London, dean of school of business: leadership can measure

To put in to the time standing in the right place this "good luck", and successful leadership to distinguish, just as we need to put in the wrong time standing in the wrong position "bad luck", and failure to distinguish the leadership.

Evan Andrew lake mann (Andrew Likierman)

Julius Caesar · (Julius Caesar) is a successful leader? Genghis khan? Simone polly anwar (Simon Bolivar)? Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon Bonaparte)? The answer is obvious-each of them the illustrious meritorious military service. Although napoleon was eventually defeated, but can say he is a failure? After all, defeat before in Waterloo, he played so much of the battle, and he in politics and the law for comprehensive reform France nearly 200 years of management system to lay the solid foundation.

Then look to politicians. You think of Bill Clinton (Bill Clinton) is a successful leader? George Bush, George w. Bush)? Tony Blair (Tony Blair)? Vladimir Putin (Vladimir Putin?) ? This is a more controversial topic. Some people in the heart may early controversial, and some people might say, now judges are premature. The history of the bush and Blair to judge may be in the next 20 years in Iraq depends on the situation.

Finally turned to look in the business world. Business leaders success or not, usually to wait until after death can be fatal, despite a few exceptions, such as Bill Gates (Bill Gates), the southwest airlines of the Herb keller Hector (Herb Kelleher) and Jack Welch (Jack Welch). The conditions used in Henry Ford (Henry Ford) and Alfred Sloan (Alfred p. Sloan) body, nature is a problem. But for now the CEO, it is equipped stores, the fight is not yet over will jump to conclusions especially dangerous-bear stearns and north stone bank in the face before the credit crisis, has been highly successful leaders to receive admiration.

How to test the success of the leadership degree? Lists a bunch of successful leaders have characteristics is not enough. Must understand what measure success leadership will meet, and how to overcome them.

Prepare step 1:

The measure of agreement

Whether do you also like Warren this nice (Warren Bennis) that it is very difficult to define leadership, but when you face a good leader and to recognize when? If so, your trouble is, when talking about what is successful leadership, the definition of success for leadership between different into the danger of misunderstanding.

The danger is there, all kinds of leadership definition on the proof of that. Senior reporter, the management in one hundred, "the author of Stewart g reina (Stuart Crainer) summarized nine kinds of important leadership theory: the great man theory, characteristics, power and influence the theory, the theory of socialist theory behavior, contingency situation theory, theory and transaction of leadership theory, attribution theory and transformational leadership theory. And London business school professor Rob · GeFei (Rob Goffee) and Gareth Jones (Gareth Jones) is always emphasize authenticity and skills; The inheritance forever "author, management experts Jim Collins (Jim Collins) think modesty is very important; Harvard business school Abraham · lai pierced this Nick (Abraham Zaleznik) pay attention to individual character characteristic; "The team to create" author, leading to learn authority John Lord Adair (John Adair) claims value teamwork and meet the individual needs; American political leadership studies, a pioneer of the American government and political "author James MacGregor Burns · (James MacGregor Burns) focusing on the change of the charismatic leader force; And the father of the leading change John Scott (John Kotter) are looking to establish direction, solidarity leader employees, inspire and motivate the ability of his employees.

Therefore, to agree on the definition of the leadership, is the important measure success leaders beginning, because it avoids problems that may occur in the future. But this is just the start and is not the end. To be leaders doesn't mean that have success, is like sitting in the driver's does not mean that has become a good driver.

Prepare step 2:

Focus on results and not investment

The mere possession of strategy, operation skills or personal characteristics (driving force, inspiring force, open-minded, etc), does not mean that the success of the leadership. Leaders may have all the skills and qualities, but still can't succeed. Success is the result of emphasized, not characteristics. If the shareholders think you are will be the company to a wrong direction, so even if you because they have the extraordinary leadership, is of no significance. The high turnover on the proof CEO people will success and related results, not leadership style or characteristics. British airways CEO Bob Irene (Bob Ayling) and British veteran pesticides manufacturers of Rentokil CEO Clive Thompson (Clive Thompson) is two vivid CEO, before be regarded as a model managers, but with no can bring to the company good performance and was arrested.

