News and Views from the world of The Gill Payne Partnership Ltd

24/01/2008 - It's gonna hurt! (and it doesn't have to)

For several years now our business news stories kept mentioning 'recession coming, recession coming' like some kind of foreboding plague.

Now we hear that it has arrived and that it is going to hurt.

Yes it will hurt many, especially those businesses where little consideration has been given to the 'what if' scenarios where they chose the 'slash and burn' model of coping - "let's just sack those we don't want and ride it out" - nice people to work for, eh?

'Every cloud has a silver lining' and now is no different. Many business will struggle and many will thrive and they will do this because they considered the 'what ifs'.

The depth and breadth of the skills of the people will be at the core of all the businesses that thrive (not just survive) during the next year or three. These skills will allow these businesses to adapt, alter, flex, improve and compete during this next tough business period.

Ensuring that your people are competent and have not just the right skills but a breadth of the right skills is going to prove most important in the coming year.

One type of person will shine through more than others now - the Leader.

Leadership is different from management. It differs in many ways especially the relationships with the people of the business. Managers have staff and leaders have followers.

I was once asked the question, "Gary, so how do I become a leader?" I gave a reply I heard somewhere else, "Wrong question, the question you should ask is 'how do I attract followers?'"

There are many models of 'leadership' out there and until now, there have been very few serious methods for measuring Leadership, either in an individual or within the organisation.

This is all about to change though.

For many years we have offered the Thomas International Personal Profile Analysis to our clients - with or without feedback. We have used this in conjunction with the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument to great effect in our leadership and management programmes, helping the delegates to understand themselves first before understanding and leading others.

A year ago, we started to offer the Thomas International PPA online not just for our business clients but also individuals through our Learning and Development Online Store (www.gppstore.co.uk).

The PPA can include Management and Sales audits, job compatibility reports, etc. Many individuals are using the PPA because they are going for interview and they want to know what they now.

Until now, there has been no real way to truly identify 'Leadership' in a person and map it to the Leadership Style required in an organisation for different situations.

So now, at a time of potential depression, just when real leaders are needed, the times are getting exciting!

AQR have been working with the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) for some time, seeking a definitive leadership measurement model.

After much research, testing and validation by AQR and the ILM under the guidance of Dr Peter Clough, Head of Psychology at Hull University, this new tool will shortly be launched and we will be adopting it and offering it to you - our clients.

The key features of ILM72 - the Integrated Leadership Measure are:

• The world's first integrated measure of Leadership Style;
• Relates to all major leadership models;
• Measures 6 specific scales and 3 global factors;
• Efficient online format - takes less than 15 minutes;
• Generates 5 reports;
• Uses everyday language - accessible to all;
• Enables coaching and personal development;
• Organisational development applications;
• Reliable and valid;

If you want to now more about the ILM72 or how you can stay ahead of the competition over the coming year, contact me, Gary Payne, and I will come to you to discuss how you can ensure that effectiveness of your people, managers and leaders.

And hey, in the coming months remember one of my favourite sayings, "Keep you face to the Sun and you will never have to see the shadows!"

Cheers all

Gary Payne

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Author: Gary Payne, The Gill Payne Partnership Ltd