Tony Blair’s appointment as Howland Distinguished Fellow at Yale has been met with mixed responses. Some believe the former prime minister’s high-profile role is deserved while others question whether he is qualified to take on the duties of professional trainer. John Fay, CEO and founder of leadership and change management consultancy SFL, looks at Tony Blair’s latest challenge and what the future holds in store for the country’s former leader.

Tony Blair’s 10 years in power as UK prime minister was, as with any prime ministerial reign, peppered with highlights and low points. It is difficult to answer whether he was a great leader on a political level, but we can certainly assess how his influence shaped the country.

Let’s look at one of Blair’s well applauded moves during his time in power, restoring peace to Northern Ireland. It is impossible to argue this is anything but a positive result, but it also gives insight into one of Blair’s leadership weaknesses.

"Political leaders, similarly to business leaders, need to motivate their peers in order to succeed as otherwise their reputations will be tainted. Even leaders are allowed weaknesses and that is why the team around them is key."

Blair’s passion to affect change in this troubled location meant he devoted vast amounts of time and energy into this sole cause. Yes, in this instance, it had the desired result but a good leader must be able to achieve success while also being able to motivate others around them. Blair’s focus on achieving his aims often did not take this key leadership trait into account.

A good leader must also be trustworthy and this is where Tony Blair fell down in many people's estimations. His decision to lead Britain into Iraq led to worldwide protests and he later admitted the evidence about chemical and biological weapons was unfounded. This led to doubts about his honesty and authenticity, skills which are vital in great leaders. A good leader must inspire faith in their own abilities to encourage others to develop themselves, and Blair’s decision on Iraq dealt a damaging blow to his reign.

Political leaders, similarly to business leaders, need to motivate their peers in order to succeed as otherwise their reputations will be tainted. Even leaders are allowed weaknesses and that is why the team around them is key. If staff, or members of your political party, can fill skills gaps for you, you can present a more united and expert front. This can only work if people are empowered by their leader to make this possible. Blair did not have buy-in from his party collectively, and a number of painful resignations did little to boost party morale during his time in power.

Blair’s appointment as Howland Distinguished Fellow is an interesting one. He will lead a seminar at the USA's prestigious Yale University as well as taking part in a number of campus events. The university said his focus will be on examining the issues of faith and globalization, but sceptics have argued he does not possess the qualifications to fulfil this role.

Yale President Richard C Levin has lauded Blair as showing ‘outstanding leadership in these areas’ and has argued he is ‘especially qualified’ to offer his perspective. Again, there is the concern that Blair’s focus on his own self-promotion and beliefs will not make him an ideal candidate for offering training and expertise to potential leaders of the future.

He also holds the Middle East role as Quartet Representative for the USA, UN, Russia and the EU, and time capacity must be an issue worth addressing. How can he perform such a number of roles to the greatest effect? When Blair was prime minister, he was used to having a band of dedicated staff to cater to his every need but now he is not in this all-powerful position, you have to wonder how he will manage his time effectively to nurture great results. He needs to inspire belief from others in his ability to lead and lecture.

Tony Blair should concentrate on developing his skills. He needs to learn from his previous mistakes and ensure he does not make errors of judgement in his new line of work. Simple as it may seem, he needs to focus on what went wrong in his time as prime minister. He must be honest and stay true to his word at all times. A good leader will not make promises he cannot deliver.

Being a good communicator is vital, and this is something Tony Blair, as prime minister, was always respected for. He is a charismatic speaker and delivered his messaging well to audiences. In his role as a trainer to university students, he must lead by example, prioritise workloads and demonstrate how essential organisation skills are as a way of showing protégées how to get ahead in their chosen careers.

Leaving the role as the country’s main powerhouse must be daunting and it is interesting to look at the path Tony Blair is paving for himself. Financially, Blair has landed on his feet, with a car, police driver and prime-ministerial pension to rely on. This is before even considering the yearly severance package.

It will be, however, the feeling of exclusion which will prove most difficult to deal with. As prime minister, you are privy to information which will never reach the public and you are looked to as the oracle who can supply answers and make decisions on difficult issues. Having this power removed from you must be disconcerting.

Blair has carved a future career for himself but his advisory capacity may not cut the mustard in comparison to his former position as national and international decision-maker. It will take time to adjust to not being the man at the top but his subsequent appointments should ease the dent to his ego of losing ultimate power.

The step down from being prime minister is a difficult one to take, but Blair will not be far from the limelight as he continues in his international roles. His experience as a leader will stand him in good stead for facing forthcoming challenges but he must be careful to learn from his mistakes to reaffirm his reputation as a leader who can be trusted to guide others forward to a better future.

Leadership expert John Fay was awarded an MBE for his work teaching leadership, confidence and citizenship skills to young people during a 10-year period. He is the founder of SFL, a change management, leadership and development company. For more information visit www.sflworld.com

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not of TrainingZone.co.uk