Prepare step 3:

Ensure that data are reliable

The use of measure success leadership how data reliability, is one of the major performance measure the actual problem. Suppose you want to himself and other leaders for comparison, other leaders especially rivals may not disclose so much information, especially some they make the disclosure but not the success of plan. Therefore, to get sufficient, about the other leaders data very difficult. In this situation, can only be based on the available information for evaluation.

The leader is not always the best judge their achievements. Many leaders are better for mistakes and find reasons to admit defeat, so the leaders of self evaluation are usually can't do believe.

For external people concerned, the integrity of the data and the meaning of more sensitive. Stalin language take sarcastically said: "the key is not who's vote count, but who in the calculation of votes." Leaders often to data collection and to present the way has a strong influence. Only in a crisis situation, people will go to strict review report the correctness of the situation. Just like enron Jeff Skilling (Jeff Skilling) or control the largest dairy manufacturer of one of parmalat group's Mr Tanzi (Tanzi) family, any claims of success, if can't get independent verification of verification, all need to be taken seriously and not take it for granted.

Sure the preparation of the steps after the measure success leadership would be easier.

The first step: set framework

Target to reach an agreement to define leadership made once, it must establish more precise targets. Is to realize the organization transformation, still want to let a operation good organization improve lean degrees, diligence, degrees and development speed? Use jargon, is implementing transformational leadership, transactional leadership or? Is to make the team construction, or training future leader? In order to implement the acquisition, merger is, or to ensure survival?

In the larger organization, set the goal should be part of the annual assessment process content. In a small organization, this process may not be so formal, but clear goal is still very important. If possible, to implement for the written text. For those who are looking for the organization of the leader for executives, set a goal is also important, only control targets to calm the selected want personnel type.

For those who committed to purchase or diversification strategy of transformational leader, it is not difficult to measure performance. However, for the transaction type a leader's job is difficult to track results, such as higher operation efficiency, higher morale, or more effective talent management plan. For external personnel concerned, measure these is brutally hard. For example, CaiChe (Dieter Zetsche) in Daimler and Chrysler after failed to merge to companies back to operation orbit. In these events, it's not difficult to that these leaders success of leadership.

But to assess "invisible champions" leadership, is difficult. The enterprise leader little-known, not only for the company and is not a listed company, and because its leaders are often transactional leader, for the enterprise did not unremitting efforts made known to the public, so not as famous for enterprise to bring the ceos of the change that is easy to measure. According to the measure of the leader transactional goals, from identifiable secondary missions this Angle to set to reach target tracking necessary leadership elements.

Find the appropriate to compare object successful leaders is relative, and must start from control goals. The target must be predetermined (later again determine a goal absolutely can't accept), with the passage of time in response to environmental changes may need to change, not necessarily all goals are to reach. However, the leader of the target set by a degree will judge its success is one of the key elements. John Brown (John Brown) through a series of giant acquisition, let the British oil into the world. Also because of this, that he was convicted for the early twenty-first century a successful leaders.

However, only achieving the goals and not enough. Goal setting in what level depends on the comprehensive function of many factors. Sometimes, people tend to take aim too little low, so easy to achieve. Therefore, must also controls a related the comparison group. A company's share price may be falling, but if other companies do not break as fierce (some of these companies and even on the brink of bankruptcy), it is likely that the company's leadership is very successful.

To grasp the opportunity to assess in addition to control target and contrast at the same level of related groups, still can DuiZhaoBen can be agreed to judge the results of leadership, including whether catch or gave up the chance. Good management and outstanding leader of a difference lies in that the former pay more attention to the existing plan and goal, and the latter is not only pay attention to the current plan, also on additional opportunity to grasp. These opportunities do not easily measured, miss chance to want a very long period of time will clearly revealed. Arnold temperature stoke (Arnold Weinstock) in a general electric (UK) during the company CEO, has been known as the great industry leaders. But hindsight, he was obviously in the last few years missed several important opportunity.

To grasp the opportunity, only implement internal comparison is useless. Needs in the same field in the industry or in the same comparison, through the judgement to examine, others are how to seize the opportunity to send the door, or why not take a chance. YaoMa · AoLiLa (Jorma Ollila,) is an example. He led the nokia of Finland a domestic company from small development become Ericsson and MOTOROLA such industry giants of the long-term competition. Retail myth, the ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad (Ingvar Kamprad) is a classic example.

