Leadership

Over the last few weeks I have been finessing a lot of presentations; one for a team building session I hosted in London, another for the upcoming BCT Conference in March and various other sessions for internal training. During this process, I have also been reading the excellent book ‘TED Talks’ by Chris Anderson, the current head of the TED organisation. It’s a brilliant read for anybody with an interest in public speaking and has provided me with many insights and creative ideas for revising some of my slide decks and presentations.

Implementing change in a dictatorship is a change manager’s dream job. Once the decision is made at the very top, the masses are told what to do and the decision holds as an unbreakable edict that no one would dare challenge. It might take a bit of effort to communicate the changes to the people, but all in all, as long as the rules are clearly spelled out, there is no need to convince anyone that the dictator’s decision is the best way forward.

Over the last year or so we have been working with a group of actors (the same ones you see at places like Hampton Court and the Tower of London).  They have been helping us with a number of clients where we want participants to practice difficult conversations with heightened emotions.

The most important skill of an expert in managing change, is knowing how to identify what needs to change, for industries and organisations.

Popular thinking about organisational change management really needs to be flipped upside down.

FROM ... it's supporting the implementation of an already defined solution to a problem or opportunity ...

TO .... it's knowing what needs to change.

Eko: Could you tell us about your background?

Andrew Main: I grew up in an entrepreneurial environment, serving customers and picking up on their behaviours, quickly learning that there was no food on the table without great service. I was fascinated by hospitality, and by high school, I had decided that I’d build a career in this sector.

There is a huge battle for talent in the workplace today. Skilled employees are in short supply but at the same time organisations are focused on too narrow a definition of digital talent and not spending enough on upskilling existing workers.

The right reporting line is the one that works. Period.

Why are so many organisations and security professionals still worried about the reporting line of the CISO? This is one of the oldest and most consistent debate agitating the security industry, and it looks far from resolved.

Toxic leaders cannot exist alone. They need an environment in which they can flourish and followers who don’t challenge them. If you see toxic leadership within your organisation, you’re going to see elements of the following.

The Conducive Environment

For toxic leaders to be successful, they need an environment where they can thrive. There are four elements that contribute towards a conducive environment: instability, perceived threat, questionable values and standards and an absence of governance.

They are more than human resources. They are human beings who happen to be employees. What does it take to lead in a way that naturally appeals to what makes us human, and incorporate that into our work? Some thoughts.