom common practice.  The seven are complementary, and you should expect some added synergy if you apply them as a whole.  Together with the body of knowledge about leadership that has become established in the last five years – founded on the three circles model– they form the first coherent and really effective approach for growing leaders.  Can you think of a practical and well-tested alternative?

Principle one: develop a strategy for leadership development

Leadership exists on different levels.  There is the team level, where the leader is in charge of ten to 15 people.  The operational leader is responsible for a significant part of the business, such as a business unit, division or key functional department.  Invariably operational leaders have more than one team leader reporting to them.

At strategic level, the leader – often the CEO – is leading the whole organisation.  Strategic leadership – a phrase I coined in 1970 – is actually an expansion of the original, for in Greek “strategy” is made up of two words: stratos, a large body of people; and the -egy ending which means leadership. Strategy is the art of leading a large body of people.

The key to achieving sustainable business success is to have excellence in leadership at all three levels.  Strategic, operational and team leaders need to work harmoniously together as the organisation’s leadership team.

The most common and most expensive error that organisations are committing at present is to focus leadership development on their more senior managers, so that becomes their entire “strategy”.  In so doing, they completely ignore their team leaders.  Yet it is the team leader who is closest to the customer. Make sure that your strategy embraces all three levels.

There is a useful distinction to be made between strategic thinking and strategic planning.  You should see your leadership development strategy – evolved and guided by a small steering group – as part of your overall business strategy.  It should be longer term (five to ten years).  Don’t let the urgent deflect you from the important.  Lastly, a strategy should have more than one element to it.

Principle two: selection

“Smith is not a born leader yet.”  When those words appeared on a manager’s report in the fifties, nobody thought that the person in question could do anything about it – still less the organisation that employed them.  As a saying of the day had it, “leaders are born and not made”.

We don’t think like that now.  For in the sixties, a breakthrough occurred at Sandhurst which proved that the proverb was only half-true – leaders can be trained or developed.  The other half of the truth, however, is that people do vary in their relative amount of leadership potential.  Since it is not easy to develop leaders, why not hire people who are halfway – or more – there already?  Or at least make sure that when you recruit from outside, or promote from inside, you know how to select those with a high potential for growing business leaders, for it is leaders that will grow your business rather than just administering it.

There are no psychological questionnaires specifically for assessing leadership that have stood the test of time.  But there are some proven group methods that are worth having in your repertoire when selecting team leaders.  Most organisations can improve their powers of detecting leadership at more senior levels simply by becoming crystal-clear about the differences between being a leader and a manager, and most would benefit by updating their interviewing and assessment techniques.

As I said in my recent book, a person can be appointed a manager at any level, but he or she is not a leader until their appointment has been ratified in the hearts and minds of those who work with them. If too few managers in your organisation are receiving that kind of accolade, who is to blame?  Not the manager in question, I suggest, but those who failed to apply principle two when they appointed the person in question.  You cannot teach a crab to walk straight.

Principle three: training for leadership

To train implies instruction with a specific end in view; educate implies attempting to bring out latent capabilities.  Of course, there is no hard-and-fast line between training and education.  Think of it more as a spectrum of combinations between the two poles.  For brevity’s sake, I shall refer here to both as training.

As part of your strategic thinking, you should identify your business training needs in the leadership context and assign them priorities.  Bear in mind always that training of any kind is going to cost your organisation time and money.  You need courses or programmes that are both effective – they produce good leadership – and also cost-effective (in terms of time and money).  If you have large numbers (like the NHS) you need high-volume, high-quality and low-cost courses.

The first level to look at is your team leaders, alias first-line managers.  Do newly appointed team leaders have training in leadership prior to or shortly after appointment?  In my view, it is actually morally wrong to give a person a leadership role without some form of training – wrong for them and wrong for those who work with them.  We do not entrust our children to bus drivers who have no training, so why place employees under the direction of untrained leaders?

At this level, don’t try and reinvent the wheel.  We do know how to train team leaders.  Indeed my own

Adair Leadership Foundation now exists to equip trainers in companies with that knowledge.

If you outsource your in-company leadership training education to providers, make sure that you retain “ownership” and overall control, so that the programmes fit in with your strategy and organisational ethos.  Delegation never means abdication.

Public leadership programmes should be used selectively.  Their chief value is to get managers out of their corporate silos and cross-fertilising with managers from a wide variety of organisations. Recommended programmes in this context include those of the Windsor Leadership Trust, the Whitehall and Industry Group, the Campaign for Leadership and Common Purpose.

