If you want these 4 things, I’m not the leadership provider for you

Let’s face it: the leadership development market is saturated, and you have more than enough options when choosing a provider.

Choice is not the issue; the right criteria to make this choice is.

From my experience, the number one factor that drives impactful outcomes when an organisation selects a partner is the alignment of leadership philosophies.

When both share the same beliefs about leadership, a new level of synergy is unlocked.

This alignment is often referred to as ‘fit’, whereby organisations assess whether a provider’s style is a good fit with their culture and leaders.

Delve below the surface

If you picture an iceberg, ‘fit’ and style hover around the waterline, based on tangible (or visible) and intangible (invisible) factors that can lead to a partnership just feeling ‘right’.

On the other hand, decisions based on tip-of-the-iceberg factors like affordability, availability and even approach can result in a more transactional relationship between organisation and provider. While these factors may reflect genuine requirements and constraints, they have less bearing on ‘fit’, which is more influenced by what sits below the waterline.

This brings us back to the alignment of philosophies and beliefs about leadership.

One way to delve below the surface and promote the strongest ‘fit’ is to directly ask potential providers what their leadership philosophy is or invite them to name their three core beliefs about developing leaders.

Naturally, this will only work if you have already identified what yours are.

What I stand for and believe about leadership development

I’ve been experimenting with being much more direct about what I stand for and believe about leadership development. I appreciate that this may attract organisations with similar beliefs while putting those with different views off – and that’s OK!

An ideal fit is out there for every organisation, and I see it as my job to help you work out as quickly and effectively as possible, whether that is with me.

So, here goes. I am not the right partner for you if you are looking for leadership development that is:

X “Smart”

I bring robust, psychology-backed thinking to the table but never try to be the smartest person in the room. While I’m creative, I’m unabashedly practical and believe that the worth of any idea, model, or approach is measured by how much it’s used.

X “Select”

I have yet to witness an organisation achieve systemic change through selective development. Instead, I believe leadership development needs to be ‘all-in’ rather than a special experience for a special few. Otherwise, what are leadership standards for, if not expecting or enabling everyone to uphold them?

X “Serious”

Yes, leadership is both a privilege and responsibility, but this doesn’t mean leaders have to take themselves too seriously while doing it or that they can’t have fun while getting better at it. I believe achieving this without resorting to ‘edutainment’ is also possible.

X “Showy”

Bells and whistles don’t change behaviour. From my experience, shiny solutions often overlook the drivers that can make a real difference – focus, repetition, reinforcement, and sticking with an approach long enough to embed it. I believe in grounded, down-to-earth experiences delivered with fresh energy, leaving the fads and fancy stuff to others.

What this all means…

If volunteering my leadership beliefs has convinced you that I’m not the leadership development partner for your organisation, I wish you well and am happy to recommend others. On the other hand, if these resonate with you, I’m glad to be on your radar and look forward to our paths potentially crossing.