The definition of “leadership” has changed more in the past five years than in any previously studied time period. And why does a mere definition matter? Because there appears to be a direct correlation between how an organization thinks about “leadership” and well it performs in markets or achieves mission objectives.
According to research just published by the Institute for Corporate Productivity, the degree to how broadly an organization thinks about leadership connects to how well they perform.
Companies who think of leadership hierarchically perform less well in their specific market compared to competitors who embrace a “flatter” hierarchical structure in which impact and influence trump rank, title or appointed status. The implications of this research pose an interesting problem for leadersseeking to up their game.
There are resources to assist in learning about project management, or strategic execution, or finance or even supply chain integration, but impact? How does someone learn to have impact and what exactly is it? “Impact” is significant, the ability of a person to positively exert their influence on others or on a situation. At the core of impact is that most fleeting of all leadership attributes: character.
Character isn’t what we DO, it’s how we BE and what we have learned working with leaders around the world is that being is a practice, developed over time and with attention, rather than a skill. Based on trends in executive and leadership development, how leaders learn and what they focus on to increase their impact is becoming as important a curriculum topic as more traditional skills-based topics.
This “traits-based” leadership development approach works well, especially in “flat” organizations and thedynamic, fast-paced, global business realitiesof business today. Having a talent for partnership, inspiring followership, and collaboration is the new normal and a leader who has character much more readily applies to these three traits. Said another way, knowledge, skills, experience and education are entry points for middle and senior leaders, but impact keeps them there.
Jim Morris is a principal with Moementum, Inc., working with leaders and organizations locally, nationally, and globally to solve big problems.
www.moementum.com/Moementum is pleased to partner with Central Oregon Community College is launching a local, cost-effective program specifically designed to increase leader impact.
For more information call Nancy Jumper at 541-383-7273 or register on line at www.cocc.edu/continuinged/advleadership/
