My response to OneTeamGov request (18 April 2020):

“How can we make sense of leadership in the 21st century?” in an environment which is unpredictable, rapidly changing, and in which no single actor controls

My first point is we have been moving into this increasingly VUCA world since the ’80s. However, many of us did not realise it at the time. It is only recently, highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, that it is impacting all of us. Therefore, this is an exciting window of opportunity to help people look at their leadership and impact.

My second point is I am less the leadership theorist / conceptual thinker and more concerned with the practical ways of helping people lead with increasing effectiveness. Consequently, whilst I cannot disagree with what has been written in the Google document what I express here is more about practical tools I have used or seen in action over a 40 year career in personal, team and leadership development. Where I have had most success is when people have had a conversation with others in a similar situation facilitated in a structured way. So, anything you can do that enables conversations, I am convinced, will have a positive impact.

So, in response to your ask:

1. Leadership of self

Knowing oneself is key, in particular: How we impact others. The critical element of this is understanding how we are perceived and then acting upon the feedback to make the impact increasingly effective. So, maybe one of the bits of learning should be about getting feedback and then knowing what to do to apply it within the context of personal aspiration.

One of the biggest barriers for many is the fear of sharing vulnerabilities and shortcomings. However, it is only by doing so that people see the human side and trust rapidly grows.

There is also something about the development of the environment / culture and managers to encourage and support, and enable this as a separate learning point for a narrower audience.

2. Leadership with others (team / organisation)

Firstly, I think is helpful to state the obvious, i.e. everyone is a leader some of the time. I am thinking of how some people, for whatever reason, only want to follow. Today’s world means we cannot get away with this approach, everyone has some accountability for the team / organisation. In making this point in the past I have found the Leader, Manager, Operator model, expressed by Steve Radcliffe, as the one that can be applied to anyone, no matter their place in the organisation.

Secondly, knowing what needs to be done and who is responsible for what is important; this expresses the specific accountabilities for that task. Alongside that need to be some principles about ways of working so that when the pressure is on people can continue to make valued decisions and actions. And, I have observed decisions made at the lowest possible level achieves the best outcomes. The latter is all about the organisation and its managers helping people create this framework.

In my head then come all the words like collaboration, trust, respect etcetera. I would add negotiating (I know this can be a marmite word — handle with care) as a key skill in that all joint leadership and working requires give and take by all parties.

3. Leadership in the wider circle (system / community)

It requires courage and confidence to step beyond organisational boundaries. Often there are competing objectives and resources. However, the achievements of OTG UK demonstrate what can be done. So, I think you need to look no further than your journey to find some of the answers.

What I think has worked:

a. The visible involvement of senior leaders. This says it is important across the system / community.

b. Inviting people to have their say. Though what would be better is getting input from those for whom this has no resonance; I have no answers to this one!

c. Utilisation of social media.

d. Constant reiteration of vision and purpose, explaining what success will look like.

e. Agile, iterative, systems thinking and action.

f. Leveraging thought leaders, rainmakers, and leaders who have successfully come through previous crises to actively participate.

My last observation is that there is some thinking about leadership for every situation out there in the big wide world, the challenge is finding it. And, now is not the time to invent new thinking. However, in times of crisis, when time and effort are at a premium the key is finding the space to think about one’s leadership, impact and effectiveness. So, if you are able to do no more than create some space for some of the people you will have succeeded.

Lastly, If you think I can contribute more please get in touch. Otherwise I will take a leaf out of Clare Moriarty’s interview who recently said about her retirement: “So I am trying to think about the best way I can be helpful, which may be standing back and being available for people who just want a conversation and to talk through what they’re doing in the leadership of their organisation.”

The author

Mark left school to join the Army and was there for 11 exciting years; this was the start of his fascination for leadership, learning and helping others succeed. This was followed by 16 years in the private sector before becoming a civil servant in 2003 at the Department for Work and Pensions until 2016. He then joined Civil Service Learning and until 2018 worked in the Civil Service Leadership Academy project managing the development and delivery of an innovative immersive learning experience for senior civil servants. He now operates as a consultant.

Mark is particularly passionate about organisations, focusing typically on the leaders, managers and staff, being able to make the most of their potential no matter how small or large their ambitions and responsibilities. This is on the back of a career that has centred around organisation development, leadership and learning and development that is all focused on the achievement of the business ambitions and objectives. To build his experience bank and develop his knowledge and skills his career has also incorporated time as a consultant, in the recruitment and resourcing space and as an HR business partner. He also added to his ability to facilitate the growth of others through the development of his coaching skills and activity.

He can be contacted via LinkedIn or by email: mark@payne.uk.net.