The second step: with judgment to be interpreted

However, with the goal of setting, colleagues and the opportunity to measure leadership, it is difficult to obtain the result of the be clear at a glance. For example, several big Banks around the world or public institutions in different regulatory environment. Engineering and pharmaceutical giant in many different types of market operation, provide portfolio of products are also different. Therefore, to determine who is the banking industry or any other industry success leader, always need to rely on judgment.

Another obstacle is the key element of a judge leadership lags. When a leader who was viewed as a successful step down, people will be congratulated him on his achievements, says he never is irreplaceable. However, after a few weeks, they will often appear suspect and the voice of the question. The acquisition of a really so successful? We really need to enter the market? And so on. The reason that has this kind of situation, part of the reason is because people get used to the new leadership; However, be investigated for the deeper reason we will find, and it is usually the leadership and in (even in its before taking office) of the actions of the lag of the effect.

For example, in the economic crisis, the victim of the enterprise is a lagging effect the country. Their problem, at bottom, its is years ago decided to venture of financial instruments with decision making.

Facing a lagging effect, the leader can rarely retreats, even management godfather jack Welch also can't miss. In his departure, general electric shares of the poor performance make its increasingly criticized. Because people think, the company should be in a better state continue to grow. To measure the success of the organization leader degree, how to deal with a lagging effect is perhaps the most difficult challenge all a. So, to today's CEO jump evaluation is dangerous, to measure its success in degrees, must will be a lagging effect as a problem to look at.

Finally, we have to put in to the time standing in the right place this "good luck", and successful leadership to distinguish, just as we need to put in the wrong time standing in the wrong place, and failure to distinguish the leadership. Maxim have cloud: "a rising tide lifts all boats." In real estate, successful leaders should not only experience real estate prices rose all of the period, the more need to withstand the regular appearances of periodic recession test. The problem is, the success of an enterprise can produce a kind of halo effect, evaluation will need to ensure that when the enterprise's success and leadership role to distinguish.

Third step: try to meet the needs of the different stakeholders

You probably don't want to just let you people described as a successful leaders. When you know that a CEO is depends on the exploitation of child labor in Bangladesh just earned a profit more, also can't again concurs says he be a great leader. There's no need to let every stakeholders of the definition of successful leadership agreed, even explicitly set goals for the meaning of success everyone will not. Armor made excess profit, could mean that b labor surplus. Or rather, this may mean that all other people excessive carbon emissions.

So, different stakeholders views may be oil and water don't mix, like some union or environmentalists point of view and some of the management measures irreconcilable. If this is so, in the measure of leadership, we have to admit that the diversity of views. In the public opinion survey, Richard Branson (Richard Branson) is seen as a highly successful leaders, and Tom Bruce bowen (Tom Bower 's) to the writing of Branson but think he without very biography builds. This biography belongs to a kind of external review, we can think it without prejudice, has the independence, can also think that it is a kind of let a person can't bear malicious slander. But, unless, virgin group collapse, otherwise people is not possible for branson leadership of reaching agreement.

To obtain success of leadership

Successful leadership does not mean leaders to do something, or they are what identity, not only look at their leadership organization made what achievements (this may be many other factors). As mentioned above, the successful leadership is representative of, the comparison predefined target, the comparison industry peers and opportunity way, eventually succeed at results.

Also must keep in mind that leadership is not only connected with high-level organization. Although we illustrative examples are well-known CEO, but all levels of leadership measure is also very important. To want to measure their success degree leader, the following a few to vital:

Should ensure you set your goals (from the point of view of the results and investment), so others-especially to evaluate your performance in the future--clearly what's your goal.

A find relevant to compare object.

A aware of opportunity (caught and miss) is how to handle.

A reading information, admitted that measure success leadership the existing problems, and take steps to ease. If you are a transactional leader, make sure you set the target can be defined. If the lagging effect exists, that establish several milestone.

A must realize that the outcome depends on how to judge; If you don't trust yourself judge, let a person have independence to help you judge.

In the measure of the leadership or colleagues, what really matters is not finally come to the conclusion, must be set a goal, but in looking for comparative objects, realize the importance of the opportunities these process the benefits, but to find the vocal friends (this is your gold mine). For external people speaking, it is to build a vague impression into full information based on the judgment. Successful leadership is a kind of elusive character, and fine add measure.