LEADERSHIP: A LESS WOBBLY GELI

Manfred Kets de Vries, creator of GELI (the Global Executive Leadership Inventory), is a leading leadership thinker. He's teased out the so-called "soft" human aspect of leadership. But, this aspect is actually the "hard" one: more complex; and less trainable. And, that said, I think his GELI could do with more gelatine!

I have no criticism of his academic rigour. An article available online* demonstrates the care taken in designing, testing and normalising GELI. But, it remains an evaluation tool. As such, useful to compare one leader or set (or gender!) of leaders with another. Also, helpful for HR specialists and executives sifting candidates.

Equally, I have no problem with the elements of GELI - focusing on envisioning, empowering, energizing, etc. They're eminently sensible.

However, as GELI itself emphasises: the key thing leaders must do is take action. And these actions, if effective, induce others to follow you on the task or journey you have in hand. Turning around a company, driving a special project or whatever.

From several decades of working with executives on both strategy and leadership, I've found their greatest problem is WHAT TO DO? Not, finding out "I'm in the second quartile"; or, "I need to do more empowering". Leadership is awash with evaluation. But, where are the plans: the leadership actions Fred must take so people support the turnaround; or work hard on Mary's product launch? Not business plans. But Fred's and Mary's personal leadership action plans: the specific market, technical, people and/or cultural actions they'll personally take to maximise their leadership leverage and effectiveness. So, their people are keen and know what to do.

Think of your own experience. If you're a leader in a large company, it's likely you've been evaluated ad nauseam; and, had lots of feedback. But, which tool produced a leadership action plan? If you're in an SME, what did you find in the magazines or online? From my searching, mostly generalisations and anecdotes.

In sum, GELI tastes nice, but if you want real leadership nourishment ...

Categories for this Potshot:

Understanding V|E|C|T|O|R

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