Recommendation

Rarely does a revolutionary write the history of his own revolt. However, that’s exactly
what John Adair does in this book. Adair is respected internationally in the field of
leadership. His 1968 classic, Training for Leadership, was a pioneering volume on
leadership development. Although his work initially received relatively little attention in
the U.S., it contributed to the current "leadership revolution," which has had a powerful
impact on how companies train leaders. Today, in part thanks to Adair and others like
him, companies no longer assume that "you either have it or you don’t" when it comes to
leadership potential. They are more willing to accept the idea that managers can be
leaders, too, and should be trained for that role. Adair’s book doesn’t just peer in the
rearview mirror of history - it casts a steady, discerning gaze at the road ahead as well.
Using elegant, thoughtful prose enhanced with apt anecdotes and quotations, Adair
establishes seven key principles of leadership development. His intriguing conclusion:
while companies may mold the raw material of leadership, only societies and families
can actually provide it. If "lead, follow or get out of the way" is your
motto, getAbstract says have confidence - John Adair is marching to his rightful place at
the head of the leadership pack. A must read.

In this summary, you will learn

 How leadership development practices evolved over time;
 How to apply the seven principles of growing leaders;
 What common errors companies make in leadership development programs; and
 What constitutes a good leadership development regimen.

Take-Aways
 Every organization must develop future leaders. This is a core activity.
 One way to understand leadership is the "Qualities Approach," which asks, "What
should a leader be?"
 A second way to understand leadership is the "Situational Approach," which asks, "What
is it a leader needs to know?"
 The final way to view leadership is the "Group or Functional Analysis Approach," which
asks, "What is it a leader has to do?"
 "Think until it hurts" before setting up a leadership development program.
 The dichotomy between "leaders" and "managers" is false. Leadership occurs at the
team level, the operational level and the strategic level.
 One secret to a good leadership development program is the selection of participants.
 Mentoring is another important component.
 Society, not companies, grows leaders. Companies develop society’s raw material.
 The widespread corporate adoption of leadership development programs in recent years
constitutes a "leadership revolution."
Summary
Good Soldiers

In about 400 B.C., the Greek poet Euripides wrote: "Ten good soldiers wisely led, Will
beat a hundred without a head."

As this verse suggests, the notion that success depends on the quality of leadership is
hardly novel. That’s why companies spend millions to land that CEO with the Midas
touch. Money alone isn’t the answer, however; companies always need more leadership.
To enjoy the competitive advantage of great leadership throughout every level of your
organization, engage in an aggressive program to develop your own leaders.

Leading Questions

To encourage leadership development, first understand what it is.

There are three constructs:

1. "The qualities approach" - This focuses on what attributes or qualities a leader

ought to have, thus answering the question, "What should a leader be?" This
approach traditionally reflected the attitude that leadership qualities are a
function of nature, not nurture, and paid little attention to how to develop them.
Organizations using the Qualities Approach might list great leaders, or great
leadership characteristics, without explaining actually how to acquire leadership
ability.

2. "The situational approach" - This examines the circumstances leaders are apt to
find themselves in, and answers the question, "What is it a leader needs to
know?" This perspective holds that whether someone is perceived as a leader
depends on his or her situation. Leadership, then, is a relationship with others
and is specific to circumstances. Therefore, someone who is a leader in one
circumstance, say, in a foxhole during combat, may not be a leader in another,
say in a corporate boardroom.

3. "The group or functional approach" - This approach looks at leadership in terms

of the leader’s actions and behaviors. As such, it seeks to explain, "What is it a
leader has to do?" This approach gained currency in Britain in the late 1950s. The
notion was that all working teams would develop "group" personalities and would
have "group needs." The leader’s job was to address three group needs: the need
for the group to achieve its goals, the need for the group to be nurtured as a
working entity and the needs of the individuals in the group. Organizations can
view these three roles individually and as an integrated whole.

The Three Circles Model

 As noted, under this leadership model, every leader has three interlocking circles of
concern: the team’s needs, the individuals’ needs and the objectives of the assignment.
These three interlocking circles share common, integrated areas.

