Leadership Knowledge

Ensuring Successful Analysis, by: analysing the operating environments on a regular basis, and additionally when major changes occur; using legal and ethical means to gather information; using experienced specialists to gather and analyse the information; using an appropriate range of information gathering tools and techniques; gathering information from an appropriate range of sources; ensuring that forecasts, trends, predictions, are supported by sufficient evidence. The objective is to carry out an analysis that provides the organisation with a clear picture of the current environment in which it operates, and a forecast of impending changes. This will enable the leaders of the organisation to make changes to existing operational objectives in response to the findings on the current situation, and to longer term plans in preparation for the predicted changes. A thorough analysis should be carried out at least annually, with quarterly reviews. This will ensure that the leaders of the organisation are fully informed at all times, and are equipped with information that will enable them to respond appropriately to any changes which impact on the organisation.

Analysing The External Environment, by: identifying the components and the boundaries of the external environment in which the organisation operates; considering the current political, economic, social, technological, and environmental situation; gathering appropriate, sufficient, reliable, and valid information; identifying and evaluating trends;  evaluating the impact of current influences on the organisation; forecasting the impact of potential changes on the organisation. The objective here is to gather information which highlights or predicts changes in the world in which the organisation operates. There are many thousands of local and international influences and forces which impact on the organisation. Indicative examples include demographic changes, cultural changes, and social behaviour changes, all of which can lead to changes in customer markets and buying patterns. Another example is a potential or forecast change in a technology which could end demand for certain products or services. For almost any organisation, of any size, and in any sector, gathering and analysing this type of information is critical.

Evaluating Competitor Behaviour, by: identifying current and potential competitor organisations; gathering appropriate information on current and forecast competitor activity; evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of individual current competitors; considering the potential impact of new entrants or changes in competitor behaviour. The purpose of this is straightforward. Competitors are, by default, competing for the same customers, and if they are worthy competitors, they will be carrying out the same type of analytical activity, and responding to their findings. Competitor activity can be a vital component of the information gathered, as it indicates how similar organisations are responding to current and forecast changes.

Considering The Needs Of Stakeholders, by: identifying all stakeholders, within and outside the organisation; evaluating the importance of support from each stakeholder group; consulting with stakeholders to identify and understand their needs; explaining to stakeholders the organisation’s strategies and values; resolving conflicts and misunderstandings through discussion. The aim of this activity is to ensure that the needs of the stakeholders are known, and their views taken into consideration. Stakeholders can include operational staff, managers, trade unions, shareholders, suppliers, customers, clients, sponsors, funding organisations, partner organisations, local government departments, and local or national media. There can also be sector-specific stakeholders, such as relatives of patients, in the hospital sector, local residents affected by major construction projects, or parents of schoolchildren.

Evaluate The Internal Condition Of The Organisation, by: analysing the organisation’s current internal condition; carrying out a review of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The aim is to build a detailed picture of the current condition of the organisation, in terms of its internal health. This should be comprehensive, looking at all internal aspects of the organisation, including for example, the physical location(s) in which it operates, condition of buildings, equipment, vehicles, plant, funding, operational performance, recruitment, retention, training and development, policies, procedures, products, services and so on.

Adjusting Current Strategies, by: considering the findings of the analysis activities, and then evaluating current strategies and direction against these; consulting with specialists and key stakeholders about the proposed changes; adjusting current strategies and strategic objectives or replacing them with new ones; implementing a management system that will monitor, control, and adjust where necessary, the new strategies. The objective here is clear. To survive, the organisation must have in place appropriate strategies. Unless strategic direction, specific strategies, and their related objectives, are regularly evaluated, maintained and adjusted, the ability to compete will deteriorate and eventually the organisation will fail.

Adjusting Systems and Structures, by: evaluating the appropriateness of the current systems and structures in meeting the demands of the new strategies; consulting with all affected stakeholders on proposed changes; planning and implementing changes to operational, quality, and cultural systems, policies, procedures, and structures; implementing procedures to monitor, control, and adjust these as necessary. The purpose of this is to put in place an appropriate infrastructure that will support the new strategic and operational objectives. Unless this infrastructure is compatible with, and supports the achievement of, these objectives, the strategies will run into difficulties and almost certainly fail.

Adjusting Current Operational Objectives, by: adjusting operational objectives and activity in response to the changes in strategic direction; implementing an appropriate quality assurance management system to maintain operational quality standards; implementing procedures to monitor, control, and adjust operational activity and objectives as necessary. Operational activity must support and help achieve the strategic objectives. It is extremely damaging, if not fatal, to allow operational activity to continue unchanged, when the strategic direction and objectives of the organisation have changed.

Adjusting Personnel Capabilities, by: comparing the current and potential performance capability of key individuals and teams against the forecast performance requirements; improving personnel capability by re-training and development where appropriate; replacing individuals and teams where necessary; implementing an individual and team appraisal and development system.The aim of this activity is to ensure that, at all levels, the best possible individuals and teams are in place to support and help achieve the organisation’s goals. Without the right people the strategies will fail.

