LEADERSHIP SKILLS

NIGEL H. TOMLINSON

SHEFFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

& INDUSTRY
Summer Academy 2008, Porvoo, Finland
 GETTING IT WRONG

“I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle
the matter by lunch time”
Napolean Bonaparte at breakfast with his generals
Before the Battle of Waterloo (1815)

“Good tactics can save even the worst strategy. Bad tactics will destroy even the
best strategy”
General George Patton (1942)

“I think there is a world market for about five computers”

Thomas J. Watson, Chairman of IBM (1943)

“I don’t need bodyguards”

Jimmy Hoffa, Union Boss, one month before his disappearance (1975)
 GETTING IT RIGHT
“Business as we know, is so complex and difficult, the survival of
organisations so hazardous in an environment increasingly
unpredictable, competitive and fraught with danger, that their
continued existence depends on their ability to constantly change
through effective leadership and the mobilisation of every ounce of
intelligence.”
Konosuke Matsushita
“Leadership can be defined as the will to control events, the
understanding to chart a course, and the power to get a task done,
co-operatively using the skills and abilities of other people. The
goals and requirements of strong, effective leadership will be the
same in 2,500 years as they are now.”
Sun Tzu
 Examples of Environmental Influences

Economic Factors and Capital Markets Labour Market Competition

Restructuring e.g. corporate losses e.g. drive to reduce costs, e.g. increase in
e.g. re-united Germany higher skills tendering organic and
1990s acquisitive

Labour Policy &

Economic Financial Industrial Relations Marketing
Forecasting Policy Policy

Demographics Demographic Lobbying Government

e.g. ageing The Enterprise The Enterprise e.g. national and trans-
population national budgets,
Forecasting Representation interest rates,
employment law
Environmental Environmental
Sensing R & D Sensing R & D
Policy Policy
Purchasing Policy

Socio-Cultural Technology Ecology Supplies

e.g. quality of life, e.g. reduces product e.g. environmental e.g. raw materials
health, mobility life cycle, investment laws and protection scarcity, supply and
costs increase demand
 WHAT ATTRIBUTES DOES A LEADER REQUIRE IN THE NEW
MILLENNIUM?
“It is not your aptitude, but your attitude that determines your altitude in life” Anonymous

Integrity (not necessarily honesty) Decisive

Charisma Visionary

Builds Trust Holistic

Pragmatic (but not duplicitous) Adaptable

Socially Aware Communicative

Politely Autocratic Presentation

Sense of Timing

Attributes will always be moulded and dictated by the environment

 THE 21 INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES OF A LEADER

“The quality of people and their leadership is going to make a bigger

difference than the quality of products or the quality of services”
Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Character Listening
Charisma Passion
Commitment Positive Attitude
Communication Problem Solving
Competence Relationships
Courage Responsibility
Discernment
Security
Focus
Self-Discipline
Generosity
Initiative Servanthood
Teachability
Vision
Source: John C. Maxwell
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEADERS AND MANAGERS
“Managers deal with complexities, Leaders deal with change”
Richard Branson, Virgin Group
Leaders Managers
Administer Implement
Originate Copy
Develop Maintain
Inspire Trust Control
Think long term Think short term
Ask what and why Ask how and when
Watch the horizon Watch the bottom line
Challenge status quo Accept status quo
Are their own people Are good soldiers
Do the right thing Do things right
 WHAT EXACTLY IS LEADERSHIP?
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change.
The leader adjusts the sails.” Anonymous

The Definition of Leadership: INFLUENCE

The Key To Leadership: PRIORITIES
The Most Important Ingredient of Leadership: INTEGRITY
The Ultimate Test of Leadership: CHANGE
The Quickest Way To Gain Leadership: PROBLEM-SOLVING
The Extra Plus In Leadership: ATTITUDE
Developing Your Most Appreciable Asset: PEOPLE
The Indispensable Quality of Leadership: VISION
The Price Tag of Leadership: SELF-DISCIPLINE
The Most Important Lesson of Leadership: STAFF DEVELOPMENT
 LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING
“Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand” –
Confucius
1. They do not know what they are supposed to do.
2. They do not know how to do it.
3. They do not know why they should.
4. There are obstacles beyond their control.
These are all responsibilities of leadership.
Source: Coaching for Improved Work Performance – F.F. Foumies
Great Leaders usually recognise a problem in the following sequence:
1. They sense it before they see it (intuition or “gut feeling”)
2. They begin looking for it and ask questions (inspection or curiosity)
3. They gather information (processing)
4. They share their feelings and findings to a few trusted colleagues (communicating)
5. They define the problem (writing)
6. They check their resources (evaluating)
7. They make a decision (leading)
 THE PRIORITIES OF A LEADER
“The best executive is the one who has the sense enough to
pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-
restraint enough to keep from meddling with them
while they do it”.
Theodore Roosevelt
Area Time Allotted
1. Leadership 19%
2. Communicating 38%
3. Creating 31%
4. Networking 12%
 THE FOUR PHASES OF LEADERSHIP GROWTH
“To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge
- Benjamin Disraeli
INEFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE
Unaware

