Hi Tony,
Appologies for the delay in replying.
I wrote something on this topic recently – but couldn’t find it – maybe I didn’t save a copy – I did however come accross the following on the NET – can’t remember wh wrote it…..
Best regards,
Adam
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The Case for Leadership
Leadership is often the most important factor in a Lean Manufacturing implementation. The paradigm shift of Lean Manufacturing demands visionary leadership.
Visionary leadership is quite different from management. The necessary qualities for it may lie deep inside the human psyche. But even visionary leadership can be learned.
Managers Versus Leaders
Managing and leading are quite different. Very few people can play both roles with distinction. This is why many great military leaders developed a strong supporting staff. MacArthur, Patton and Rommel, for example, had exceptionally good staff officers to detail and support their visionary plans.
Leaders establish new and radical visions. They bring vision to reality with shared values that gain commitment.
Managers work within a system to maintain existing goals and direction. They generally use reward and punishment to gain compliance.
Successful organizations need both managers and leaders. Firms with long periods of past success, such as the American automobile industry, have special problems.
During periods of success, management is highly valued and true leadership is often discouraged. When the external environment (markets, technology, social structure) changes the organization cannot adapt new visions to cope. This is why large firms with successful histories have the most difficulty with Lean Manufacturing.
Leadership Style
Much is often made of leadership style. Note the wide range of styles in these successful military leaders:
George S. Patton
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ulysses S. Grant
Robert E. Lee
One would find an equally wide range of styles in failed leaders. The conclusion is that style does not determine success or failure for leaders with formal authority.
Peer leadership is another matter. Peer leaders have no official authority. They lead through casual mechanisms such as respect, knowledge, and rapport. Peer leadership is increasingly important in today’s informal, fluid organizations.
For peer leadership, the quiet style of a Robert E. Lee is far more effective than the bombastic style of a Patton. Try walking into a process improvement meeting with a pearl-handled revolver and riding crop. Your next stop will be the psycho ward.
But, If style does not matter, what does? The U.S. Army’s Charismatic Leadership model provides some answers.
The Charismatic Model
Successful leaders in all fields and situations exhibit a common behavior pattern. They:
Challenge The Status Quo
Create A Compelling Vision
Establish Shared Values
Enable Others To Act
Model The Way
Encourage The Heart
Charismatic leaders do these things constantly in large and small ways. Cumulatively, these actions change attitudes, responses and methodologies within the organization.
More Information
This page is the first in a series on Leadership. See the links below for other pages. Our upcoming page, Charismatic Leadership, will have much more on this topic in a few weeks. At “Leadership Lessons From Twelve O’clock High” you can download a wonderful article on this paradigm by Major Attila Bognar of the U.S. Army.
Shakespeare used leadership as the theme for many of his best plays. Our new page, “Shakespeare on Leadership” shows how King Henry V fits the Charismatic Model.
Learning From The Movies
Movies are a great way to learn about leadership. Just watching, however, will add little insight. This learning requires structure and active reflection. Our upcoming web page “Hollywood on Leadership” will summarize the lessons from several great films.
Our seminar “Team Leadership” uses clips from several movies as a learning tool.
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