Michael Massey discusses the alarming indictment on leadership within UK organisations highlighted in the recent DTI/CMI report and how the problem should be addressed.

The recent DTI / Chartered Management Institute report “ Inspired Leadership – an insight into people who inspire exceptional performance” is, in its own words, “an alarming indictment on leadership within UK organisations”.

It reported that managers wanted to see a genuine shared vision (79%), a real confidence and trust in teams (77%), and respect for employees, colleagues and customers (73%). Alarmingly, it found that less that 40% believe their leaders demonstrate these attitudes.

Hardly a surprise that the report also found that the single most important factor managers want to see in their leaders is inspiration, but a mere 10% say their leaders inspire them. They felt that their leaders were ‘locked in an ivory tower’ - 6 out of 10 say their leaders are out of touch with how staff feel: that they had a ‘short-sighted approach’ - only 38% said that their leaders shared their vision of where the organisation was heading: that it was ‘all work and no play’ - less than half (48%) said there was a good ‘buzz’ at work, and that the boss held a ‘tight grip on the reins’ – so much so that 90% of respondents claimed that their boss didn’t trust them.

The report paints a bleak picture of leadership in UK organisations. It bears out much of my own experience of the growth of a ‘detached leadership’ culture which has emerged in a number of organisations turning them into organisations people would rather not work for. Recruiting and retaining talent has become a serious problem. Typically, leaders appear ‘too busy’ to share their vision. They pay scant attention to leadership development, show little genuine interest in making any form of connection with their employees, take them for granted and lead by power of position - if what they do can be described as leadership. Exceptional performance is something these organisations can only dream about.

In today’s climate where leadership is more about persuasion and consent rather than command and control and where the workforce is ‘more diverse, informed and sophisticated than ever before’, as the report correctly points out, leaders need to wake up to the fact that the key to achieving exceptional performance is entirely in their hands. A workforce only under-performs because it is uninspired, unloved and under-motivated - in other words because it is badly led or not properly led. What is required is a breed of new leaders. Leaders who are self-aware, competent self-managers and who are skilled in the art of relationship – in other words Emotionally Intelligent leaders.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) unlike IQ can be learned and developed. Studies have shown that EQ is twice as important as IQ when it comes to achieving leadership success. Emotional Intelligence is based on a new understanding of neurology and of brain function. For the first time in human history we have new insights into human abilities and behaviours. The implications for personal development and for business are profound. Now that we are able to understand our behaviours and have ways of making successful change, we can transform the way we work and become more effective at meeting today’s exacting challenges and achieve success in this world of relentless change that we now all inhabit.

As the report so clearly shows, the problems that are preventing exceptional performance are all human issues, issues that can all be successfully addressed by emotionally competent leadership.
Leaders who are emotionally competent hold the key to exceptional performance. Organisations that invest in Emotional Intelligence training and that foster an emotionally intelligent culture, create an environment people want to be a part of and where they are willing to give of their best.
An investment in Emotional Intelligence training is an investment in a better, more effective future where exceptional performance is likely to be the norm, not the exception - something no organisation can afford to ignore.


Michael Massey is the head of EQ Leadership Solutions (EQLS) and author of ‘The Knowledge – How to be an Effective and Emotionally Intelligent Leader.’ www.michaelmassey.co.uk

©CopyrightMichaelMassey 2004