The study of leadership is ancient, as old as Greek philosophy and the earliest Hindu, Daoist, and Confucian scriptures. In contrast, the study of management is new, beginning shortly after the advent of the industrial revolution. But ever since, the study of management has proliferated like wildfire, eclipsing the study of leadership by orders of magnitude in frequency and reach. Naturally this raises the question as to whether the subjects are substantively different rather than different words for the same thing.
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The Four-V Model of Ethical Leadership
When it comes to leadership development models, one thing’s for sure: there’s no shortage. We have the great man, behavioral, situational, transactional, transformational, transforming, diamond, authentic, principled, adaptive, directive, supportive, group-centered, team-based, participative, servant and, let us never forget—the one-minute!
Many of these models broach the subject of ethics in leadership.1,2,3 Usually it’s relegated to a subsection of the related book or article, sometimes a chapter. The Four-V Model of Ethical Leadership is different in this regard. Ethics is not an aspect of the model. It’s the whole enchilada, the model’s ends and its means. According to the Four-V model, ethics is the sine qua non of leadership, and an unethical leader is a contradiction in terms.
Read MoreStrategic Change Management Principles to Consider
Some of our clients have found it beneficial to approach strategic change as a process guided by proven behavioral principles rather than fancy or faddish models. These principles aren’t merely pet theories of ours. Rather, they derive from research in management best practices and social psychology, and have proven valid in our practice and in the experience of other management and organizational consultants.
Read MoreAssessing an Executive’s Readiness for Executive Coaching
Not every executive or leader is well suited for executive coaching. What’s more, no amount of time or money spent on coaching is likely to benefit someone who lacks the intrinsic desire or extrinsic support for growth and change. This is why it’s important to evaluate the executive’s readiness before deciding coaching is the right performance-improvement method for her or him. Here are some things to consider:
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