This is not just leadership, it’s M&S leadership
Group HR director for Marks & Spencer, Tanith Dodge talks leadership development in testing times. Verity Gough reports. It has been a busy start for Tanith Dodge, who only took up her new position running the HR department at Marks and Spencer HQ a year ago. The last 12 months or so have witnessed the announcement of 1,200 job […]
Organisational change: Which model should I use?
All organisations must change to survive, especially in today’s uncertain economic climate. But which approach to change is best? Larry Reynolds gives us the low-down. Whether its the change equation or the change curve, Kotter’s eight steps to Nadler and Tushman’s congruence model, systems theory or appreciative enquiry, there’s a bewildering panoply of orgnaisational change models to choose from. […]
Aim for the moon
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Famous words that perfectly sum up the ambition, triumph and optimism of the first moon landing. Stephen Walker looks back at those days to see what modern leaders can learn from the audacious challenge the US set for itself in the race for the moon. […]
Motivation training: Am I bovvered?
With employee satisfaction levels dropping faster than the interest rate, Stephanie Sparrow looks at the surge in popularity of motivation training. Has the UK workforce got an attitude problem? Surely not, when there are numerous reports of employees taking pay cuts and working shorter weeks in order to keep their companies afloat. Nevertheless, recent research […]
Caption competition
“I realise I have to keep my hands off the girls but supergluing them together is not an option! Congratulations to SteveRobson whose witty one-liner has scooped him a rather nice bottle of wine! In order to enter our caption competitions you now need to sign in to become a registered member of either LeadershipZone […]
Leadership and the importance of talent management
Despite the economic conditions, investment in skills must not stop. And, as Ruth Spellman of the Chartered Management Institute explains, how employers choose to develop their talent now will be crucial to recovery. As one news story announces that confidence levels are on the up and we may be on the road to recovery, another pours […]
Leadership in crisis
Leadership is critical for determining outcomes in any situation – but what is distinctive about the leadership that is required in a crisis? Professor Ivan Robertson puts his case forward. The recent example of the public losing their trust in our politicians and in our political system as a whole as a result of the […]
Book review: ‘Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty…’
‘Title: Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty: The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times’Author: Ram CharanPublisher: McGraw Hill Whilst the sub title of ‘Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty’ reads ‘The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times’, it is more a narrative by the author Ram […]
Women in the lead
Kylie Bains looks at the leadership skills required in today’s workplace and asks whether the style of female leaders makes them better suited to leading through crisis? What are the differences between male and female leadership styles? The debate about which sex is better suited to leading has existed for a very long time. But […]
Video: Leadership is not a popularity contest
Effective and decisive leadership will mean making unpopular decisions at times, explains Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman of Orange, UK, so don’t confuse popularity with making the right choices. People will respect you for it in the end. Sanjiv Ahuja is the founder and chairman of Augere, a new venture aiming to provide broadband access for all. […]
Can David Cameron be a leader?
What defines a leader, especially in politics? Leadership guru Paul Bridle outlines what characteristics the public will be looking for in the next election. People look for a strong sense of purpose or direction, a consistent set of values, the ability to relate to people, a willingness to surround themselves with good people and a […]
Managers miss out on government funded training
Senior managers in UK businesses are missing out on training funded by the government because they wrongly think it’s only for “lower level staff”, according to a management development specialist. But actually the Train to Gain scheme is open to senior staff as well, with grants available of up to £1,000 per person. It was […]
The 21st Century leader
If you want to be a successful corporate leader what abilities will you need over the next decade or so? Andrew Leigh looks at the skills tomorrow’s leaders need. There are many contenders, ranging from handling complexity to the skill of inspiring others, from business acumen through to managing risk. No single ability is likely […]
Free team-building resources
On the look out for great training freebies? Cheryl Taylor has trawled the net for us and hauled in a huge range of free training materials! Here’s her updated guide to free team-building exercises. About.com Education This site provides a Top 10 Icebreakers for Adults. Don’t like Silly Games for Adults? There are other choices, […]
The most popular Trainer’s Tips ever! Team communication exercise
Joanna Howard submitted this fun exercise, which helps open up discussion about team communication. I’ve used this with surprising effectiveness: my colleagues have had the same experience. The debriefing often shows amazing insights about work style and communication. You need to have the people in a circle and up to eight soft juggling balls. 1. […]
Jump before being pushed
For most leaders there comes a time when it is time to move on, often for a new challenge, a change of direction or even retirement. But what happens when the reason is all-together less positive? Stephen Walker looks at what happens when a leader loses their authority. Sooner or later it comes to us […]
Authentic leadership
How is the health of leadership research? What is the prognosis for independent trainers and coaches? Few are better equipped to provide a diagnosis than professor Dame Sandra Dawson. In this exclusive interview, Mike Levy asks her about authentic leadership, the skills to make leaders ‘great’, and the future for leadership development. Dame Sandra Dawson, […]
Review: Sustainable Leadership diagnostic tool
Graham O’Connell reviews a new diagnostic tool called Sustainable Leadership, which allows you to self assess your social responsibility levels. Title: Sustainable leadership Questionnaire Author: Roy Howells Publisher: Management Learning Resources Price: £5.25 (A facilitator guide is also available at £22.50) Reviewer: Graham O’Connell Campaigner Jonathan Porritt recently wrote about the ‘Perfect Storm’ of environmental and economic […]
Transformative leadership critical to success
A new report published this week has revealed that transformative and collaborative leadership is critical to creating the conditions for innovation. The Leading Innovation report produced by the Whitehall Innovation Hub suggests that civil service leaders need to create opportunities for policy-makers to reconnect to the front-line and that this transformation involves government officials having […]
Review: The Successful Manager’s Handbook
John Pope reviews The Successful Managers’ Handbook – and wishes he had had a book like this when he first started as a junior manager. Title: The Successful Manager’s Handbook Author: Moi Ali and 12 other writers, with an introduction by Robert Heller Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd. 2002 and brought up-to-date March 2009. Price: […]