A BROKEN MODEL WILL ENCOURAGE SOME TO GO FOR BROKE

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2013/03/28/the-most-common-leadership-model-and-why-its-broken/

Mike Myatt's article above is a telling indictment of competency-based leadership. I will not rehash Myatt's thoughtful argument - you can read the piece. However, I would go one step further than him.

Not only will competency-enthralled organisations struggle to innovate, these structures almost invite existential competition from more savvy operators. Simply put, the world today almost demands that this shadow projection of real leadership be destroyed by more effective models.

THE GUERRILLA COMPARISON

From the guerillas of the Peninsular War and Garibaldi's Republic to the Zapatistas of Chiapas, broken social and organisational structures attract competitors without revealing the strength to repel these threats to their modus operandi.

The organisations that survive - in order to thrive - will not adopt ineffective counter-insurgency responses to external competition. Instead, they will increasingly adopt those very insurgent tactics by aligning organisational mission and behaviour with a 'soft', fluid structure. (An allegory for 'biomimicry'). Although hierarchy is still essential, leaders will strive to encourage mobile thought in their reports while constantly responding to external stimuli. This imposes a premium on intution, tenacity and humility in becoming an agent for change rather than reacting to threats.

To use a portmanteau, leaders will relegate technical competence to 'table stakes' in the deliberate attempt to en-courage their team. Soft skills and creative committment is the REAL GAME.

A BLUEPRINT FOR EN-COURAGEMENT

* Hire the best: people who can be flexible and don't get hung up on process. They are inquisitive about processes not procedure.

* REWARD the RIGHT behaviours. Kissing up and kicking down is not only unfair. It's dumb! If you're leading correctly, these people shouldn't be there in the first place. Incidentally, all levels of the organisation should be attuned to 'two-faced' behaviour. Teams can monitor their leaders and leaders must learn when to follow. The higher the rank, the harder the fall if leaders abuse that trust.

* Study strategy and strategic thinking at every level. Of course, large organisations must make allowance for different aptitudes and engagement levels, but again, with the right people, strategy can have an impact throughout the field. Cover the field.

As a corollary, leaders will make it a precondition of assuming higher responsibility that reports are aware - situationally, personally, culturally - about strategy and its impact upon bottom-line results. The mission matters. Just because you knock it out of the ballpark in a specific task doesn't ultimately tell us much.

Curiosity and candour. (Goes without saying).

Move fast and have fun!