In Summary: analysing the environment in which the organisation operates is the most critically important activity that the organisation’s leaders undertake. It represents the sole purpose of the leaders, that is to ensure that the organisation is taking the most appropriate strategic direction and is equipped with the optimum resources needed to be successful in achieving its objectives. High quality information is critical to the success of the organisation, and information about the changes and challenges facing the organisation in the future is the most valuable of all.

Strong, positive teamwork is defined by a leader who has a vision and the ability to inspire his or her team to work toward the realization of that vision.

The leader is not threatened in the least by the expertise and diversity of his or her team. Rather, a good team leader engages his or her teammates in a discussion about what quality looks like, what is needed to perform and complete the job, and empowers the team members to always strive for quality improvement.

Let’s break all that down into its component parts. The first is a clearly defined leader. I believe every team must have a leader. There must be someone who is in charge and makes the ultimate decisions.

Team members may take turns being the leader as long as everyone is clear who the leader is on any given day. Another variation of that theme is to have certain people be the leader for projects that are in their area of expertise. However, in every event, there can be no question among teammates who is the leader for that day or project.

The leader needs to have a vision. This is similar to Covey’s second habit, “Begin with the end in mind.” A true leader creates the end product twice—once mentality and then in its actual form. It is impossible to lead toward a fuzzy vision. People are simply not inspired to follow uncertainty.

Having the vision is not enough to inspire teammates to strive toward the same goal. A good team leader knows how to help each teammate see how the end product or service will be useful and what, exactly, their individual contribution is toward that end.

How does the janitor contribute to fans’ enjoyment at a professional baseball game? By providing a clean, neat bathroom experience—that’s how. If the janitor sees himself as a critical cog in the big picture goal and he receives positive recognition for it, then he is more likely to perform his job with enthusiasm.

Another component of being able to inspire one’s teammates is having a clearly defined mission that everyone, preferably, has had a part in developing, but if not, then at least team members can agree to the previously established team mission.

This becomes important in times of conflict between team members. When there is a dispute to be solved, it is helpful to have an already established way to measure the solution. Solutions are always held up against the mission and whether or not it will move the team closer or further from the ultimate goal.

The other advantage of having a mission that has been agreed upon by all team members is that it can enhance cooperation. One of the most difficult things to manage on a team is an individual ego. There can be petty jealousies and a competitive spirit that can kill the cooperation of the best team. The mission statement is a way to minimize this potential for disaster.

The mission remains the focus that everything else is compared to. An individual’s action is either helpful or hurtful to the mission and dealt with accordingly. The group’s goal must always be placed above any individual’s desires or ego. Jealousy and backstabbing have no useful place on a team.

A good leader is in no way threatened by the expertise and diversity of his or her team. The best leaders are always seeking information from the front line people who are doing the actual work. Without information from team members, the leader’s hands are tied behind his or her back.

It is also critical to use team members in their areas of expertise. Leaders can’t know everything about everything. There will be team members who have skills and abilities that surpass those of the leader in certain areas. A good leader will ask for help when it is prudent.

This is also a time to value diversity. Having a team made up of people who all do the same jobs in pretty much the same way really has no value. One person could more easily do the job than assembling a homogenous team.

The value of a team comes from its heterogeneity. Getting feedback and suggestions from people who do things differently is what will spark the creativity and the genius of the team. This is what masterminding is all about. Tap into the wealth that is already there.

Finally, a good leader holds the bar high. He or she does not ask his team to be average or mediocre. Average and mediocre can be easily replaced. The leader asks his or her team to collectively do their very best and when they are done, the leader asks them to always strive for continuous improvement. The work is never done. The team should always be evaluating what has been implemented and be comfortable making suggestions for ways to do it even better.

Previously, I mentioned that a good leader empowers his or her teammates. Creating a need-satisfying environment does this. Team members must get along and know that the leader and the company have their best interests at heart. They must feel important, listened to and respected. They must have the freedom to make choices within the context of their assignments and they must have some fun in their work.

It is also critical for team members to feel safe. This means that they are not fearful in any way. The team leader is critical in fostering this environment for the empowerment of the entire team.

Support Strategic Objectives, by: identifying roles and responsibilities necessary to support strategic objectives; defining roles, responsibilities, and degrees of authority, needed by individuals and teams; designing policies and procedures for the management of delegated activities. The purpose of this is to review the distribution of roles and responsibilities at the senior level. The aim of the review is to ensure that the distribution is balanced and appropriate. This is also an opportunity to make certain that the senior, executive level management structure is appropriate for the strategic direction being taken. If mismatches are discovered at this point, then the leader(s) have an opportunity to adjust the organisational structure, at this level, to better match the demands of the strategies.

Make Decisions On Activity To Delegate, by: deciding which areas of work, routine activity, stand alone projects, absence cover, key operational decisions, emergency or business disaster events, and strategic level decisions, should have responsibility or authority delegated to specific managers. This is an essential stage, but a difficult one. It involves forecasting and scenario planning, in order to determine which activities, and in which circumstances, should responsibility and authority be given. It requires the delegating leader(s) to analyse thoroughly the planned activity and potential events, in order to identify where delegation should take place, and to whom it should be given to.

