The New Edge of Leadership Development
so the emphasis on the quality of a leader’s character will come back into fashion. It is not access to information, it is what you do with information that will make the difference in the future. So future leaders will need turbo-
by Lucy Ball and Eve Poole
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more quickly than it does now,
charged Google-brains, able to surf extraordinary amounts of
n this article on the future
you’ll find that what we say is rocket
data – management information,
of leadership development,
science. In fact, it probably chimes
news, trends -– and convert it to
Eve Poole and Lucy Ball ask
with your existing experience of what
practical wisdom and decisions in
“What would genuinely leading-
really does and doesn’t work. But
the blink of an eye. Given the pace
edge leadership development
we hope that this will give you the
of change, the ability to stand back
look like?” What if we designed
evidence base to back your hunches
and make simple sense of complexity
development that took into
to help you develop a really fit-for-
whilst holding one’s nerve will be
account the best predictions
purpose approach.
paramount. Like the Red Queen in Alice Through the Looking Glass,
about the future of leadership and everything we now know from neuroscience about how leaders learn? What if we ditched the dogma and started with the truth about modern leadership, and
The Future of Leadership
O
leaders will be running to stay in the same place and sprinting to lead the
ur starting point is the
field. They won’t be able to sustain
future of leadership itself.
this without an Olympic Gold ability
As the complexity theorist
to stay fit and healthy, mentally
Ralph Stacey says, ‘the future is
and physically, and extraordinary
to development? What if in just
unknowable…any widely held vision
commitment to health and wellbeing,
one article we could provide time-
of the future must therefore be a
both for themselves and for those
starved executives with all the
delusion.’ That said, we see some
around them. The ability to slow
information they needed to define
clear themes emerging. Let’s imagine
down time in the midst of an action
their approach to next generation
the world for leaders in 2030.
sequence – martial-arts film style –
about what works when it comes
might also come in handy.
leadership development? First, wisdom and resilience. While in writing this article we
By 2030, information will be
Second, charm and global presence.
have gone back to first principles
even cheaper and quicker, but
While the cult of the charismatic
as well as looking at the very
wisdom will be harder to come by.
leader may currently be out of
latest research, we don’t expect
Even experience will date much
vogue, the war for talent will mean
Drunk in charge? The Romans had a term for it: mens sana in corpore sano – a healthy mind in a healthy body. We have noticed that leaders are so busy tackling the intellectual challenges of their roles that many of them have neglected their ability to cope with the physical challenges of their roles. For example, at Ashridge we carried out a study about executive sleep habits. Given that sleep is vital not only for the physical repair of the body but also for the formation and consolidation of memory, poor sleep habits dramatically erode performance and the quality of decision-making over time. For instance, the Ashridge study found that managers spend fewer than seven hours asleep at night, and that this decreases with job seniority. This becomes an alarming statistic when you match this up with a long-day, no-lunch culture. Seventeen hours of sustained wakefulness has been shown to result in changes in behaviour equivalent to drinking two glasses of wine. In the UK such people would not be allowed to drive or operate machinery. So if you are not sleeping well, Ashridge’s sleep expert Dr Vicki Culpin has this advice for you. Try to avoid alcohol, caffeine, heavy, spicy or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime, and exercise regularly but not directly before you go to sleep. Keep your bedroom well ventilated, temperate, dark and quiet. Reserve it for sleeping, and try a light snack like a banana or warm milk before turning in. And our own favourite piece of advice about insomnia: just try to keep your eyes open. 1
that leaders in 2030 will need
all levels in an organisation or within
risk a bad happy sheet in favour of
to be highly charismatic, to
and through a system is the future.
a difficult conversation. All of this,
attract flighty global talent
The power of a single, authentic,
however, lacks teeth if there is no
of the Generation Y variety.
compelling voice with a clear
motivation to lead.
