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Successful leaders know that they must get out of their comfort zone to succeed. These leaders have spent a lot of time outside their comfort zone.

Our Dire Need For A Leadership Miracle : Everyone An Amazing Leader

The year 1994 was the year of the political miracle in our country. We were the darlings and envy of the world because of our peaceful transition to a democratic dispensation, aspiring to give everyone a fair place under the sun. Our new Constitution was celebrated as the most progressive in the world, exemplary of what countries in the world should strive for. We were the rainbow nation of hope, optimism and inclusivity.

It is undeniable that good progress has been made by our country in critical areas such as the provision of basic services, welfare, representivity, and wealth redistribution. However, our political miracle is under a real threat. The miracle appears to be in tatters. Unemployment, crime, poverty, corruption, fraud and self-enrichment are on the increase; there is a significantly widening income gap; a deteriorating infrastructure; a struggling economy; ineffective and inefficient parastatals and public service; growing racial tensions; and xenophobic attacks that are ripping through the very fibre of our society. Our beautiful country with its vast potential, resources, riches and opportunities are by all accounts, and on many measures, underachieving. We are divided, fragmented, directionless and rudderless as communities and a society. In many quarters, a spirit of disillusionment, pessimism, anger, frustration, sadness, hopelessness, and despair is besetting our thinking, talking and actions.

Why the growing disbelief in our political miracle, our underachievement and our debilitating spirit? Can the above depressing trends, poor achievement and negative climate not be attributed to the depletion and erosion of leadership capital across our country, in our organisations and communities; to the steady fall in the quality and quantity of our currently available leadership capital, to too little leadership capital being nurtured and available relative to the challenges, issues and problems we face? Leadership is the essential means for actualising desirable futures for organisations, communities and society; for taking charge of one’s future and destiny by becoming proactive architects of the future one desires.

I would like to contend that as a country we are suffering from a too low level of leadership capital. We have a pressing need for a leadership miracle to restore our country’s leadership capital to the required levels. Such a miracle would not only restore and re-instate our political miracle to its former glory, but even more so, would also bring about the much needed, people, economic and socio-cultural miracles. Our leadership miracle must again give us the light for our country.

A miracle (from the French: ‘to wonder at’) is something outside of the ordinary, the extraordinary.

It is about unexpected happenings, events and achievements beyond all logical, rational expectations and predictions. It is about the simply amazing, invoking a sense of unbounded wonder. So what is this leadership miracle all about? I believe that the essence of our much needed leadership miracle is to be found in having more leaders in more places and at more times. Leaders who discover and actualise desired futures for their teams, organisations, communities and our society and, in the process, not only doing what they are supposed to do outstandingly well, but also going beyond their normal call of duty. An abundance of leaders who make the extraordinary an everyday occurrence in multiple, mind boggling, simply amazing ways in many more places.

The purpose of my article is to share some thoughts about how to boost our leadership capital significantly in order to bring about a much needed leadership miracle in our beautiful country. And, in this way make amazing things – wonders – happen to the benefit of the future of our country. So what are the ingredients and chemistry of our much needed leadership miracle?

Everyone seeing her-/himself as a leader

For our leadership capital to grow and our leadership miracle to happen, first and foremost, each and every one in our country must come to realise that she/he can and must be an excellent leader, not only within her/his formally designated sphere of influence and action, but also far beyond into the furthest reaches of our communities and society wherever there is an imperative to make a difference. Also, realising how our sphere of influence and action reach has been vastly expanded beyond our physical locality by the enabling, immense power of the social media in addressing unmet needs. One only has to think about the Arab Spring or the Hong Kong pro-democratic protests, enabled by the social media.

Each one must accept in their heart of hearts that leadership is not the responsibility of the ‘Other’. Or, the ‘delegated’ responsibility of only formally appointed leaders, in this way quietly abdicating one’s leadership responsibility by ‘outsourcing’ leadership to other persons and institutions.