I Don’t Know What I Simply Go Because of

I Don’t Know What I Know

I Know What I I Grow and Know It

Aware

Don’t Know Starts to Show

 LEADERSHIP CAN BE TAUGHT
“Being in power is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you
aren’t”. Margaret Thatcher
1. The Leading Leader:
• Is born with leadership qualities
• Has seen leadership modelled throughout life
• Has learned added leadership through training
• Has self-discipline to become a great leader.

Note: Three out of four of these qualities are acquired.

2. The Learned Leader:

• Has seen leadership modelled most of life
• Has learned leadership through training
• Has self-discipline to be a great leader

Note: All three qualities are acquired

3. The Latent Leader:
• Has just recently seen leadership modelled
• Is learning to be a leader through training.
• Has self-discipline to become a good leader

Note: All three qualities are acquired.

4. The Limited Leader:

• Has little or no exposure to leaders
• Has little or no exposure to leadership training
• Has desire to become a leader

Note: All three can be acquired.

 THE IMPORTANCE OF INFLUENCE

Positional Leaders Real Leaders

Speak first Speak later

Need the influence of the Need only their own

real leader to get things influence to get things
done done
Influence only the other Influence everyone in the
positional leaders room
Leaders who Develop
Followers
Need to be needed
Focus on weaknesses
Develop the bottom 20%
Treat their people the same
for “fairness”
Hoard power
Spend time with others
Grow by addition
Impact only people they touch Impact people far beyond
personally
Leaders who Develop
Leaders
Want to be succeeded
Focus onstrengths
Develop the top 20%
Treat their leaders as
individuals for impact
Give power away
Invest time in others
Grow by multiplication
their own reach
 LEADERS WHO DEVELOP FOLLOWERS
ADD ONE AT A TIME

LEADER

Follower
LEADERS WHO DEVELOP LEADERS
MULTIPLY THEIR GROWTH
LEADER

LEADER

Follower Leader Leader Follower

Follower Follower Follower Follower

Follower Follower
LEADERS GO THEIR OWN WAY WHEN A GROUP FIRST
COMES TOGETHER

4
10 9

7 4

2 2
7
1 3
4
SOON PEOPLE CHANGE DIRECTION TO FOLLOW THE
STRONGEST LEADERS

9
4 10

7
4
5
7
2 2

1 3
4
 PEOPLE NATURALLY ALIGN THEMSELES AND
FOLLOW LEADERS STRONGER THAN THEMSELVES

10

7 9

4 5 4 7

1 2 3 2 4
 TAKING THE ORGANISATION TO A NEW LEVEL

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

NEW GROUP
Best Leaders
MOVE IN NEW
LEADERS IN 3 Better Leaders
PHASES Good Leaders

Top Third
MOVE OUT Middle Third
ORIGINAL LEADERS
IN 3 PHASES Bottom Third

OLD GROUP
“Leadership means setting an example. When you find yourself in a
position of leadership, people follow your every move.”
Lee Iacocca