The leader must undertake these functions in answer to the question posed by the group
or functional approach: "What is a leader to do?":

 "Planning" group activities.

 "Initiating" or briefing the group and allocating tasks.
 "Controlling" group results and schedules.
 "Supporting" group endeavors, either through encouragement or discipline.
 "Informing" group members and keeping them "in the picture."
 "Evaluating" the plan and its execution.

“We don’t entrust our children to bus drivers who are not trained; why place any kind
of worker under leaders who have no training?”
Leadership training rests on seven fundamental principles:

Principal One: "Training for Leadership"

Acting hastily, without sufficient forethought, is the most common error executives
make in establishing leadership development programs. The temptation is to hire so-
called experts, even though they are often also muddled about exactly what they’re
trying to accomplish. Your organization must consider carefully what it wants to
accomplish and how to go about it. The second most common error is to assume that
leadership development only - or primarily - involves senior management. This reflects
a false dichotomy between "leaders" and "managers." In reality, every company has
three important levels of leadership: the team level, the operational level and the
strategic level. The team level is the best place to start a leadership development
program; it is the fertile soil from which future middle and upper managers will sprout.

“U.S. academics in this field are completely parochial, and also intellectually at sea;
British and European academics have tended to follow them like sheep on their
wanderings.”
Never appoint people to lead any group until they have had the correct training and
preparation. This is a primary principle of leadership development. You wouldn’t let
someone prescribe eyeglasses for you without a license, so why would you put someone
with no training in charge of a team, department or business unit (let alone a company)?
Another misconception is that leaders who have already proven their abilities don’t need
further training. Revisiting the basics is always useful.

“Usually someone at or near the top of an organization...gets it into their heads that
leadership is a good thing and we should have more of it here.”

Principal Two: "Selection"

To create a strong leadership development program, choose participants who already
are leaders in some way. Seek those who have emerged in leaderless situations. Look for
"patterns of behavior" that indicated a predisposition to leadership. People achieve
leadership through appointment, election or even inheritance. As leaders move up the
rungs of responsibility, certain attributes become more important. Look for abilities in
"leadership and teamwork," "decision-making," "communication," "self-management"
and "personal qualities." Someone who demonstrates an ability to fulfill a general
leadership role and who shows the mental ability, the communication ability and the
time-management ability to do the job, is a promising prospect for training.

“You can be appointed a commander or manager, but you are not a leader until your
appointment is ratified in the hearts and minds of those who work under you.”

Principal Three: "Line Managers as Leadership Mentors"

Leaders who want to develop other leaders should become mentors. Good mentors
essentially develop upcoming leaders through an apprentice system. As a leader, you can
develop a mentoring system in your company. First, find two or three operational
leaders who are respected for their ability to manage substantial responsibilities, and yet
have time to help bring along a few apprentice leaders. Organize a meeting where your
chosen exemplars can speak for 20 to 30 minutes about how and why they mentor.
Sometimes it helps to bring in an outside expert on mentoring as well. Finally, say a few
words to put the full weight of your commitment behind the mentoring program. You
can’t do all the mentoring yourself, but you can motivate others.

“Thus leadership is both role and attribute.”

Principal Four: "The Chance to Lead"

An Indian proverb observes, "Under the banyan tree nothing grows." Keeping potential
leaders under your wing for too long actually can inhibit their development. A time will
come when you must give an apprentice leader an opportunity to lead. Nature grows
leaders; organizations do not. The most an organization can do is to provide fertile
conditions for the growth of leaders, including the opportunity to be a leader and to try
the role on for size. New leaders must face the obstacles and challenges that molded
their predecessors. In this regard, annual reviews that focus on "career development"
are important. They may reveal that a promising young candidate is ready to assume a
greater leadership role. Growing as a leader can be painful, but that is part of the
process. Realize that not every subject specialist will want to become a leader, and that’s
fine. An employee is better off as an excellent team leader than as a mediocre leader in a
larger role.

