There are very few organisations out there who ‘define’ who their leaders are, what their organisational leadership purpose is. This might seem a strange thing to say, but it is true.
Do you know your organisational leadership purpose?
If you are a leader in your organisation, do you with absolute clarity, know your purpose as a leader within it? Have you been told what are you REALLY there to do as a leader? Why do you exist as a leader in your company? Do your leadership peers have the same clarity as you? If your organisational leadership purpose is not defined, how can you accurately know what competencies, behaviours, skills you need to demonstrate? How can you know your role in relation to your leadership peers. If organisations don’t define the purpose of their leaders, how can they truly hold them accountable?
What is organisational leadership purpose?
Taking a step back. Leadership purpose is when there is clarity, understanding and demonstration of why a person is a leader and leads. It embraces values, experiences, aspirations and intent for and of that leader.
Now from an organisational perspective it provides clarity on the overall picture of what the organisations leaders are here to do. Here to do for the organisation and its people. It provides insight of how leaders should be showing up and operating. In doing so it provides a present and reassuring constant in good times and bad. It enables leaders to have absolute understanding of the level they should be operating at and the structural relationship with their people. It also allows for absolute accountability of their role and place in the organisation for all to experience. Organisations can then begin to declare – ‘We expect our leaders to…’ ‘Our leaders will…’ ‘Our leaders are people who…’ ‘Leadership to us means…’
The organisational leadership ‘north star’
Having an organisational leadership purpose can become their leader’s ‘north star’, in all things. It becomes a stick of rock, where no matter you look in the organisation the ‘right’ leadership character, behaviours and approaches are more likely to be a real living thing, a constant, a point of difference.
Having an organisational leadership ‘north star’ (leadership purpose) then allows for a natural flow to leadership development and superior leadership performance.
Clarifying, discussing, framing and stating the purpose of its organisational leaders underpins ALL that it is to be a leader in that organisation. If it is not known, agreed and stated then it risks bringing ambiguity, confusion and mixed messages to ALL leaders.
Effect of having an organisational leadership purpose
The impact of not having a clear leadership purpose is significant. It really begins to explain why we see such poor traits, thinking, language and behaviours from many leaders. Which of these do you experience in your own organisation?
- No understanding of what ‘good’ leadership looks like for the organisation
- Fragmented leadership – no consistency of approach, language, communication or standards
- Different degrees of leadership ‘truth’ ,therefore increased leadership fiefdoms
- Unmeasurable leadership
- Increased toxic, self-centred, agenda-based leadership behaviours and decisions
- Reduced leadership collaboration
Having no purpose behind its leadership clearly explains to me why so many organisational leaders operate below the level they should be operating at. We see leaders dipping into operator role every day. Some leaders tragically exist at this operator level, partly because the leader above them are also working in more operator mode.
Value of organisational leadership purpose
A whole article could be written around the value of having and using an organisational leadership purpose, both to leadership and the organisation as a whole. Ultimately it is the organisational culture that benefits from this one little shift in thinking and approach.
If we look at organisational leadership purpose as a simple leadership catalyst, then there is a simple, organic flow and cycle as to what it will bring:
AGEED ORGANISATIONAL LEADERSHIP PURPOSE – Clearer leadership competencies – clarified leadership character traits – known requirements around leadership behaviours, knowledge and skills – understood enabling leadership models, tools and approaches – leadership development framework and training – leadership coaching and support – leadership accountability and measurement
Creating an organisational leadership purpose doesn’t have to be a complicated or time-consuming exercise. There is information on the web on how to do that. Or, simply get a handful of organisational leaders together and map it out and test it.
Take some action…
HR and senior leaders – start a conversation in your organisation today about ‘what is our purpose as leaders here..?‘
Leaders – start asking some questions of your business to get the clarity you need
Abintus and your organisational leadership development
At Abintus, we will have robust conversations and explorations with you to help you shape your leadership purpose and subsequently your leadership development to help deliver on that purpose. Check out our coaching based leadership development as a starting point to begin to bring change from within.
Contact Nick today on 07867 785314, or, nick@abintus.co.uk to begin to shape your leadership needs and identify the leadership problems you need to solve.