Our leadership miracle requires a commitment by all of us, of becoming and being a leader. The future is too important to entrust it solely to someone else.

More than that: one should demand from everyone else also to be leaders in their respective spheres and beyond – not spectators who are watching the game from the grand stand: ‘It is not my concern and/or responsibility’. Each one is to be an active player on the field. Imagine if 80% plus of our population of about 56 million become leaders. What a powerful country we will be!

Discovering a worthy cause to pursue

Having committed oneself to being a leader, regardless of one’s formal position and status, our leadership miracle next demands that each of us has to discover and take ownership of a worthy cause. This cause can be in our immediate formally designated spheres of influence and action, but additionally a cause beyond our normal call of duty. If successfully addressed, the cause will leave behind a lasting, value-adding legacy. Put differently, the unwavering conviction to a dream that will make a real difference where it matters in our country, now and in the future. Our worthy cause must be related to an unmet need in our country.

To be a true leadership miracle, this cause must be beyond oneself, and be in service of a greater, common good. Something amazing. This may imply a high likelihood of making real and painful personal sacrifices in pursuit of the adopted cause.

This worthy cause – representing an unmet need – can be found in the ‘More’, the ‘Less’ and/or in the ‘No-thing’. The ‘More’ encompasses making the good even better. The ‘Less’ entails engaging with the displaced, downtrodden, voiceless, exploited, abused, powerless, damaged, unfulfilled, excluded, disempowered and disabled, whoever they are, to improve their lot. The ‘No-thing’, relates to discovering that which has not been imagined yet, and turning that into a reality; surfacing and realising undiscovered opportunities, needs and wants; and making the impossible possible. The intended impact of a cause, having satisfied the need it represents, would be to make things easier, better, more meaningful, more right, more caring and/or providing a greater sense of fulfilment for the parties concerned.

A cause must not only, and predominantly, be about earth-shattering, big things. No, for our leadership miracle to happen truly, it must rather be about millions of small causes pursued by a multitude of leaders at many levels and in many places, having synergistic, multiplier effects beyond our wildest dream, like the proverbial pebble (in this case, many pebbles!) thrown in the pool, causing ever widening ripples (really in our case a tsunami!). Seemingly small things can have such great impacts if done simultaneously. A case in point: a significant number of menstruating girls in township schools are absent for about a week each month from school because they are too poor to afford tampons. Or, taking ownership of the poorly maintained park in one’s neighbourhood by keeping it tidy and attractive. Or, picking up litter. As Goethe has said so aptly, and I paraphrase: by sweeping in front of your own house, you are keeping the village clean.

Yes, of course, also bigger causes perhaps closer to home, to one’s normal sphere of influence and action, e.g. Doctors without Borders; using the logistic capability of one’s organisation to transport food abundant in one area to a needy area; repairing potholes in the immediate vicinity of one’s organisation’s premises; providing skills and expertise to maintain the town’s/village’s water purification plant; or, by making the organisation’s expertise available to build skills in the communities where one’s organisation is active. Yes, turning one’s organisation into a truly triple bottom-line organisation of people, profit and planet.

One’s adopted cause must be embraced with a burning passion; be matched to one’s strengths, energy, available resources and time; fit one’s sphere of influence and action, however, be (re)defined and extended through the Internet and social media. And, though the envisioned legacy may be overwhelming in its daring at the outset, start in small achievable, humble chunks and steps, and then extend in reach and impact as more resources become available, and public support grows for the embraced cause.

Establishing an uncompromising moral base  

In finding and pursuing ones worthy cause, one has to establish a defendable, ethical base that acts as a moral compass to direct and guide one’s journey: doing the right things, for the right reasons, in the right way. Metaphorically speaking, finding one’s inner music by which to dance. Then, and then only, will our leadership miracle be infused by integrity. This would prevent one, or at least minimise the risk, of succumbing opportunistically to events, persons and circumstances. Or, being overcome by a zeitgeist prescribing a certain way of thinking and doing things: ‘This is the accepted way of doing things’; or: ‘We have always done things this way’.

