No leadership exists except in relation with others.

No leadership exists except in relation with others. Organisational proximity causes interpenetration, both spiritually, organically and mentally, which leads to organisational differentiation. Diffusion then results from synergy and improved communications, which leads to an accelerated counter process of ever solidarity, turning the whole organisation into a single "inter-thinking" unit. This convergence of both radial and tangential energy spirals in a collective ascent toward higher awareness. The authentic leader is the transcendent crown of organisational evolution. The Omega of this spiralling ascent is a collective, personalised, and enlightened organisation.

Leadership or management? Yes...

The word management derives from the Latin word “manus”, and refers to the hand, and in old Roman law referred to the power over other people, especially that of a man over his wife. We associate management with tasks, targets, budgets, policies, procedures and keeping things steady.

Leadership is more like the captain of a ship who sets the course. We associate leadership with vision, inspiration, potential and change.

I like to compare leadership to an orchestra conductor. Orchestra conductors have to be able to hear in their mind how they want the music to sound and then convince the orchestra to agree with, and even be inspired by, that “vision” and put their heart, soul and professional pride into making it sound that way. The leader orchestrates synergy. The flute player, alone, cannot do justice to Beethoven’s concerto for violin and orchestra in D major. In order for that, the entire orchestra needs the leadership of the conductor.

Clearly, management and leadership and management are different charisms. You can be a good manager without being a leader. You can be a leader without managing. The most successful people, though, are those authentic leaders that gird themselves with the mantle of management. The two are not mutually exclusive, but different functions, and should not be confused. Undoubtedly, both are necessary as we endeavour to chart a course through the turbulent waters of the 21st Century.

steve@zerotcd.com.au

Characteristics of a values based leadership group.

Leaders have high moral and ethical values. Leaders convey authentic interest in followers. Leaders have an inspiring vision. Genuine trust exists between leaders and the group. Followers share leader’s values and vision. Leaders and followers achieve synergistically beyond self-interest. The values based leader strives to generate opportunities for everybody to make meaningful contributions to decision-making. Innovative thinking and action is expected. Group impetus is to do the right thing. Leaders mentor, and encourage group members to do the same.

steve@zerotcd.com.au

An authentic leader appeals to the “not negotiable” or core values of the group

An authentic leader not only wields influence, but appeals to the not negotiable or core values of the follower. They inspire followers to achievement by engaging shared values and by fulfilling the higher order needs of the group. An authentic leader rises above the ordinary self-interest and through hard work; the group eventually comes to share the leader’s goals and values, transcending their individual self-interest in the process.

Authentic leaders help clearly articulate a set of values for the whole organisation or team. They constantly reflect on the values to ensure they are appropriate to achieving the desired goals. They exemplify or symbolise the values with their own actions. They persuade others to relate the values to their decisions and actions. They uncompromisingly confront and manage pockets of lack of knowledge and opposition.

steve@zerotcd.com.au

Leadership of Process

Cardinally, process is about the principle of continuity - uninterrupted connection or union – within an organisation. When leaders make decisions, the impact of that decision is by and large greater than he or she is aware. If we change something less than the whole of a system, it will always impact systems outside the one we have modified. The concept of process serves a consolidative role. It helps us to see how things we manage are related, even though these things look dissimilar. With change, there is a connective unity, which underlies apparent disparity. For example, with decentralisation comes disruption and sometimes confusion; people have varying views as to its wisdom; yet, the unity is in pride of achievement, or in the willingness by the leaders to “give it a go”.

Focussing on process is focussing on the “how” things are done, not the “what” is done. Learning to acknowledge that there are interconnections between apparently disparate parts of an organisation, and learning not to prejudge outcomes, but to focus on the ebbing and flowing of connections, is process management.

Having an eye on process, and having faith in process, often produces an unpredictable extra. It is somewhat akin to synergy. Synergism, in broad terms, may be defined as two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the agents independently. The word synergy or synergism comes from two Greek words: erg meaning "to work", and syn meaning "together"; hence, synergism is a "working together".

Cultural change requires a leader to adopt a process that attempts to modify all infrastructural elements. The consequences of partial and incremental changes are generally bad, as the organisation as a dynamic whole inevitably moves out of balance, in part due to its inertia.

steve@zerotcd.com.au

Courage and the Management of Uncertainty

Authentic leaders have the unenviable task of making decisions in risk environments, and under conditions of uncertainty. Leaders must have the capacity to move ahead in spite of risks, no matter how grave. Authentic leaders must manage the risk taking, not the risk avoidance process. This requires centeredness and courage.

I am not talking here about corporate cowboys (and girls), but rather the courage to manage the process of creating, or co-creating, a new vision, new organisation, and new processes. Clearly the status quo has not the answers to 21st century progress, and so cannot remain the standard text from which we navigate out of the organisational mire that inertia and pseudo-leadership has allowed to engulf our institutions.

The major paradigm shift that is required to succeed in this century will require major change within our structures. This will require creative courage. Major change requires major creative courage. The challenge for leaders will be about professional decision-making process in the midst of organisational environments that say it cannot happen. Courage is the key.

steve@zerotcd.com.au

Leadership as a Diamond

Douglas G. Long of Sydney once likened leadership to a diamond. Just as a diamond is “...a very hard and brilliant precious stone, consisting of pure carbon crystallised in regular octahedrons [a polyhedron having eight plane faces]...and the hardest substance known”, so leadership (and effective management, for that matter) can be likened to a diamond. Hard and multi-faceted.

In his 1995 work “The Challenge of the Diamond”, Long described the eight facets of leadership, they being: Self Confidence; Values; Integrity; People; Change; Creativity; Communication; and Environment.

In his Leadership/Diamond simile, he defined leadership as: the hardest task known in the management function: the ultimate jewel and the most precious gem in the entire organisational galaxy.

As Long says, most leadership approaches are unitary...they deal with one aspect of leadership – generally that of influencing an individual or a group of individuals. By taking Long’s organic approach to leadership, the aberrations of one or more leaders can be corrected and the organisation can be better equipped to achieve its results.

steve@zerotcd.com.au