by Richard Nugent
Those of you who know me know that I am not a political animal. This tip is not just about the new Labour Leader, it’s a reminder to us all in leadership positions just how quickly credibility can be gained and lost and how easy it is for us to influence that. I watched with vague interest as the news broke on Saturday teatime that Ed had beaten his big brother in the leadership election. It seems from a distance to be quite an achievement, beating more experienced and arguably more dynamic candidates in what I am sure the Party perceive to be a key election in their recent history.
By the time I got up on Sunday morning, not much more than twelve hours after his victory, Miliband the Younger’s credibility as party leader was being questioned. Having been voted in partly due to his left wing leanings, he was being perceived as immediately reaching out to middle England. This may be a good move politically. However it ignores the number-one thing that we want from leaders. This is the thing that will build or destroy credibility more than anything else. If you have read or heard me speak on leadership before you will know what that is. If not, here it comes!
We want leaders to do what they say on the tin. Some call it honesty, others congruence, others authenticity – others ‘Modelling the Way’. Whatever we refer to it as, doing what we say, walking our talk and being who we say we are is the cornerstone and foundation of leadership credibility.
Just look at this snapshot of evidence: within just twelve hours of victory the leader of Labour’s new generation was being labelled by some as a turncoat. Essentially because of one quote.
A newspaper on Monday actually posed the question that I pose many leaders when I first work with them. It’s a question that many people struggle to answer.
“Who are you?”
Your answer must not be your name. Try spending the next 3 minutes answering just that question. Go on – do it now!
Many of you will have found that a challenge. If so consider this. If the number one thing that people want from their leaders is that they do what they say on the tin, how can you ensure that you do this if you don’t know what the tin says? Only when you can answer this question can you begin to assess how congruent a leader you are.
Miliband has started to lay out what his party is going to move away from before he begins to clarify his vision for the future more clearly. He would be strongly advised to answer that very question for himself.
This Week’s Call to Action
- Answer the question who are you? Limit yourself to three minutes a day considering this and just write what comes first. Over a number of days you will begin to form your leadership identity.
- If you are a senior leader in an organisation or aspire to be, create a specific set of actions or projects. Aim to walk, talk and live and breathe this leadership identity.
- Immediately stop doing anything that contradicts who you are.
- e-mail us for a list of the Top Five things Ed Miliband should do immediately richard@kaizen-training.com