Only in this way, can and must one act as the conscience of one’s team, organisation, community and society.

Moral leadership, therefore, is a non-negotiable in the pursuit of one’s cause, centring on an unmet need.

Paradoxically, one’s cause frequently is discovered in establishing one’s moral base, especially with respect to the ‘Less’ space. Some of the critical, core values making up a defensible, moral base, providing a moral compass, are justice, equality, dignity, care, security and inclusivity.

Adopting a barrier busting attitude and style

For the leadership miracle to happen, the pursuit of the worthy cause needs the adoption of a barrier busting attitude and style to infuse all of one’s thinking, decisions and actions. A true, genuine, worthy cause –  aimed at bringing about a lasting, value-adding legacy, now and going into the future – will need an attitude and style of enthusiasm, fearlessness, courage, tenacity,   unflagging commitment, pro-activity, quiet confidence, optimism, inquisitiveness, creativity, innovation, questioning and challenging the status quo, and ‘can do’.  Also an uncompromising drive to excellence: ‘Good is never good enough’. Yes, in pursuit of one’s cause, being a hustler; a rocker of the boat; a shaker of the tree; and a saboteur of the existing. But also having fun, and not taking oneself too seriously.

Why this attitude and style? Because in pursuit of a true, genuine, worthy cause, aimed at leaving behind a lasting, value-adding legacy by satisfying an unmet need, the unknown has to be discovered and explored; existing barriers have to be eliminated; current mind sets and paradigms have to be replaced by the previously unthinkable; the impossible has to be made possible; the unimaginable has to be imagined; and comfort zones have to be eroded, and even destroyed. This is why it is a leadership miracle: in its pursuit, the cause must bring about the amazing, the extraordinary.

Reaching out to, mobilising and engaging all stakeholders

If one’s cause is beyond oneself in service of a greater, common good, of necessity, it must be shared by and engage all stakeholders, whether in the crafting of the answer/solution; in its roll out; and ultimately by those who stand to benefit from the cause.

It must not be a cause for, but a cause with stakeholders.

This requires shared leadership across traditional boundaries, divisive silos and socio-cultural fault lines in order for all stakeholders to be engaged, and to be moving in the same direction. These stakeholders will have diverse needs and interests that have to be balanced in a fair and equitable manner in pursuit of the shared cause. Through the bridge building taking place, this sharing among ownership of and engagement by stakeholders will be an amazing manifestation of our leadership miracle in its own right. In this regard, social media can play a significant enabling role in extending one’s mobilisation, sharing and engagement reach.

Therefore one’s cause cannot represent a ‘Me’ agenda and language, being pursued in isolation from others. Instead, it must represent a ‘We’ agenda and language, embedded in a context made up of all stakeholders. Hence, the cause has to be inclusive and not exclusive; distributed and not elitist. Its pursuit is about all voices being heard; taking hands; making good music together; learning together; as well as shared successes and failures, joy and sadness. Stakeholder mobilisation, ownership and engagement will force leaders to be people-centric in an authentic, caring, diplomatic and graceful way. The chances of becoming an ego-centric fanatic as a leader, in the individualistic pursuit of a self-referential and -glorifying cause, would be slim.

Reaching out and engaging, furthermore, would necessitate seeing the big picture in a seamless way. Also, viewing the world as a dynamic, integrated, multi-dimensional and systemic whole in which my cause, which is now our cause and our answers/solutions to the cause, forms but a small part of the bigger whole. High stakeholder engagement would enhance the likelihood that many, if not most of the outcomes and impacts of the answers/solutions to be found and crafted, will and can be foreseen, and be dealt with pro-actively in cases where they may be unintentionally negative.