Can you save money by giving managers an individual computer-based learning programme?  No, because there are none that are quality products.  Anyway, in this field, face-to-face meeting is a necessary condition for learning.  If you can afford to develop web-based material, it should be used in support of the course or programme – the approach that is now often called “blended learning”.

Principle four: career development

People grow as leaders by the actual practice of leading.  There is no substitute for experience.  What organisations almost uniquely can do is to give people opportunities to lead.  The trick here is to give a person the right job at the right time.  It should be the kind of leadership role that is realistic but challenging for the individual concerned.  No stretch, no growth.

If your organisation is serious about applying this principle, it will, for example, have a conversation once a year with each leader or would-be leader in which it outlines the two or three options it has in store to offer the individual greater career progression.  Equally, the individual should say what they aspire to do.  They may, for example, want to move out of a specialist role to a more generalist (leadership) one.

Fitting together this jigsaw of hopes and expectations is the name of the game, and it should be a win-win one.  A strategic leader in the making – possibly as your successor – will need experience in more than one functional area of the business and, if you are an international company, in more than one country.

Principle five: line managers as leadership developers

In the midst of the Battle of El Alamein in 1942, Montgomery found time to telephone General Horrocks, one of his top operational leaders and a newly-appointed corps commander, and to give him a tutorial on leading at that level.  For Monty had observed that he had been reverting back to being a divisional general.  All good leaders are also teachers.

Developing the individual, the third circle in my model of the generic role we call leadership, may include developing the leadership of a particular individual.  That entails one-to-one meetings at regular intervals to offer constructive criticism, as well as encouragement or support.

Above team level (and some would say even at team level) all leaders are “leaders of leaders”, as was said about Alexander the Great.  Good leaders will use their one-to-one opportunities – formal or informal – to share their knowledge of leadership in a conversational but effective way.  It is, if you like, the apprentice approach to learning leadership, and its necessary condition is mutual respect.  It is that mutual trust or respect that makes us both eager to learn and ready to teach.  You need a system of setting objectives and appraising performance – part of action-centred leadership – but it won’t be complete unless it is seen as a channel for two-way learning.

Principle six: culture

Wellington and Nelson, Slim and Montgomery – yes, the armed services do grow leaders. They select and train for leadership, but their real secret is that since the 18th century they place a high value on leadership. They have a culture where it is valued at all levels. Above all, it is expected from all officers. The motto of Sandhurst expresses the ideal that is expected from every officer: Serve to Lead.

Values are the stars your organisation steers by and together they define your distinctive ethos. Make sure your culture comes to place a high value on “good leadership and leadership for good”. In the final analysis, it is culture that grows leaders, so it is vital to review it and make changes where necessary.

Corporate culture should also encourage a climate of self-development in leadership, the subject of the next chapter.  Organisations only have 50 per cent of the cards in their hands; the other 50 per cent are in the hands of the individual.  There may be no leadership courses available to you, but you can still learn leadership.  Books are the best method, together with reflection on your own experience.

Perhaps your organisation needs a motto too.  How about the motto adopted by the Chartered Institute of Management in 1948? Ducere est Servire – To Lead is To Serve.

Principle seven: the chief executive

In Effective Strategic Leadership (2003), I identified for the first time the seven generic functions of a strategic leader.  One of them is: to select and develop leaders for today and tomorrow.  In other words, as CEO, you own the problem of growing leaders.  Personnel or training specialists are there to advise and help.  They can assist you to formulate and to implement your strategy, but you are in the driving seat. If not, don’t expect any forwards movement.

Apart from taking responsibility for the strategy, you should also be leading it from the front yourself. Be known to talk about leadership on occasion – not often but sometimes and always effectively.  Visit any internal leadership courses and show your support for them.  If you care about leadership, so will the organisation.  Incidentally, it is also a chance to get your message across, as well as an opportunity to practise the skill of listening.  Organisations today need listening leaders.

There are now some good role models around, such as Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco, Dr Chai Patel of the

Priory Group, or Tim Waygood at MotivAction plc.  These three are in organisations that are very different in size.  But what they have in common is that they all care passionately about growing business leaders.

Finding greatness in people

In summary, developing future leaders is not a mystery.  We know the “laws of aerodynamics” that undergird successful and sustained leadership development.  The Seven Principles identified in this chapter are the foundations you are looking for.

Why do it?  The answer is simple.  You have great people working in your organisation.  Do they not need great leaders?  For, as John Buchan once said: “The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.”

John Adair is the world’s first Professor of Leadership Studies and a leading authority on leadership and leadership development.  He is author of over 40 books on leadership and management, translated into 26 languages and he is the founder of the Adair Leadership Foundation.   He works as adviser and consultant to both public and private organisations, and acts as a mentor to chief executives.