Evidence suggests that the
vision is not to be underestimated
new followers are loyal to their
but where and when that voice
personal vocation and only to
rises up is no longer a question of
2 Leadership starts with a choice
an organisation while its goals
position or grade or title. That a
The act of leading means that
align with their own. This is
positional or ‘official’ leader’s job is
the leader has already taken the
easier for leaders in values or
increasingly to facilitate leadership
initiative and stepped out, such that
mission-based organisations
at all levels is beyond doubt – agility,
there is someone to follow, going
than for those leaders who
innovation, emergent strategy all
somewhere. Sometimes, we hear
must make a profit motive
seem impossible without this. The
leaders describe this less as a choice
emotionally engaging. As more
notion that leadership development
and more as a calling or a moment of
industries migrate up the
professionals are no longer there
inspiration – the idea found me not
value curve and more work
to develop individual leaders but to
the other way round. However that
is automated, technical skills
support systems in which leadership
moment occurs, leadership starts as
will be less distinctive than
emerges is a huge shift and very
mental activity, the act of deciding to
beautiful manners and skilful
exciting.
do something, before it becomes an
conversation, at ease in a variety
interpersonal one in implementation.
of global settings and through
While leadership development
diverse media. Leaders already need to be good at reading cultures locally and globally, and adjusting their style, messages and business models to suit. As the world shrinks, so future leaders need to get extremely
The Future of Leadership development
G
has increasingly focused on the primary interpersonal skillset, the prior mental skillset has tended
iven this view of the future,
to be covered by ‘strategy’ and not
and our past experience,
much else. The future of leadership
we hold a number of tenets
suggests that a stronger link needs to
about leadership development.
be forged between business strategy
comfortable with virtual tools.
– where are we going? and personal
While regulation and legislation
mission – where am I going?
may standardise globally, local
1 Relating is still the primary skillset
operating conditions will still
You are not leading if no one is
vary enormously as communities
following you. The interpersonal
get more particular in the face of
skills that leaders need to attract
growing global homogenisation.
and retain followers and to develop
Future leaders will have to
leadership in others remains
be manifestly better global
primary. And our view of the future
citizens and at ease with 24/7
suggests that authentic charm and
transparency. Data will be better,
flexibility in interpersonal style as
so their performance will be more
well as a belief in the power and
exactly managed, communicated
potential of others are key to this.
and rewarded/punished.
We advocate live, direct and honest
Character and the virtues will be
feedback within teams as the purest
of more importance than current
route to this self-awareness. Does a
transaction-based analysis,
leader encourage, embolden, inspire
tested by the use of story on the
peers, stakeholders and followers?
international, socially networked
Let the answer to this come from the
grapevine.
horse’s mouth. The art and practice of feedback must be an essential part
Third, leadership from in
of any development intervention. In
front, behind and throughout.
a group development setting such
We agree with the growing
as a programme, every participant
consensus that the era of the
needs to be able to hold the mirror
‘great man’ leader is over and
up in a timely way to their peers, and
that leadership as a process at
facilitators must feel safe enough to
3 Leaders must be extraordinary learners Following in the footsteps of Phil Hodgson, Ralph Stacey and others, we believe that leaders can only future-proof themselves by becoming extraordinary learners. The world is changing so quickly and is so complex that only those leaders with brilliant mental agility will be able to navigate the unknown without feeling panicky or physically exhausted by constant newness. And mental agility needs to be firmly supported by emotional stability, physical stamina and the self-confidence to be resourceful in new situations. Leadership development needs to shift its focus upstream, from providing tools that may become quickly outmoded to helping leaders learn to feel confident about inventing new tools in new situations. The more we 2
teach business school style tools and
resources firmly with the learner. We
2 Going through the emotions
models, the more we communicate
love to hear how those inspirational
Most leadership development
our lack of confidence in the
leaders outside of corporations
seems to assume that leadership
ingenuity of tomorrow’s leaders and
who have never had a line manager
is a very rational activity. Learning takes placed in
perpetuate old paradigms. Gripping relevance
civilised surroundings, with the
So what do leading companies do
in a similar state of physiological
that’s gripping? High potentials at
calm when they need to access
M&G apply strategy tools to a real
their learning at work. But what
corporate issue, sponsored by the
we know is that leadership is
e can’t accurately predict
Board, so that the answers they
often stressful, and human bodies
the future of leadership
come up with really matter. New
behave differently under stress.