Finding and crafting future directed, imaginative answers/solutions

The worthy cause, focusing on an unfulfilled need, with its intended lasting, value-adding legacy, would necessitate future directed, imaginative answers/solutions, jointly arrived at by all stakeholders, if our leadership miracle is to happen truly and sustainably. Answers/solutions need to be morally justifiable, i.e. ethically grounded, and be richly infused by the barrier busting attitude and style described above. They have to address the true, hard reality of our country; not a make-believe reality. Hence, they have to be of substance, robust, fit-for-purpose, and not merely reflective of current fads and fashions, locally and globally.

In seeking and crafting answers/solutions, one must be careful not to be frozen and trapped in the past. Or, merely rehashing the past or extrapolating it into the future. As a leader, one aspires to realise a desired future in order to take charge of the destiny, in this case of our country. Therefore, a leader must bring the desired future, co-conceived with stakeholders, into the present by making the future the present, and the present past tense. This will demand the willingness to re-invent, re-create and experiment, because answers/solutions in all probability will need to be innovative and out-of-the-box, and therefore be unproven. This will require real-time learning, while taking actions; or turning experiences into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom, i.e. taking reflective action beyond everyday busyness. But also, co-learn and co-grow as stakeholders with respect to answers/solutions: not to have a fish for one day only but being able to fish for oneself in the future.

The answers/solutions will also have to be scalable in reach and impact to accommodate a potential snowballing growth in the magnitude of the cause, rippling across our country. Also, to be adaptable in order to accommodate possible changes in circumstances, conditions and needs.

Being a visible, inspirational role model

It is imperative for our leadership miracle to happen that in one’s role as the crusader of a worthy cause that will assure and insure a positive destiny for our country – whether in a small or a big way – one becomes the primary, living example of the change one wants to see and bring about. One’s talking and walking as a leader need to seamlessly correspond, if one is to have any legitimacy and credibility. One can only be seen and experienced as trustworthy if one’s thinking, decisions and actions are consistent with one’s moral convictions: ‘I stand here, because I cannot do otherwise’.  As has been stated above, this may require some real personal sacrifices in pursuit of the greater good, firmly grounding one’s cause.

In a humble way, one will have to create high public visibility for the worthy cause with its intended lasting, value-adding legacy, and its commensurate future directed, imaginative answers/solutions. In this way, leaders can be a catalyst and inspiration in the public domain for more persons to embrace a cause, able to change the future destiny of our country. Many dedicated, enthusiastic followers can also be created and maintained in this way.

By being a visible, inspirational role model, leaders can in word and deed prepare pro-actively the next generation of our country also to take up at an early stage in their lives a well-rounded, society- centric leadership role: ‘This is the way we do things in our country. Everyone is a leader’. In this way, our needed leadership miracle will infect like a rampant virus all of our communities and our total society into their very DNA in amazing, wonderful ways by making the extraordinary, ordinary. Why? Because everyone, young and old, will be a leader pursuing a worthy cause, aimed at leaving a lasting, value-adding legacy. The example comes to mind of a primary school kid on the East Rand that heard of the threat to our rhinos. Inquiring about what she could do to protect them, she was told that tracker dogs at R100 000 to R150 000 apiece were needed. To date, she has collected money for two dogs by making and selling sweets!

Spreading the good news, learnings and successes continuously

If our leadership miracle takes off in our country in millions of small ways, in a thousand places, on a continuous basis, by untold numbers of people from all walks of life who become awe-inspiring leaders, the good news with the associated successes has to be spread. The good news has to be in the face of everyone on an ongoing basis, locally and globally.  As is said in virtual connectivity jargon: the good news has to be anywhere, anyhow, anytime to anyone. Hence, all of our leaders have to find innovative ways to spread the good news all of the time. Only in this way will we be able to counter the growing, debilitating negativity affecting our country because the good news would be maximised and would overpower and eliminate the negativity.

The good news will bring hope, inspiration, courage, resilience, faith and care. The abundance of good news will be overwhelming, and be a miracle in and of itself.

