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1. Module 7
Leadership Skills in the Global Context
PRESENTER

2. The evolution of Leadership
Theories
 Leadership is about change
management.
 Leaders are expected to know how to
tackle successfully complex problems.
 Theories in the field evolved from a
focus on the individual to a focus on the
process and the team.
 Leadership = authority + dynamism

3. Trait Theory
 Trait Theory: ties leadership to specific
traits in individuals. This included likability,
good decision-making skills, integrity and
so forth.
 However, we quickly noted that no single
trait or combination of traits ensures the
emergence of a leader.

4. Behavioral Theory
 Behavioral Theory: looks at how leaders behave.
 In the 1930s leadership styles were noted as
 Autocratic (do not involve the team)
 Laissez-Faire (allow the team to operate
autonomously)
 Democratic (solicit input from the team)
 However, these style are going to be needed in
different situation and a leader is likely to use them
all.

5. Contingency theory
 Contingency theory: this theory argues
that the circumstances would dictate the
leadership approach.
 These theories look at external factors as
constraints on decision-making paths and
attempt to forecast the way in which
leaders should operate to optimize results.

6. Power and Influence Theories
 Power and Influence Theories: here we
look at what instruments leaders use in
terms of power and authority to get things
done.
 Only after these theories look at how
various types of power (personal and
positional for example) influence
leadership styles.

7. Transformational Leadership
 Transformational Leadership is about a
leader who operates as a ‘facilitator of
visions,’ who can:
 Define a vision
 Inspire others to work towards that vision
 Build and coach the team that is necessary to
deliver the vision
 Manage the work that is necessary to the
success of the vision

8. Innovation and Leadership
 We said that leadership is about
change and its management.
 Innovation is – by definition – change.
 Therefore, when we speak of
innovation we always find ourselves
speaking directly or indirectly of
leadership.

9. 9
Public Sector Leadership
Let’s look at:
• What is leadership?
• Management vs. Leadership
• Leadership styles
• Collaborative approaches to leadership
• Leadership through dialogue
• Leadership in the OPS
Exercise – Jot down the names of two individuals
you consider as leaders

10. Who comes to mind as great leaders?
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11. What do we mean by leadership?
 Person?
 Position?
 Process?
 Performance?
 Projection?
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12. What do we mean by leadership?
Leadership – not solely about people in
particular positions or their qualities but about
the ability to bring attention, resources and
efforts towards particular goals, values and
outcomes.
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13. What counts as successful leadership?
 Public Sector leadership can be controversial and
contested, and with (at any point) the full glare of
publicity
 Multiple and complex goals – and many “wicked”
problems
 Is successful leadership where goals have been
met? Where public value has been created?
 Who decides on what is success? Over what
time-frame?
 Attributions can vary!
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14. “When I’m looking for leadership,
I look upwards and wait”
A shift in concept
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“When I’m looking for leadership,
the first place I look, is in the mirror”
Analysis that
stands the
test of time }>>> develop leadership at all levels of an organization, not just at the top
>>> lever the team, not just the person; and the power of purpose

15. Management vs. Leadership
“Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things
(Warren Bennis and Peter Drucker)
 Management seeks stability & predictability (order)
 Management is the ability to organize resources and coordinate
the execution of tasks necessary to reach a goal in a timely and
cost effective manner
 Leadership seeks improvement thru change
(disorder)
 Leadership is the ability to develop a vision that motivates others
to move with a passion toward a common goal
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16. Leadership is more than Managership … “Underperforming organizations
are usually over-managed and under led.”
Warren Bennis, President, University of Cincinnati
“So much of what we call
management consists of making it
difficult for people to do work.”
PETER DRUCKER, Management guru.
ManagementLeadership
LeadershipManagement
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17. Environmental Scan - a shifting world …
 Globalization and new global competitiveness
 New technologies and information as the new currency
 Families and communities under stress
 High unemployment and under-employment
 Ageing population and demographic shifts
 Climate change and increased environmental awareness
 Loss of trust in professions, politicians and institutions
 Public sector is experiencing increased pressures and
complexity (cost containment; client satisfaction, innovation)
 Increased focus on governance, accountability and leadership
within the public sector
WHAT IS IMPACTING YOU?
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18. The leadership challenge
The crucial distinction between ‘tame’ and ‘wicked’ problems:
 Tame problems – complicated but resolvable; likely to have
occurred before; agreed approaches to address. Leadership
role is to provide processes and resources to solve the problem
 Wicked problems – complex, interconnected with other
problems; lack of agreement over problem or how to tackle it.
Leadership role is to ask the right questions and get the right
stakeholders involved.
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19. Types of Leadership Style
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20. Types of Leadership Style
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Autocratic: Leader makes decisions; high degree of dependency on leader;
can create de-motivation and alienation of staff; valuable in some types of
business where decisions need to be made quickly
Democratic: Encourages decision making from different perspectives –
leadership may be emphasised throughout the organisation; consultation
before decisions are taken; leader takes decision and seeks to persuade
others
Laissez-Faire: ‘Let it be’ –leadership responsibilities are shared by all; useful
in businesses where creative ideas are important; can be highly
motivational; coordination and decision making time-consuming and lacking
overall direction; Relies on good team work and interpersonal relations
Paternalistic: Leader acts as a ‘father/mother figure’; leader makes decision
but may consult; believes in the need to support staff

21. Factors Affecting Leadership Style
May be dependent on various factors:
 Risk - decision making and change initiatives based on
degree of risk involved
 Type of work – service or product driven?
 How important change is – change for change’s sake?
 Organisational culture – may be long embedded and
difficult to change
 Nature of the task – needing cooperation? Direction?
Structure?
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22. The Collaborative Leader
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An approach that has worked well in the public sector
• Limited emphasis on hierarchy – leader makes decisions when necessary
• Work in a team setting - everyone’s contributions considered equal and
respected (experience and expertise cumulative)
• Power is distributed because people need it to accomplish a purpose
• Power/authority is not meant to make someone greater
“There is no place in collaborative leadership for dictatorial power.
You are trying to guide, and facilitate, and nurture rather than
demand, and tell, and order.”

23. The Collaborative Leader
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Challenges:
• Time consuming
• Demanding
• Exhausting
• Frustrating when decisions drag out
• Messy
• Challenging when value sets do not align
Advantages:
• More robust decisions; better buy-in; greater motivation; more
advocates; shared ownership; enthusiasm; faster implementation
• Deeper relationships; mutual learning; excitement, happiness
• Stronger organization, more innovation, creativity, stronger culture,
resiliency, capacity to deal with increasing levels of complexity

24. Becoming a more effective leader
 Leader’s primary tools to influence others is authority and communications
 Dialogue can enhance and overcome authority
 Dialogue needs to be sincere and requires practice
 Need to be as open and honest as possible (let others know when you
might use your authority)
 Help others to understand the system and the role that you play
 Use networking to enhance your ability to support the team and your
collective work (not your own career development)
 Try to understand and appreciate the perspectives of others from their
vantage point (staff, clients, stakeholders, industry, politicians, senior
executives)
 Look to bring something new to the table
 Recognize the distinction between your leadership and your own expertise
 Be courteous and respectful
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25. Leadership Style
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