LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
We provide bespoke one to one or group support for leaders and managers at all stages in their
journey.
In addition to ensuring your leaders and future leaders have the appropriate leadership
competencies we will clarify the importance of a culture of continuous improvement, the ethical and moral dimensions of leadership and teach them how to recognise and respond to changes and developments in the operating environment to ensure that the organisation stays current, relevant, and forward thinking.
We would be happy to discuss your requirements and provide you with a proposal.
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Leadership
Management
‘Leaders do the right thing.’ This is a common statement, wonderful in its simplicity and the implication that leaders know what the right thing is. We can lay out the appropriate competencies and develop our leaders to understand and deliver them but what is right can be somewhat subjective, as we all have our own ideas and experiences that influence what we believe to be right.
Therefore, what is right depends upon a point of view. Leaders are not perfect, and none have the definitive answer to what is right and wrong in any and every situation.
We have our own history and when we manage people we develop our own knowledge, thoughts and feelings about them and their capabilities. However, sometimes what we believe about other people is no longer appropriate or correct because, just like the leader, the other person may have grown, developed, and changed without it being realised or acknowledged.
The same can be said about the world around us and what was thought to be right at one time, can change and develop. Leaders determine the company’s key factors such as ethics, ethos, and purpose, which can profoundly impact the organisations continued success.
How important is it then, that before developing these key determinants a leader understand the international, national, and local. Let’s consider the current importance to an organisation of environmental, social and governance factors, for example, renewables, more flexibility around working locations and managing risk factors such as the protection of customer data, rather than an emphasis solely on profitability.
Once they understand they should seek input from stakeholders to help determine whether/which factors are most relevant to their organisation and should be chosen to play a prominent part in determining their purpose. Understanding helps them to articulate the reasons for their choices, seek final buy in from stakeholders and determine their USP. It enables clarity of objectives and marketing messages, helps to attract customers, and engage high calibre staff with similar values.
Therefore, what is right depends upon a point of view and the current circumstances and although intuition may play a part in a leader’s decision making, the emphasis should be on gathering facts, rather than a reliance on feelings, as feelings are subjective, prone to bias and may not have moved with the times.
The saying "managers do things right" is associated with the idea that managers are primarily responsible for ensuring tasks and processes are executed efficiently. Whilst this perspective holds some truth, it oversimplifies the multitude of roles played by managers within organisations.
If a manager were to focus solely on "doing things right "there is the potential to divert attention from the crucial aspect of "doing the right things" Managers must not merely carry out tasks efficiently, they must also ensure they align with the organisation's goals, values, and ethical standards. Neglecting the moral dimension of managerial decisions for example in relation to environmental, social and governance can lead to short-term gains at the expense of long-term sustainability and reputation.
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Adherence to rigid processes and procedures in today's dynamic business landscape is not always appropriate as adaptability and flexibility are essential for success. Managers need to recognise and have permission to react when a process or procedure could be adapted to encourage or enable innovation and responsiveness to changing market conditions, ensuring that the organisation is not lagging behind more agile competitors.
When managers are solely focused on "doing things right" they might also overlook the importance of empowering their team members and promoting employee engagement, overshadowing the human element in management.
The idea that managers are the sole custodians of "doing things right" can reinforce a top-down hierarchical approach to management. This top-down approach may stifle open communication, hinder valuable input from frontline employees, and lead to missed opportunities for innovation and improvement.
The organisation should adopt a collaborative leadership style that encourages participation from all levels of the organisation and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
Leaders should encourage managers to adopt effective leadership skills, which goes beyond executing tasks; it involves understanding and supporting the unique strengths and weaknesses of individual team members and encouraging them to innovate. Effective leadership involves motivating and inspiring employees to contribute their best efforts, which ultimately drives organisational growth. Ignoring the human aspect can result in a lack of empathy, reduced team morale, a loss of staff /skills and reduced productivity and creativity leading to decreased overall performance.