BE different

Getting the most from Leadership Training

The most fruitful way of looking at leadership is to see it as a quality in the minds of the team members.

If team members feel that it is socially, psychologically or financially rewarding to accept the authority of their manager then they will do so willingly and enthusiastically. So how does this “attribution theory” impact on leadership training?

As there is no empirical evidence that there are any common traits associated with leadership, training managers in some mythical characteristics seems useless! “Attribution theory” can make leadership training much more powerful because it concentrates on the team member’s perception of their manager. Before the leader goes on any training programme the team members fill in an on-line questionnaire (see www.business-enlightenment.com) that identifies the basis of their manager’s authority: sixty types of authority broken down into 12 dimensions. How others see us is, in itself, a greater motivator to change. The “authority profile” that emerges can be modified by the manager and the team - with help from the trainer. Different teams in different companies are looking for different “rewards” so the manager aims for a profile that meets those rewards. We know that different situations create different types of leadership.

The “rewards” are not complex, they could be based on Herzberg’s motivator’s, sharing a common vision, team coaching, job security or relying on their manager as some form of expert. Meeting the needs of the team creates a situation where they will willingly and enthusiastically accept the authority of the manager.

geoff.ribbens@business-enlightenment.com