Selecting Managers And Specialists To Delegate To, by: identifying the current roles, responsibilities and authority of those individuals and teams; evaluating the skills, abilities, and development potential, of existing (senior management) individuals and teams; assessing the degree of responsibility and authority that can be given to individuals and teams; identifying coaching and-or training needs to prepare individuals and teams for delegation. Carefully profiling the existing senior management individuals is critical, because delegation will not be effective if it is given to an individual who is not capable of using the delegated powers effectively. Where gaps in capability are identified, training or coaching should be provided to fill that gap. If the corrective action needs to be long term, then the delegation should be delayed until that process is complete.

Agree Responsibilities, Levels Of Authority, And Objectives, by: identifying delegated responsibilities and levels of authority for each individual manager, specialist, and team; discussing these with the individual managers and specialists; agreeing the degree of delegation; agreeing the objectives delegated to the individual. One of the most critical stages, this is where the details of the delegated responsibility and authority are explained, discussed and agreed. It is at this point that the leader(s) should aim to gain commitment to the delegated responsibilities and authority, to targets and deadlines, both qualitative and quantitative.

Clarifying The Boundaries, by: defining the limits, the boundaries, of the delegated powers; discussing and agreeing these boundaries; agreeing action that should be taken when the boundaries are reached. This must be treated as a separate stage in the process, and applies to both the leader and the manager being given delegated powers. The leader must understand and accept that delegation does not mean abandoning responsibility. The ultimate responsibility lies with the leader, the one delegating to others. Delegated powers must be managed and supported by the leader. The individual being given delegated powers must be clear about the limits of those powers, and understand that when that boundary, that limit, is reached, they should refer back to the one who delegated to them.

Remove Or Reduce Barriers To Effective Delegation, by: identifying organisational policies, procedures, structures, practices, or cultural aspects, which work against effective delegation; discuss ways in which barriers could be weakened or removed; implement changes or adjustments to reduce or eliminate identified barriers. Most organisations have visible and hidden barriers that inhibit and hinder effective management. The role of the leader(s) is to introduce direction, strategies, structures, policies, procedures, and influences, into the organisation, so that managers and specialists can operate in a culture which encourages creativity, innovation, high quality performance, and success. In parallel with this, the leader(s) must also encourage managers and specialists to take local responsibility for activities and decision making. To do this, barriers and constraints must be reduced to a minimum, leaving an appropriate level of controls in place.

Provide Support For Delegated Activity, by: discussing and agreeing the level and nature of support needed; adopting a leadership style that provides appropriate availability, support and guidance to those with delegated responsibilities, but also allowing them the freedom to carry out the delegated powers without unnecessary interference; reviewing levels of personal support and adjusting that support appropriately; consistently behaving in a manner that inspires and motivates those who have been delegated to. There are two most common reasons for delegation to fail. One is that the analytical and decision making process was not thorough enough, leading to the degree of delegation being inappropriate. However, the other most common reason for failure is that the leader delegates and then does not provide appropriate support to the manager being delegated to. Once the leader has delegated, they must then provide an appropriate level of personal support, encouragement, and resources, to the individual. This support should include: publicising the delegated powers to relevant individuals and teams internally; informing other stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, clients, of the delegated powers; coaching, mentoring, providing training, as appropriate.

Reward Performance, by: openly praising consistently high quality operational performance and exceptional event performance; building performance on delegated powers into the organisation’s performance appraisal system. An important part of the process because delegated powers are, by default, in the highest group of demands made on the individual, and when performed well, are deserving of recognition and praise. Rewards do not have to be substantial, nor monetary in nature. Recognition and praise will be appreciated by the receiving individual and by their teams and other observers. The leader who delegated the powers must ensure that, when appropriate, high levels of performance in delegated areas, are achieved.

Monitor, Review, And Adjust, by: implementing regular reviews of the delegation process and of individual instances; reviewing the appropriateness of current and planned delegation, against the most current strategic  objectives; taking corrective action where necessary. The leader(s) delegating powers to others should implement a monitoring and review process that requires them to review the whole process, and individual performance. Individual performance should be monitored continuously, with formal review points at least quarterly. The overall process should be reviewed at least every six months, at which point the success of the process should be evaluated against the original objectives and then adjusted to take into account changes in operational activity and in strategic direction.

In Summary: Leaders must delegate, but must delegate effectively. The most successful leaders treat delegation as an essential strand of their leadership approach. Senior management structures, processes, and objectives are reviewed to ensure suitability for delegation to take place. Areas of work, activities, routine and event-specific decisions, are analysed, evaluated, and where appropriate the decision is made to delegate responsibility and authority. Delegated powers are explained, discussed, and agreed, and measurable objectives set. The leader then builds on this by adopting a consultative, supporting, coaching, role, as appropriate for each of the individuals delegated to. Individual performance on applying delegated powers is monitored and adjusted as necessary. Finally, the performance of the delegation process itself is monitored and reviewed by the leader(s) and the senior management team, to ensure that it remains compatible with the strategic direction being taken by the organisation.