Kevin and Pim - Leadership Lessons
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:02AM So it's been a tumultuous few days in Australian leadership circles. Kevin is now Julia and Pim is no more.
Neither leader, was as effective as they wanted to be or will be remembered as particularly successful - even if they were, it's all about perception. Pim will be remembered for some out of character decisions leading to a hammering by Germany and Kevin will be remembered for maybe saving us from the worst of the GFC, some expensive classrooms and trying really hard to make significant social change. It's frustrating that neither leader was able to successfully implement their vision.
So I wonder what they could have done differently and what lessons are there for all of us? The following thoughts are based on media reports.
Kevin
Media told us that Kevin's staff worked massively long hours and turned over at an alarming rate. It was also said that he didn't really have a cabinet as his level of consultation with them was so low. He told them what to do and disowned the result when it wasn't great.
Lesson - You can't do it all on your own
Solution - Consult then Inspire then Delegate then Coach to a successful result.
Pim
Pim would have been held in high regard had the socceroos qualified for the next round but his tactics against the German's were flawed in that he appeared to have no plan B. Plan A (according to a well known team member's perception) was to hold the Germans until 30 minutes to go then throw on Harry, Mark and Brett and get a goal. The German's scored early and there was no plan B, Australia lost 4-0 and we went out on goal difference.
Lesson - Don't lose control of the outcome by having a plan that can be controlled by other parties.
Solution - Explain Plan A so it can be executed successfully. Design and explain Plan B so it can be switched to easily if need be. Alternatively do the Kevin solution and involve your team in designing Plan A and Plan B.
Teams who are involved in designing Plans A and B implement them with inspiration and gusto!
Actions
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Kindest Regards,
Adrian
Reader Comments (4)
Dear Adrian,
I think your observations about KR are spot-on, as far as what the media industry has reported goes. I don't know enough about Pim's performance to comment.
I would add that taking an "industry perspective" as the basis for identifying the "firms perspective" (Competitive Advantage)so as to align the individuals realisitic opportunities is the starting point. Such "cultral alignment" saves a lot of hypothetical expectation, as it is an outside-inside perspective and therefore by definition more anchored to observable, measurebale realtities. Had Kevin done that, he wouldn't have - for example imagined that a $200m PA pink-bat industry could suddenly become a $2billion PA industry in one year. Anyone with a mocum of business experience should have told him that - which tells you a lot about the calibre of people in the "team", who remain in government. Innocent people have died as a result of him and his labour colleagues sucking and spraying only the froth from this reality. Could there be a worse tag than the prime minister that devised a stimulus package that lead to the deaths of average young Australian's? Well that's the truth, lest we forget.
Keep up the good work!
Damon
Dear Damon
Congratulations for being on the dance floor - (see today's new post)
Regards
Adrian
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