In this way, a cumulating and exponentially multiplier, positive effect, impossible to contain, will be triggered and will blossom. A beautiful spring will come to our country. We will become known as a good news country. A country that oozes infectious hope, optimism, energy, care and social justice in equal measure for all its inhabitants, regardless of status. The ‘More’ will have become even ‘Better’; the ‘Less’, ‘Nothing’; and the ‘No-thing’, a ‘Some-thing’.  In this way, others will again learn from us. We will have re-established a firm moral base for our country. We will again stand proudly on the world stage, and be an inspiration to other countries.

Conclusion

Our country desperately needs a leadership miracle if we are to have a bright, exciting future for ourselves, and our country’s upcoming generations. This miracle is all about replenishing the leadership capital of our country. Amazing leadership is the only way in which we can actualise a desired future for our country and its people, now and going into the future.

I propose that the essence of our much needed leadership miracle is to be found in having more leaders in more places and at more times, who discover and actualise desired futures for their teams, organisations, communities and our society, not only in their immediate formally designated spheres of influence and action, but also beyond their normal call of duty – an abundance of leaders, who make the extraordinary an everyday occurrence in multiple, mind boggling, simply amazing ways in many more places.

I suggest that the ingredients and chemistry of our much needed leadership miracle are to be found in eight elements: everyone seeing her-/himself as a leader; discovering a worthy cause to pursue; establishing an uncompromising moral base; adopting a barrier busting attitude and style; reaching out to, mobilising and engaging all stakeholders; finding and crafting future directed, imaginative answers/solutions; being a visible, inspirational role model; and spreading the good news, learnings and successes anywhere, anyhow, anytime to anyone.

Are you willing to become a miracle-creating leader, whoever you are, wherever you are with whatever you have at your disposal, however little it may seem? Our country and its people need you. Do not look over your shoulder at someone else or point at someone else: You are the person to make the much needed, real and lasting difference. Be an amazing leader!

Prof Theo Veldsman – University of Johannesburg

South Africa: Freedom Day 21 years into Democracy

Celebrating twenty-one years of democracy provides South Africans with an opportunity for reflection, an opportunity to pause, to take stock. We should all take stock, because if we are serious about transformation, then our nation's leaders need to be honest, honest with themselves, honest with each other and honest with us, about how far we really have come on this Freedom Day 2015.

 In his inauguration speech, on the 10th May 1994, President Nelson Mandela said,

"We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. We succeeded to take our last steps to freedom in conditions of relative peace. We commit ourselves to the construction of a complete, just and lasting peace. We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world."

 Mandela's speech provided some very clear indicators for leadership accountability. Political emancipation is one thing. In hindsight, that was the relatively easy part. Twenty-one years later, the real test is whether or not we have seen meaningful progress in our national emancipation in all the other areas he mentioned. So, on this Freedom Day, let's ask the question, "How have we really done over the past twenty one years in achieving liberation in terms of poverty, suffering and discrimination?

 Poverty & Deprivation

Whilst we celebrate the increase in the number of no-fee schools, the introduction of a social grant programme and minimum wage levels, the reality is that South Africa remains one of the most inequitable countries in the world as measured using the Gini-coefficient. Millions are still gripped by poverty, deprived of even the most basic amenities. One only has to look at the living conditions of the multiple informal settlements across our nation to see that we are deluding ourselves if we think that we have seen real liberation on this front. It is beyond the scope of this article to examine all the research that has been published on individual, regional, provincial and national poverty levels. Whilst Statistics South Africa report that poverty levels have been reduced since 2006, one has to wonder whether we can wait until 2030 to achieve the poverty reduction targets set out in the National Development Plan.

Suffering & Discrimination

Suffering takes many forms in South Africa. One of the most public displays is in the form of the recent wave of xenophobic attacks (reminiscent of the horrors of 2008). Our leaders have, in many instances, given these attacks only qualified condemnation. I am astounded that leaders have sought to call for protection for victims with cries of, “Don’t kill foreigners, they helped us during apartheid." Or, "Don't kill foreigners, they contribute to the economy." What we should be saying is, "Don't kill." In an unreserved, unqualified, simple way, “Don’t!”

