Ali Tocker: The talent is there - but it needs to be nurtured

Senior management teams create the tone and culture for the rest of the organisation and ultimately drive its path to success. But great teams don't just happen - they are developed by insightful and committed leaders.

While many leaders don't spend enough time clarifying their own strengths along with a vision for the team, those who get it right can create a lifelong legacy for those they lead.

Often achieving a leadership role is driven by an ambition to achieve greatness, but leaders should understand their role is not to be great themselves - they've already proven that in achieving the position - but to develop greatness in others. This comes from a leader's own self awareness coupled with an ability to understand others and the environment they are working in.

Thus, IQ and technical expertise are only a small part of what matters. Great leaders have high levels of EQ, motivation, a willingness to keep learning, a structured and relevant career path, discipline and - importantly - respect for others.

This transition into a great leader is a challenge for some. It takes time and focus - we all know the great technical expert who turned out to be a hopeless manager of others.

One organisation I work with has had a very stable senior management team (SMT) for the past eight years and has a succession planning policy in place to ensure it remains this way. Their leader is trusted and trusting, setting an excellent example for everyone in the organisation and beyond. This leader is also humble and optimistic.

On the other side of the coin, I know of an SMT which trusts no one. Their meetings are toxic and unproductive and the culture of the organisation is described as "challenging". The high staff turnover and incidence of absenteeism and illness are symptoms of a sick organisation.

Is this type of situation fixable? Yes, but not easily. When the CEO operates a deficit-based organisation the change needed is profound and fundamental. It requires leadership based on vision and integrity and the leaders must live their vision, not just talk about it.

As research suggests, New Zealand is facing a shortage of leaders, with a gap developing as a generation of older males move from leadership roles to retirement. However New Zealand has many undiscovered stars here, right now, waiting to be mined. If we can encourage talent overseas to return that would be a bonus too, but we also should be looking to recent immigrants. Our world is increasingly multi-cultural and these people are highly qualified and experienced and have much to offer New Zealand's organisations.

New Zealand should also look to iwi for new leadership as the resolution of Treaty claims encourages Maori to take their rightful place in leading this country.

The challenge therefore is in being able to attract these talented individuals - including those overseas - and to retain them long enough to deliver value to everyone and then to help people leave at the right time.

The other challenge is to change our to be nurturedfocus on leadership, not compliance. In New Zealand, we have become very good at managing things, not leading people and compliance has stifled innovation and leadership. The upcoming generation needs to learn faster than the baby boomers to keep pace with the fast-moving world where they don't have time to learn by osmosis. Gen X and Y expect quality feedback and they rarely get it.

The current environment presents major challenges and the right skills are not always around the table. With the emphasis on value for money and productivity, different strategies and measures are required and the financial literacy of many senior leaders is often inadequate, while the voice of experienced accountants is not given sufficient air time at the top table.

Ultimately, effective teams come with effective leaders and developing this requires a planned approach. The research is very clear when it comes to leadership: while some people have inherent traits that give them an advantage, most of the key leadership skills can and must be learned.

I have just returned from a leadership programme at Weatherhead Management School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Their academics are world leaders in leadership research and practice. Leadership is like any other competency - it needs hard work and practice.

Leadership is different from management - which is where it has such value in team development - as it's about bringing the out the best in others through being interested in them as people, being optimistic and hopeful and not thinking you have all the answers. Not an easy transition in a country where we value people for their ability to do things themselves rather than inspire others to deliver.

Ali Tocker is director of Tocker Associates, an NZ-based consultancy with partners in Australia that works with leaders, teams and organisations to optimise effectiveness.

www.tocker.net.nz