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Building management capability

NZIM Management Model Key Attribute 2: Capable Leadership

2.1 Capable Leadership - Leadership Ability

Vision

This is the key attribute of Leadership. That is the ability to conceive a forward picture of where the organisation or team needs to be heading so that others understand clearly and want to commit to that direction.

Comfortable With Ambiguity

The ability to act effectively even though the situation is not perfect or conflicting.

Develop Others

The effective leader actively creates development opportunity for others and enables them to learn and take responsibility.

Strategic Thinking

Being able to see the whole picture and identify the wood for the trees.

Self Awareness

The ability to reflect on oneself and clearly see the reality of a situation leading to excellent personal learning and growth and the ability to help others to the same.

Intellectual Capability

Leadership involves complex and often ambiguous situations. The leader needs to have the intellectual ability to handle this.

2.2 Capable Leadership - Leadership Skill

Broad Management Expertise

The leader needs to have developed their “Management Capability” skills to a fairly high degree to enable them to implement the Vision.

Effective Communication

Many of the issues involved with leadership are complex and may not be easily grasped. There is a need for skilled communication to ensure the messages are easily received.

Political Astuteness

The skill of being aware of when it is appropriate or not appropriate to say something.

Experience Outside of New Zealand

Broadened horizons expose people to higher levels of challenge and hence skills development. In today’s world it is also important to understand how integrated the World has become.

Builds and Sustains Relationships

The Leader needs to identify the direction and then achieve an outcome. Building and sustaining relationships enables them to swim with the tide rather than against it.

People Management Expertise

In the end the Leader can only implement the Vision through the actions of people and hence they must understand how to motivate and engage people.

2.3 Capable Leadership - Leadership Behaviour

High Expectations of Self and Others

The Leader will tend to “pull” performance from themselves and from others by having high expectations. They can be reasonably challenging to work with.

Positively Persistent

They won’t insist they get their own way but they will keep a strong focus on the goal and keep drawing people’s attention to it firmly and consistently.

Honesty and Integrity

This behaviour is a given. However, the reason for it is that the demonstration of honesty and integrity is a key trust factor for others. People won’t buy into a Vision if they don’t trust the leaders.

Work / Life Balance

Organisations are experiencing increasing change and pressure and it is becoming more and more important for people to ensure they look after themselves so that they can sustain an effective career. The leader needs to be a role model of achieving work/life balance and this will then have a significant positive impact on the rest of the organisation.

Engenders Trust in Others

The leader empowers others by demonstrating that they trust and appreciate others. This generates confidence in the individual and gives them a sense of recognition which is highly motivating.

Credible

Leaders don’t become leaders through appointment. They have to earn the right to be a leader. By demonstrating the behaviours defined in the Model this creates the level of credibility required.