The moment we have to start rationalizing not killing someone tells me we have not moved far at all from the “continuing bondage” Mandela described. The “relative peace” he described is no longer relative or peaceful.

South Africa sees forty-seven murders a day. This is forty-seven too many and that shouldn't require explanation or justification. These murders were happening before the xenophobic attacks and, unless focused action is taken, they will continue to happen after the xenophobic attacks. It should not take international pressure and behind the scenes diplomatic scrambling for leaders to make an unqualified statement against this horrifying loss of life.

In recent weeks, we have some pyrrhic victories in the removal of statues of erstwhile colonial leaders. Whilst the physical landscape might change as we try and remap our history and remove the reminders of our past, this is no guarantee that people’s hearts are changing towards each other.

Mandela suggested that we have entered into a “covenant” that we shall build society. In 2015, can every South African walk tall? Without fear? Are all South Africans assured of their “inalienable right to human dignity?”

I am not sure how Mandela intended the use of the word “covenant”. If it was simply in the legal sense of, “a promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action”, then that is one thing. But,if he was using it in the Biblical sense, of an agreement that, “brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people”, then that is quite different. Covenant is key.

 Fear vs. Hope

Today, on the 27 April 2015, we can and should focus on the progress we have made. But we also need to be honest about unemployment, education levels, inequality, violence, crime and murder. If we are truly honest, then for many South Africans, we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are certainly not at peace with the world. But we have an opportunity now to recommit in covenant to God. As responsible leaders, we need to take a systemic approach to these issues. We need to focus on meaningfully controlling our borders, partnering in early childhood education and on skills development and employability. We need to root out corruption and crime. We need to give the hopeless, hope, not just for the basic amenities and a roof over their heads but that we all have a fundamental right to live, unharmed, for another day.

Most importantly, South Africa needs spiritual hope, that, according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. ”If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

If continued Hope is to be “implanted in the breasts of millions of our people”, then may this day bring us to our knees as we cry,“God, help us!” Let Freedom reign. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

Dr A.J. Brough

Brough Leadership Institute

Responsible Leadership works with the idea that leadership contributes to "building social capital, sustainable business and the common good" (Maak, 2007). This is leadership that is "the art and ability involved in building, cultibating and sustaining trustful relationships to different stakeholders, both inside and outside the organisation, and in co-ordinating responsible action to achieve a meaningful, commonly shared business vision" (Maak, 2007: 334). 

The reputation economy, underpinned by an emerging global stakeholder society, requires responsible leadership. 

This is leadership that:

1. Is based on multiple complex relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.

2. Enables social capital building.

3. Weaves networks of relationships, rich in ties to otherwise unconnected individuals or groups.

4. Results in the creation of value networks of multiple stakeholders.

Responsible leadership has to be considered in the context of the leader as a responsible "person", the "roles" the leader fulfils, the stakeholder "relationships" and the ethics of what a leader does in terms of "responsibilities" (Maak & Pless, 2006). 

The challenge for those of us working within the field of leadership and organisational development is to truly understand the concept of the 'responsible leader'. Once we have this understanding, we need to see leaders emerging who act with integrity, consistency, transparency and accountability.  

References: 

Maak, T., & Pless, N.M. 2006. Responsible leadership. London: Routledge

See on Scoop.it - Leadership & Organizational Development

What is the relationship between culture and strategy? Strategy is rational and culture is emotional - Torben Rick

See on Scoop.it - Leadership & Organizational Development

As he hovers on the threshold, Madiba's long goodbye takes on the form of a return - not as a statue, or as a caricature, but as living potential.

7 Reasons why you should consider working with . . . Andrew Brough Communications as preferred provider for your management and leadership development and sales and marketing skills training.

After years of asking corporate clients to define and articulate their unique value proposition, we felt it was time to reinforce and rearticulate our answer to the same question about the services we provide. We don't want  to assume that everyone who visits our site, or hears about out company, is aware of...

