2. Personality predicts leadership

The second lesson concerns personality and leadership. The data are clear: personality is the best single predictor of leader performance that we have. For example, Jim Collins published a milestone study of 11 Fortune 1000 companies which had 15 years of below average performance, followed by a transition year, and then 15 years of performance substantially above their industry average. Collins found that, in each case, a new CEO had turned the company around and that these 11 highly effective CEOs combined extreme personal humility with a fierce and relentless drive to win.  This contrasts with their high profile, publicity-seeking counterparts in poorer performing companies. Personality is important in both cases, and we can also say good-bye to the view that CEOs need charisma to be effective.

I am obsessed with the topic of leadership. Organizations need leaders to make key decisions, anticipate and manage changing market trends, and set strategic vision. When competent leadership prevails, people and companies prosper. Bad leadership almost always creates disengaged workers, corporate chicanery, and, eventually, business failure.

The problem with most leadership competency models is they fail to distinguish between successful managers—people who are rapidly promoted in their organizations, and effective managers—people whose subordinates are committed and whose organizational units perform well. If we distinguish between these groups and review of the leadership literature from the perspective of team effectiveness we find six useful generalizations.

Why is leadership important for the business outcome?

Put simply, there is a high correlation between leader personality against business results and/or organizational effectiveness. To begin, it’s just as important to operationally define leadership as there is no real or stated consensus in the current literature as to how an properly define this psychological dimension. At Hogan, we define leadership is the ability to build and maintain effective teams. Leaders of the organization also influence the culture and dynamic of the top management team or senior leaders, which in turn, influences the performance of the organization. Essentially, personality predicts leadership potential and style, leadership style predicts employee attitudes and team functioning, and team functioning predict organizational performance.

Not everybody is meant to be a good people leader, but there are other leadership styles that could really determine if a person will be a successful manager or leader. Hogan’s new Leader Focus solution is designed to provide leaders with self-insight into their leadership styles and strengths so they are able to plan their career and lead teams effectively.

Doar 30% dintre angajatii cu potential ar putea prelua imediat un rol de leadership, iar cei mai multi dintre acestia, la randul lor, ar avea dificultati (conform studiilor Hogan Assessments Systems din ultimii 30 de ani, derulate in mai mult de 40 de tari din toate continentele). Multi manageri noi esueaza pentru ca le lipseste experienta de gestionare a unei echipe. Atunci cand un expert este promovat tinde sa se concentreze pe ceea ce stie sa faca mai bine: sa rezolve cat mai multe sarcini. Este un punct forte care l-a ajutat sa fie promovat, dar care, in noul rol, il impiedica sa delege si, in consecinta, sa motiveze si dezvolte echipa.

Unul dintre motivele pentru care numai 30% dintre angajatii identificati ca avand performanta inalta au potential ridicat de leadership si pentru care 90% dintre acestia vor avea probleme la urmatorul nivel de cariera este ca, de multe ori, evaluarea (performantei si a potentialului) este influentata de masura in care angajatul este placut de catre seful direct.

Comportamentele pe baza carora cineva se face usor remarcat sunt incluse in ceea ce prof dr. Robert Hogan numeste factorul de „emergenta”. Intrebarea este in ce masura acest factor il ajuta pe un lider sa fie si „eficient”: sa construiasca o echipa, sa o motiveze si sa livreze impreuna rezultatele asteptate. Confirmand studiile internationale care demonstreaza ca emergenta este o conditie necesara, care trebuie intotdeauna completata de factorul eficienta atunci cand dorim sa evaluam potentialul de leadership, va prezentam in continuare un studiu de caz.

Oameni si bani

Studiile din ultimii 10-15 ani demonstreaza ca organizatiile cu lideri eficienti au sanse de 13 ori mai mari sa depaseasca rezultatele competitorilor si cu pana la de 3 ori mai mari sa retina in interior angajatii talentati. Personalitatea CEO-ului companiei este raspunzatoare cu pana la 30% in variabilitatea profitului, adica un impact mult mai mare decat il are industria in care activeaza firma (impact in variabilitatea profitului de 6%). (Mackey, A. 2008, the effect of CEOs on firm performance. Strategic Management Journal)

Estimată în 2015, în România, la 20 de milioane de euro, piaţa de training si dezvoltare este una dintre cele mai importante din domeniul serviciilor de consultanţă.

În pieţe mult mai mari şi mult mai mature (cum este piaţa nord-americană, spre exemplu) numai tranzacţiile din piaţa de training de leadership au fost estimate în 2015 la 160 miliarde de dolari!

The reason so many employees are disengaged, and what to do about it.

Studiul despre diversitatea de gen în leadership-ul românesc realizat de HART Consulting împreună cu Adina Bigas, ASEBUSS și EXEC-EDU a urmat 3 piloni si este primul studiu comprehensiv de acest gen.