Showing posts with label management consultants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label management consultants. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 21

Developing leaders in a business

Kannu

There are many articles and books like this out there. Talking about how to become a good leader. Fairly non contentious advise here son. 

But I would add 2 points. Be flexible with your leadership style. At one point you may need an autocratic style while another time you may need a democratic style. Or a consensual style. Or a communicative style. No one model is right for all situations son. So be flexible. The key here is to recognise that different situations exist. And then you use a different tool. It's like people just having a hammer in their tool box. And then everything looks like a nail. Smart people have several tools in their tool box and use them appropriately. 

Second point, don't be an arsehole. Seriously. Don't. Be nice. It goes a very long way. Nobody wants to work for an arsehole. It's surprising how many leadership books fail to mention this and it's not surprising how many arseholes become leaders. Very weird. 

And never have low expectations son. Expect high. Light a fire. Stand on a burning platform. Sense of urgency. Conquer the world!

Love 

Baba

Developing leaders in a business
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/leading_in_the_21st_century/developing_leaders_in_a_business


The shortcomings of command-and-control management are becoming ever more apparent. The hierarchy of bosses organized into ranks, with each superior exercising authority over subordinates who do exactly what their boss wants, has long been the dominant form of corporate organization. But recognizing that they are handicapped by their current systems, many companies are now questioning the way they manage themselves. They are striving for greater effectiveness and flexibility to cope with and capitalize on the fast-moving, ever-changing competitive conditions they see just ahead.

I believe that the old command system must be replaced. Fixing it is not good enough. My view is that authority should be replaced by leadership. By that, I don’t mean that a business should be run by a single leader, but that it should be run by a network of leaders positioned right through the organization. Leaders and leadership teams working together will, I suggest, run a business more effectively than a hierarchical, command-and-control structure.

What makes a leader?

Leadership scholars define a leader as a person who sets attractive goals and has the ability to attract followers, or constituents, who share those goals. Above all, a leader must be trusted and respected. Trust between a leader and constituents opens up two-way communication, making it possible for them to realize their common goals.

Anyone who aspires to lead must develop certain qualities and attributes. By “qualities,” I mean elements of character or personal makeup that are typically difficult (but not impossible) to learn. People usually bring their qualities with them when they join a company. “Attributes,” on the other hand, are more like skills and hence easier to learn. Fortunately, the attributes needed for leadership far outnumber the qualities.

Tuesday, July 31

Should you hire a consultant or an interim manager?

Well, as the title says, what you select will depend upon so many factors. Besides the job itself, it depends upon whether there is a concept of interim management/contracting anyway in your region/location/country as I know in many countries, this does not exist.

Also, the company ethos matters hugely. Many firms are dead set against having any kind of consultants and prefer to purchase in interim managers for a limited period of time, then train up internal resources to take over from the interim manager. I personally would go for this option, but I have seen firms being consultant heaven. The reasons are varied but my simple question is this, if you havent planned for these skills or resources to be in place and available, then you arent a good manager or you have been hit by an act of god. Which one is it for you and/or your firm?

Wednesday, July 25

Management consultants are often 'more project workers than ideas people'


ESRC Society Today - Management consultants are often 'more project workers than ideas people'

I have been one, have hired many and live with many more. I mean management consultants. I have to admit that the research that this is based upon is slightly limited and possibly drops all management consultants into one bucket. The projects, - a multinational company (strategy analysis), a financial services retailer (IT development), a prison (project management and quality) and a local authority (e-procurement) do not relate to projects which do call for expert management consulting advice relating to regulatory changes, or new market opening or new product development, etc. But still, interesting reading