The other day I caught up with Lanning Bennett - founder of the COI Group which is a highly regarded diagnostics provider based in Sydney with international clients. Lanning provided some interesting insights into how 'Responsible' and 'Effective' leadership could be seen as contradictions - though are still measured using the same diagnostics...
Responsible and Effective Leadership
Is there a contradiction in these terms? Many would say so. Sometimes to be effective certain responsibilities may be forfeited. Responsibilities require compromises to maintain effectiveness. The balance between these two are in constant review.Lets talk about measurement – how do we know a leader is responsible. How do we know they are effective? Do the measures change depending on the circumstances – the type of leader, their role, their challenges. Of course situational leadership would say so. I would agree.However this is not to argue that different situations require different measures, simply a different balance of the same measures.Lets look at this further.Leader A is running a bank branch with an established team and a well known bank branch. What makes this leader responsible and effective? An attention to detail? Good people skills? Good infrastructure? Compliance? Yes to all of this.Leader B runs a creative team in an advertising agency. What does she need? Creativity, innovation, responsiveness? How does she balance responsibilities – to her team, client, organisation? As we all know these two situations require totally different leaders, but do they require different measurement systems, systems to asses their effectiveness?I would say no.In business we use one reporting system for all companies regardless of their size, product, market etc. Same with leadership. We measure the same things but assign them different priorities depending on the circumstances.A good leadership diagnostic will take this into account and report accordingly.
Lanning Bennett
Founder
COI Group
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