but we do have plenty of
Ambassadors in the UK Foreign
While the field is moving so fast
data that we can draw upon to answer
and Commonwealth Office end their
that things might have changed
the question: What are the conditions
development programme by prac-
by the time you read this, the
under which leaders best learn?
tising the introductory speech they
latest research suggests that
intend to make when they arrive at
there are stages in this process,
post. Senior Post Office executives
as the body moves from calm,
1 Gripping relevance
learn about customer service by
through challenge, to threat. In the
The first thing we need to get clear
working on the counter, supervised
challenge state the body optimises
about learning is why leaders learn.
by junior staff. Call centre managers
to meet the danger (‘good stress’),
In terms of evolutionary biology, it
at Sky learn about developing their
while in the threat state the body
is logical to assume that learning
people for better customer service
gets ready for exit (‘bad stress’),
and the memory of it enhances our
just in time to lead high energy
and cognitive functioning is
ability to survive and thrive. So it’s
events for frontline staff. PepsiCo
sacrificed in favour of resources for
also logical to suppose that we will
High Potentials events are heavily
retreat. The research suggests that
always find it easier to learn and
sponsored by and attended by the
the trigger moving a person from
remember things that we know
President and senior VPs – nothing
challenge to threat seems to be the
will be useful to us in future. In
seems more relevant to the ambi-
extent to which they feel resourced
school, we can learn lists of boring
tious leader than how they are seen
to cope. This is exciting for two
dates and formula because doing
in the eyes of the top banana. More
reasons. First, because it is crucial
so helps us to ace our exams, even
and more organisations are choos-
for our survival, our brains work
if we forget them all afterwards.
ing the critical moment of Leadership
best while we are in a challenge
As adults, and as busy leaders in
Transition to use a development
state. Second, ‘feeling resourced’
particular, it is likely that anything
intervention so that participants are
is a psychological phenomenon, so
that does not appear relevant or
highly sensitive to what they need
we might be able to fool ourselves
useful is immediately filtered out, in
to learn to be successful in their next
into feeling more resourced by
favour of things whose immediate
post. Pre-qualifying participants for a
bolstering confidence, through
application seems evident. We see
programme is useful here – no more
simulation and practice, and by
this more and more in practice,
should leaders be able to bumble
encouraging an optimistic frame.
as participants on leadership
into leadership development without
And provided we make time for
programmes challenge relevance
the fire in the belly they need to pay
recovery, we should be able to
before being willing to engage.
attention.
enter the challenge state and
Tools need to know their place as useful transitional objects, not golden bullets.
How do Leaders really learn?
W
assumption that the learner will be
This has major implications for
increasingly extend our ability to
leadership development: what
operate there over time. So we do
would a leadership development
leaders a disservice if leadership
programme look like that
development programmes stay
seemed grippingly relevant to a
or a learning and development
too calm and rational. It’s about
leader’s future flourishing? How
department, construct their own mix
‘going through the emotions’
might leadership development
of developmental experiences and
of genuine challenge in a
professionals design motivation in?
developmental relationships. If your
developmental setting, so that
We are fascinated by the notion of
leaders could learn only by choosing
leaders have the chance to develop
self-directed leadership development
who to spend their time with over the
the muscle memory they need
that puts the ownership and
next year, who would they choose?