“As for leadership development, all that can be safely said is that it has proved to be
not incompatible with business success.”

Principal Five: "Education for Leadership"

 Society, schools and families grow leaders, not companies. Companies can stimulate
society’s ability to develop good leadership material by supporting educational
institutions. Leadership training begins in the family, and expands to include schools,
which are "the second nurseries of leaders." A university education can have several
positive effects on prospective leaders. It stimulates their curiosity and sharpens their
ability to think clearly - two important attributes for leaders. Students learn creative
problem solving and acquire the technical knowledge they need. Continuing education
after college is also very useful.

“No individual leaders should ever depend upon an organization to school him or her
in leadership.”

Principal Six: "A Strategy for Leadership Development"

Building future leaders is a core corporate activity. CEOs must have "a strategy for
leadership development." The "leadership revolution" in recent years has encouraged
many companies to create "leadership development" plans and processes.

The CEO should personally review such plans and pose several questions:

 Is it clear from the plan what qualities and abilities are being developed?
 Is it clear that no one will be given a leadership position without proper training?
 Is it efficient? How much does it cost? Does it focus its resources wisely?
 Does the system incorporate mentoring?
 What metrics does it use to measure its success or progress?
 Does it measure or refine the identification of prospective leaders in the company?

“If apprenticeship is the natural way of growing leaders, then organizations that want
to grow leaders should work with it.”
The answers to these questions will give you some idea of how much thought has gone
into your company’s leadership development process. Carefully consider whether your
organizational structure gives up-and-coming leaders maximum leeway. Giving them
responsibility helps develop their leadership skills and shows that you expect them to
give their team leaders decision-making freedom as well. Becoming the best company in
your industry will attract potential leaders. Leaders are naturally drawn to the best
companies.

“The basic principle in leadership development is that an organization should never

give a team leadership role or position to someone without training.”

Principal Seven: "The Chief Executive"

Companies only develop new leaders when their CEOs strongly support the initiative.
The chief executive needs to take charge of the strategic aspects of the leadership
development process. Few CEOs appreciate the importance of their personal support
 and leadership in developing new leaders. Strategic leadership is the job that
preoccupied former General Electric CEO Jack Welch for about half his time toward the
end of his tenure. As CEO you are responsible for your company’s legacy of leadership.

To be a leadership catalyst for your company, take these steps:

 Set a good example. Let your actions testify that leadership and integrity matter.
 Be a mentor to your executive team. Remember they’re not likely to take the time to be
mentors unless you do the same for them.
 Minimize jargon and consultant-speak, and get down to the fundamentals of how to
encourage people to step forward and become leaders.
 Participate in corporate leadership events. You’ll be surprised how dropping in to watch
team leader training will communicate your commitment.
 Any chance that you get, make sure that you talk about the importance of leaders,
leadership and leadership training. Convey your full support to the strategic mission of
developing new leaders.

“What your organization needs to check...is that those who reach the top are not
merely the cunning, Machiavellian place-seekers who out-maneuver the remaining
horses in the race, or apply their whips to a rival’s face.”

The "Integrated Concept" of Leadership

So which approach is more accurate, the Functional, Qualities or Knowledge Approach?

Is it more important what a leader is? Or what a leader does? Or what a leader knows?
The correct answer: all three are crucial. Combine them; the right tactic is an "integrated
concept" of leadership. But, do not count on your organization to make you a great
leader. Leadership training is not the primary occupation of most organizations.

“I suggest that wisdom is a compound of three elements: intelligence, experience and

goodness.”
To be a fine leader, seek opportunities to grow. Study the subject, find a good mentor or
pursue opportunities to lead in your community. Potential leaders are a raw material
that comes from society; companies mold them to accomplish their ends. To develop
great leaders, companies have to lead.

About the Author

John Adair is an internationally recognized authority on leadership. He has written
more than 50 books and articles on leadership and management, including Not Bosses
But Leaders, Training for Leadership and The Inspirational Leader. He is a highly
regarded speaker and was named China’s first Honorary Professor of Leadership.