EUROPEAN ORGANISATIONAL LEADERSHIP-TAKING THE TEMPERATURE

This new ETPG research report is based on a survey of nearly 1500 European leadership experts plus in-depth interviews. It asks if measurement techniques on which we base leadership recruitment and development work well:  second, to understand what ‘definition’ of leadership is current in Europe.

European thinking about leadership

European interest in leadership is widespread, growing and will continue to grow. However levels of interest and understanding within different parts of Europe differ and it is unlikely that one model or approach will work within all countries.

European experts still believe that leaders lead people; managers manage things and processes. Leadership is changing through seven key influences:

• the growth in the leadership ‘industry’;
• a younger workforce;
• innovations in communication technology;
• increased competitive pressures;
• developments in work practice;
• the global recession;
• an increasingly diverse work force.

Transfers both ways between public and private sector leadership jobs blur existing differences between these two types of roles.

How do we measure leadership that is changing?

A new view of leadership emphasizes three characteristics:

• communication;
• innovating and creating a vision;
• the ability to create and handle change

This represents a general trend of leaders transforming from authority figures sitting at the top of a chain of command, to co-employees motivating, communicating and helping people do their best work.

Traditional selection and development methods deal effectively with a number of leadership’s critical characteristics. However, there is still a worryingly huge use on often inaccurate one-to-one interviews, political appointments and track record. Past achievement is seen as justifying leadership. This is a questionable assumption if changes are happening as fast as they seem to be. Objective assessment, which predicts performance, is used less in higher level recruitment and development than it should be; the downside of getting leadership roles wrong requires more objective methods.

Since leadership is changing, new methodologies and attitudes are needed in the identification and nurturing of leaders.

Download a full copy of the report here.

 

To arrange interviews with experts, editorial content, speakers or to discuss leadership issues, please contact:

 

Ian Florance, Secretary ETPG: ian.florance@btinternet.com: + 44 7966 509390