Action-Centered Leadership

1. Action-centered
LeAdership ModeL
Kurt Dan A. Abelar
BST2-1

2. Action-Centered Leadership
Model

3. John Adair
John Adair isarenowned leadership theorist.
Hedevised hisAction Centred Leadership
Model following observationsof leadersand
their followersduring the1970s. Adair
captured histheory in a3 circlediagram; in
which each of thecirclesoverlapped.

4. Action-Centered Leadership
Model
The three overlapping circles illustrate that each of the
functions are interdependent. This is because individuals make
up teams, teams/individuals complete tasks and without a task
there is no need for a team or individual. If one element is
missing or weak then the other elements will suffer. For
example if the team is weak then the task will suffer and one
weak individual can affect team performanceand subsequently
task completion.

5. Adair said that leaders should
therefore concentrate on:
TASK
Responsibilitiesto thetask include:
• Definethetask
• Identify availableresources
• Formulateaplan
• Delegateresponsibility
• Set quality standards
• Maintain control
• Keep to schedule
• Report to higher authority
• Assessprogressand adjust plansasappropriate

6. TEAM
Responsibilitiesto theteam include:
• Establish and communicateacceptableperformancestandards
• Establish and communicateacceptableethical standards
• Maintain disciplineand focus
• Proactively resolveconflicts
• Encourageteam spirit
• Motivatetheteam
• Establish leadership roleswithin theteam
• Establish and maintain effectivecommunication
Adair said that leaders should
therefore concentrate on:

7. INDIVIDUAL
Responsibilitiesto theindividual include:
• Understand individuals, their strengths, skills, personality, and needs
• Support and assist individuals
• Acknowledgeeffort and good work
• Identify individual training needs
• Encourageand develop individual creativity, freedom and authority
Adair said that leaders should
therefore concentrate on:

8. Insight
Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence.
Excellence is “being all you can be” within the bounds of doing
what is right for your organization. To reach excellence you
must first be a leader of good character. You must do
everything you are supposed to do. Organizations will not
achieve excellence by figuring out where it wants to go, then
having leaders do whatever they have to in order to get the job
done, and then hope their leaders acted with good character.
This type of thinking is backwards.

9. Insight
Pursuing excellence should not be confused with accomplishing a
job or task. When you do planning, you do it by backwards
planning. But you do not achieve excellence by backwards
planning. Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong
character who engage in the entire process of leadership. And
the first process is being a person of honorable character.

10. THE END