Leadership is complex. But Complexity Science shows us underneath complexity there is simplicity and a few simple rules (more details). So can leadership have simple rules? This site proposes a way forward. This is not to replace all the more traditional and complicated models about leadership, but to supplement and complement them. Indeed the new model has been inspired by two much older models - the Situational Leadership model and the Skill/Will model. These have helped to inspire a newly researched, improved, updated and combined approach – the Complex Adaptive Leadership model.
Leadership is often seen as something separate from management – the view below is typical:
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“Leadership”
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vs
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“Management”
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Vision
Charisma
Inspiration
Coaching
Empowerment
Strategy
Long term
Big picture
Direction
Formulation
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Budget
Phlegmatic
Perspiration
Telling
Control
Tactics
Short term
Details
Execution
Implementation
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But the one without the other is unsustainable. They need eachother. A manager who cannot achieve the leadership side will ultimately fail, as will the leader who cannot achieve the management side. So maybe it is ALL about leadership……….
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“Leadership”
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vs
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“Management”
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Vision
Charisma
Inspiration
Coaching
Empowerment
Strategy
Long term
Big picture
Direction
Formulation
|
|
Budget
Phlegmatic
Perspiration
Telling
Control
Tactics
Short term
Details
Execution
Implementation
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…………and the two sides can be re-categorised as elements needed for the people side of the equation (demanding perhaps “softer” skills and more emotional intelligence), and elements needed for the goal side of the equation (demanding more “harder” skill, more technical intelligence). Put another way – leadership is about managing the elements needed to enable people to achieve goals, and have goals achieved through people.
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LEADERSHIP
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People broad needs
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vs
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Goal broad needs
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Vision
Charisma
Inspiration
Coaching
Empowerment
Strategy
Long term
Big picture
Direction
Formulation
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|
Budget
Phlegmatic
Perspiration
Telling
Control
Tactics
Short term
Details
Execution
Implementation
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So there are two sides of the equation, people and goal. These two combine to produce four possible strategies.
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| Complex Adaptive Leadership Model |
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From a followership perspective, the follower needs to have the skill to achieve what needs to be done and the will to do so. And the four leadership strategies above can be directly linked to the four states a follower can be in below.
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| Followership perspective |
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And the simple underlying rule for individual leadership is to match the strategy to the needed skill/will of the individual being lead. This assumes that other organisational principles are in place (more details). The aim is to enable the follower to take the lead so the ultimate leader knows well how to follow and support – the point attractor of leadership is key (more details).
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We are developing an individual on-line self-assessment tool to show how adaptive, responsive and effective you are with reagrd to the principles above. If you would like to be kept informed of progress please sign our guest book before you leave in our members area.
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