to face real life as a leader. At 3
Ashridge, we have tried to do this by developing The Leadership
The 3Rs
the more this is reinforced, the
Experience, which takes leaders
Here are Eve’s 3Rs for adult
stronger the memory becomes. And
through a series of critical
learning: receptiveness, retention
while many of us in leadership
incidents so that when they
and retrieval. First, receptiveness.
development think that it is our
encounter them for real, they seem
We know that learning and
job to help learners by making
familiar, and the leader knows
memory are intertwined, and a
concepts easy for participants to
that they are resourced to cope
memory cannot be formed unless
grasp, we may need to be less
with them. At Ideas Unlimited our
the person involved is paying
kind in future, as the learning
programmes have included many
attention in the first place. Jet
needs to be chewed not swallowed
‘live challenges’ that ask leaders to
lag, introvert versus extravert
whole if it is to be retained. For
perform real tasks for real people,
energy, bio-rhythms, alcohol, poor
this reason dissent, argument,
with real consequences. These
sleep habits conspire to wear
questioning and struggling are
may be work based challenges
people out. Use of walk-and-talks,
positive signs. Finally, retrieval, or
such as designing and delivering
frequent breaks, water, changes
the ability for a participant to use
engagement events for staff who
in approach, use of the gym,
their learning when they need it.
are being bussed in the next day
and many other small practices
This is a mixture of skill and will. If
or community-based challenges
can help maintain wakefulness
they do not feel confident that they
such as cleaning up a flood-
so that leaders are in a position
can apply the learning skilfully,
damaged community in Prague
to learn. Next, retention. For a
they won’t risk it, so they need to
or bringing solar panels to the
memory to transfer from short to
do all of their risky practising while
Maasai.
long-term, it needs to be made
they are in a safe and supervised
meaningful. Because we already
environment with the opportunity
have established neural pathways
for feedback and repetition. Will-
in our brains, the quickest way
power is rather complex, but
3 Brain surgery
to cement a memory is to link
building in discussion about hopes,
Mark Twain said that “a habit
it to an existing one. Helping
fears, barriers and threats helps
cannot be tossed out the window; it
participants to take the time to
stiffen resolve to apply learning, as
must be coaxed down the stairs a
make connections creates the
does coaching, action-learning and
step at a time.” But we’re too busy
necessary synaptic firing, and
peer support.
to spend time changing minds in the hope that they change habits
difficult. Why? Because our brain
generated insight on the part of a
further down the line, we want to
is brilliant at “routinising” our
learner in an ‘experience and coach’
change your habits now, and your
behaviour and resists disruption to
style can cause a chemical change
mind can catch up with you later.
hard-wired behavioural habits. The
in the brain, opening up new neural
But we know from neuroscience
‘teach and persuade’ style of training,
pathways, which, if supported by
that habit change is a physiological
as any parent knows, tends to lead to
sustained attention, can eventually
process in the brain which is
resistance. On the other hand, self-
become new habits. This is not new research, but it does seem worth repeating until the organisational world finally gets it. There are two key implications for leadership development here. One is that development experiences should be absolutely that: experiences. Another is that a coaching style is most likely to be successful to support the introduction of new habits, particularly supported by a level of coaching support that helps sustain these freshly formed and tender new neural pathways back in the workplace so that they are not beaten into retreat by business as usual. 4
Aspects of an emotionally engaging development experience Innovation Something that seems new compared with previous
The perfect leadership development interventions
A
t the beginning of this piece
It seems to us that the era
we set ourselves an exam
of Executive Development is
question. We asked “What
giving way to the era of Applied
would genuinely leading-edge
Leadership Development. We favour
heightens emotional engagement
leadership development look
interventions that:
and attention.
like?” Here are our criteria for
development experiences,
worldclass design.
•
What?
•
organisation’s context
Purpose Compelling reasons to engage and join in that link organisational and personal values and goals. Setting Environments that cause the professional mask to drop away but are also closely linked to the learning objectives. Ideas Unlimited development Ideas Unlimitedhave development programmes taken place:
R Does it embolden leaders to choose leadership?
charisma’?
