Leading Effectively e-Newsletter - October 2005 Issue

Leading in Times of Transition
12 Leader Competencies: What It Takes In Times of Transition

For many leaders, managing the business and addressing the needs of workers are at odds. They ask, "How can I make the tough decisions if I have to focus on the emotions and concerns of my employees?" The answer isn't about choosing either the people or the business, according to CCL's Kerry Bunker. Instead, the answer lies in being authentic and building trust.

In the face of transition and turmoil, people look for leadership that is simultaneously strong and vulnerable, heroic and open, demanding and compassionate. "The bar has been raised for leaders since 9/11 and the corporate scandals like Enron," Bunker says. "People want the strength and courage that characterized the stereotypical leader of the past, but they also hold leaders to a high standard of character, humanness and ability to empathize and care about others."

"When leaders focus on establishing trust, instead of taking a one-sided approach, they find they can be both tough and empathetic, committed to change and understanding of transition," continues Bunker. "They become agile and resilient and able to do what it takes to run both the structural and the people aspects of the organization."

Imagine a wheel that has trust as its hub, suggests Bunker. Radiating out from that hub are the spokes, which represent twelve leader competencies for dealing with change and transition. Six spokes represent structural competencies; the other six represent people-related competencies.

"Any of the twelve competencies can be overdone, underdone, or held in a positive, dynamic balance," continues Bunker. "If a leader neglects or overplays any one element, he strains the trust that is needed to lead effectively during times of transition."

To create and sustain an environment of trust leaders must become adept at balancing all twelve competencies:

1. Catalyzing change is championing an initiative or significant change, consistently promoting the cause and encouraging others to get on board.
2. Coping with transition is about recognizing and addressing the personal and emotional elements of change. It includes being in touch with your own emotions and reactions.
3. Sense of urgency involves taking action when necessary to keep things rolling. A leader who has a strong sense of urgency moves fast on issues and accelerates the pace of change for everyone.
4. Realistic patience requires knowing when and how to slow the pace down to allow time and space for people to cope and adapt.
5. Being tough denotes the ability to make the difficult decisions about issues and people with little hesitation or second-guessing.
6. Being empathetic involves taking others' perspective into account when making decisions and taking action.
7. Optimism is the ability to see the positive potential of any challenge and to convey that optimism to others.
8. Realism and openness involves a willingness to be candid and clear about a situation and prospects for the future. It includes speaking the truth and admitting personal mistakes and foibles.
9. Self-reliance involves a willingness to take a lead role or even to do something yourself when necessary. A leader who is self-reliant has a great deal of confidence and is willing to step up and tackle most new challenges.
10. Trusting others means being comfortable with allowing others to do their part of a task or project. It includes being open to others for input and support.
11. Capitalizing on strengths entails knowing your strengths and attributes and confidently applying them to tackle new situations and circumstances.
12. Going against the grain involves a willingness to learn and try new things - to get out of your comfort zone - even when the process is difficult or painful.

"Finding the right behaviors, tone and style can feel like an impossible balancing act at times," says Bunker. "But, because trust is so crucial to a leader's effectiveness, it is a challenge that cannot be ignored."

Organizations do better if leaders can move among a variety of approaches.

This article was adapted from the CCL publication Leading With Authenticity in Times of Transition. To order your copy, visit our bookstore.

About Kerry Bunker

Expert: Kerry Bunker
Title: Senior Enterprise Associate
Relevant publications: Co-author, Leading with Authenticity in Times of Transition
Career background: Spent more than a decade in executive development roles at AT&T's corporate headquarters before joining CCL
Education: Ph.D., University of South Florida; M.A., Western Michigan University; B.A., University of Montana