LEADER + VISION = RESULT

Don’t Buy In Don’t Buy In Get Another Leader

Don’t Buy In Buy In Get Another Leader

Buy In Don’t Buy In Get Another Leader

Buy In Buy In Get Behind the Leader

 THE RESULTS OF TIMING

ACTION

Wrong Action Right Action

Wrong Time Wrong Time
Disaster Resistance
TIMING

Wrong Action Right Action

Right Time Right Time
Mistake Success
 THE COST OF LEADERSHIP

L Responsibilities
E
A
D
E
R
S
H
I
Rights P

As you rise in leadership, responsibilities increase and rights

decrease.
 THE 21 IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF LEADERSHIP
1. The Law of The Lid
“Leadership Ability Determines A Person’s Level of Effectiveness”
2. The Law of Influence
“The True Measure of Leadership Is Influence – Nothing More, Nothing Less”
3. The Law of Process
“Leadership Develops Daily, Not In A Day”
4. The Law of Navigation
“Anyone Can Steer The Ship, But It Takes A Leader To Chart The Course”
5. The Law of E.F. Hutton
“When The Real Leader Speaks, People Listen”
6. The Law of Solid Ground
“Trust Is The Foundation of Leadership”
7. The Law of Respect
“People Naturally Follow Leaders Stronger Than Themselves”
8. The Law of Intuition
“Leaders Evaluate Everything With A Leadership Bias”
9. The Law of Magnetism
“Who You Are Is Who You Attract
10. The Law of Connection
“Leaders Touch A Heart Before They Ask For A Hand”
11. The Law of The Inner Circle
“A Leader’s Potential Is Determined By Those Closest”
12. The Law of Empowerment
“Only Secure Leaders Give Power To Others”
13. The Law of Reproduction
“It Takes A Leader To Raise Up a Leader”
14. The Law of Buy-In
“People Buy Into The Leader,Then The Vision”
15. The Law of Victory
“Leaders Find A Way For The Team To Win”
16. The Law of The Big Momentum
“Momentum Is A Best Friend”
17. The Law of Priorities
“Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment”
18. The Law of Sacrifice
“A Leader Must Give Up To Go up”

19. The Law of Timing

“When To Lead Is As Important As What To Do And Where To Go”

20. The Law of Explosive Growth

“To Add Growth, Lead Followers – To Multiply, Lead Leaders”

21. The Law of Legacy

“A Leader’s Lasting Value Is Measured By Succession”

Source: John C. Maxwell

 THE S.P.A.R.K.L.E. MODEL OF LEADERSHIP

1. Self-Discipline
A leader lives by a set of rules or principles that are appropriate. A leader
does not need external motivation to ensure performance.
2. Purpose
A leader develops intense determination to achieve vision and objectives.
This creates high morale and spirit which results in power to direct others.
3. Accomplishment
Taking effective action is the basis for successful results. The elements are
decision, determination, energy, simplicity, balance and chance.
4. Responsibility
A leader embraces the duties and obligations that grow from trust and
position. A strong leader owns up to the consequences of his/her decisions.
5. Knowledge
The foundation of successful leadership in 3 parts: Fundamental
knowledge, Strategic knowledge and Tactical knowledge.
6. Leadership
The leader understands the special nature of the social and moral contrast
between them and their constituents.
7. Example
The Leader’s actions become a model for the actions of others and set the
moral tone of leadership

Source: The Way of The Leader – Donald G. Krause.

 13 Fatal Errors Leaders make

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it”

W. C. Fields
1. Refuse to accept personal change and accountability
2. Fail to develop people
3. Try to control results instead of influencing thinking
4. Join the wrong crowd
5. Manage everyone the same way
6. Forget the importance of profit
7. Concentrate on problems rather than objectives
8. Be a buddy, not a boss
9. Fail to set standards
10. Fail to train your people
11. Condone incompetence
12. Recognise only top performers
13. Try to manipulate people
Source: W Steven Brown, President of the Fortune Group
 DO’S AND DONT’S OF LEADERSHIP

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you

help them to become what they are capable of being”.
Goethe
þ Do use all means to þ Don’t ask people to do things
communicate with your staff. that you wouldn’t do yourself.
þ Do strive to regard your þ Don’t forget that trust is a two-
associates as competent people. way process.
þ Do try to create a positive þ Don’t take sides or show any
atmosphere, free from rigidity. favouritism.
þ Don’t dissuade staff from
þ Do show your staff loyalty and
speaking out.
support
þ Don’t be vague about team
þ Do set challenging, ambitious members’ roles.
goals.
 CONCLUSION
Everything Rises And Falls On Leadership

1. Personnel determine the potential of the organisation

2. Relationships determine the morale of the organisation
3. Structure determines the size of the organisation
4. Vision determines the direction of the organisation
5. Leadership determines the success of the organisation.

“The essence of a leader’s mission is not to act in accordance with a

description of his rank, but to lead, guide, correct and encourage the human
beings he works with”
General George Patton