R Does it build learning muscles and stamina?
How?
R Is it grippingly relevant?
In art galleries and shipyards InInart galleries and nightclubs and shipyards theme parks InRound nightclubs and theme parks the campfire in the
R Does it go through the emotions
On the deck of a ship and on the beach beach In university gymnasiums and Inkids’ university gymnasiums and playgrounds kids p’laygrounds In churches and community
Incentres churches and community centres In holiday cottages, ramblers’
Inhostels holidayand cottages, retreatramblers centres hostels retreator centres On theand shopfloor in marquees. On the shopfloor or in marquees. Real Challenge Appropriately difficult and stressful challenges. Real Support Personal coaching and support on tap. Honest, Edgy Conversation Authentic, accomplished development professionals who are willing to engage in live and often difficult conversations with learners.
– is it a genuine life experience moving through appropriate phases of calm, challenge and stress?
R Is it supportive of real habit change back in the real world?
Are linked strongly to live and real work
•
Involve up close and personal coaching by psychologically
R Does it build ‘flexible
programmes have taken place
Round the campfire in the African African Bush Bush On the deck of a ship and on the
Are tailor made for an
aware professionals •
Build relational skills though practice and feedback
•
Build confidence, resourcefulness and self belief
•
Pay attention to and coach the performance of teams and systems not just individuals.
Implications of our criteria for organisations and development professionals No article can answer all questions and cover all possibilities and in many ways the hours we have spent writing, researching and talking about this subject has created more
Applied Leadership Development We are starting to design our programmes according to these
questions. Some that we are left with are as follows: •
be brave enough to start with a
criteria with some willing clients.
blank sheet of paper and design
And we are finding relationships
their leadership development
between them. Each criterion
interventions for genuine
builds on the others. Highlighting
behaviour change in their own
a leader’s choice to lead connects to their motivation both to lead and to learn. A genuine emotion-engaging
context? •
– body, mind, soul, family,
the mini physiological explosions in
values, dreams as opposed to
the brain needed to kick start habit
staying in the safer territory of
change. Direct feedback about how
skills, competencies and career
a leader relates to others in the genuine shifts in interpersonal behaviour as the impact on others is no longer ignorable.
How willing are we to address the integrated person at work
experience is more likely to lead to
moment is more likely to motivate
How many organisations will
ladders? •
How does leadership development become genuinely more boundary-less both within organisations and across
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organisations? •
•
of a programme?
How far can organisations really
•
Are leadership development
take self-directed leadership
professionals brave enough to
development?
go with their hunches, challenge
How creative can we be about
convention, and design the new
learning on real work – not
world of leadership development
just on projects half-heartedly
with gusto?
created by the CEO for the sake
We welcome your thoughts: lucy@ideasunlimited.com
World class design What
Eve Poole is an Associate of Ashridge Business School, following earlier careers with the Church of England and Deloitte Consulting. She has a BA, ! MBA and a PhD, and teaches leadership to clients in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Her passion is how leaders learn, and she was the architect of The Ashridge Leadership Experience, a brain-friendly simulation designed to accelerate the development of future leaders. Eve has written two books: Ethical Leadership (with Carla Millar), and The Church on Capitalism (both Palgrave, 2010). Eve keeps a blog at : http://evepoole.livejournal.com
How
Lucy Ball is Director at Ideas Unlimited, a Leadership and Organisation Development company which has been designing and delivering innovative and engaging development programmes for 12 years with clients such as PepsiCo, Unilever, BSkyB, Royal Bank of Scotland and Npower. Lucy’s background is in change management at Beaufort and Deloitte Consulting, after a brief dalliance with the world of industrial relations in the motor industry. She is passionate about designing development programmes that are live, emotional and engaging experiences. You can find out more at : www.ideasunlimited.com
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