1.    Our Track Record.

Andy Brough started freelancing in 1989 developing corporate educational television programmes. Since then, ABC has gone on to partner with some of the most significant global brands in terms of corporate communications, training, broadcasting and global leadership development. We also partner with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria).

2.   The Solid Academic Base to All our Content.

All of our facilitators have at least a master’s degree combined with the experience of working at tertiary level in either public or corporate universities

3.   Our Global, Diverse Experience.

Although we are based in South Africa, our lecturers and facilitators bring a broad range of international experience  gleaned from working cross-culturally in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

4.  Our World-class Presenters and Facilitators.

Our presenters are the best in their field. This is borne out by their ability to combine structure, content and subject knowledge, and effective delivery.

5.  Our Commitment to Understand your Business.

We understand the critical importance of helping you to align your training objectives to your business objectives.

6.  Our Satisfied Clients.

Training and development is built on relationships, reputation, and the success of the last intervention. This can never take for granted, and we are committed to developing customer lifetime value where word of mouth recommendation is still our primary source of marketing.

7. Our Commitment to Walk the Talk.

This is borne out by our mission, vision and slogan.

Our Vision:

Andrew Brough Communications strives to continuously offer top quality adult education programmes and services to provide learners with opportunities for individual development. This will be done through both direct interface as well as technologically supported initiatives. 

Our Mission:

Andrew Brough Communications has a mission to provide top quality, communication and training initiatives to all learners through the following means:

·      Provision of classroom and distance education

·      Serving specifically further education and training in leadership, management and sales and marketing related subjects

·      Working in local, national and international contexts

Our Slogan:

The journey towards effective leadership development begins with self awareness. 

This week, I have had the opportunity of reading the submissions of a group of middle managers regarding their leadership journey. 

I asked them to consider their personal view of their leadership by examining vision, passion, communication, influence, integrity and self and social management. 

Secondly, I asked them to talk to their direct reports, colleagues and leaders and to look to develop a comprehensive overview of personal leadership strengths and growth areas.

Prior to this, this same group was assessed using the Profile XT Job matching tool as well as the Checkpoint 360. By combining all of these tools, leaders are afforded a comprehensive overview of their leadership development profile. 

So the process is:

Assessment

Awareness

Analysis

Action Plan

What stands out from the feedback of this group is how each of these leadership elements influences the other. Focusing on communication has a direct impact on influence. Vision casting requires effective communication and passion. Passion is supported by self and social management. 

360° Leadership acknowledges the importance of looking at more than simply the traditional "leader-follower dyad". 

In the reputation economy, leaders are fully aware that the impact of their actions extends to a much broader range of stakeholders. Customers, business partners, contractors, investors and even the media look to hold leaders accountable for both the leaders actual performance and his/her communication on that performance. When stakeholders see excellence in both of these, in any given social context, this provides the leader with a "licence to operate" 

Who are my stakeholders?

What relationship do I have with these stakeholders?

Do I have their support?

Are my stakeholders aligned?

Reference:

In "The LeaderSHIP", Dr Manley sets out to answer some of the crucial and timeless leadership questions. Are leaders born or made? What are the essential differences between leadership and management?

The first section of the book examines the big six structural imperatives of leadership (Vision, Passion, Communication,  Influence, Integrity and Self & Social Management). He then explores the concept of "Leadercentrism" as well as four styles of leadership. These styles provide the basis for the hird section of the book where Dr Manley outlines the differences between The Pioneering Leader, the Team Building Leader, The Empowering Leader and the Directive Leader. Written in  non-academic style, the book uses the a nautical theme as a metaphor to describe what leaders do. "If you are looking for leaders, then stop and check the followers. Leadership deals with followers. The journey is never static. As the winds of adversity blow, the conditions alter, and the effective leader has to navigate the LeaderSHIP towards change"

The book provides a high level overview of Mark's extensive leadership experience in business, government and the media. He has worked in over thirty countries as a business strategist, keynote speaker and leadership development consultant.