1. Charity Talk - Successful Leadership
Camila Batmanghelidjh, Chief Executive, Kids Company
Ruth Lesirge, Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness
Chair: Professor Ian Bruce

2. How can we make the most of learning from our exceptional leaders?
The Question….
How can we make the most of learning from our exceptional leaders?
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

3. Leading Kids Company Integrative approach
‘emotional vocational leadership’
spiritually driven
No compromises re ethics and principles
Total focus is on the children
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

4. Leading Kids Company Motivated and committed workforce
Resulting characteristics of the organisation:
Motivated and committed workforce
High initial investment in staff training & quality provision
Fluid organisational structure
Holistic approach – to physical, intellectual, emotional needs
Working from practice to create theoretical understandings
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

5. A Definition of leadership
“Consistently achieving results beyond expectations by creating a climate in which others can shine” *
Applies to leadership in an organisation
Applies to leader at any level within an organisation
Assumes leader’s motives are honourable (excludes tyrannical leaders)
‘ Expectations’ – of team members, the organisation, stakeholders
‘Others’ primarily team members, also colleagues,external partners etc
‘ Creating a climate…’ ref. Complete Leadership, S. Bloch & P. Whiteley)
* Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

6. A Definition of leadership
“Consistently achieving results beyond expectations by creating a climate in which others can shine” *
Key actions required to make this happen:
Build trust
Demonstrate courage
Challenge
Provide focus
Communicate effectively *
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

7. Thinking about learning from Camila’s leadership …
Theoretical models of leadership are helpful in encapsulating aspects of skills, knowledge and behaviours.
Each model offers only a partial view – as through one turn of the kaleidoscope.
Useful to inform thinking about and learning from Camila’s leadership style
Come on the journey with me as far as I have got……
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

8. PETER DRUCKER: What makes an effective executive?
Regardless of their style, effective executives…..
Ask “what needs to be done?”
Ask “what is right for the enterprise?”
Develop action plans
Take responsibility for decisions
Take responsibility for communicating
Focus on opportunities rather than problems
Run productive meetings
Say and think “we” rather than “I”
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

9. JAMES KOUZES & BARRY POSNER : Exemplary Leadership
5 practices:
1 MODEL the way
INSPIRE a shared vision
3 CHALLENGE the process
4 ENABLE others to act
ENCOURAGE the heart
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

10. WARREN BENNIS : Four leadership competencies
1 Management of attention – does not waste time
Management of meaning – makes things intelligible and tangible
Management of trust – people know what the leader believes and stands for
Management of self – knows own skills (& weaknesses); deploys them effectively
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

11. JOHN ADAIR : action centred leadership
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

12. R. GOFFEE & G. JONES: 4 qualities of inspirational leaders
Selectively show their weaknesses
Rely on intuition re appropriate timing and course of actions (aided by ability to collect & interpret soft data)
Manage staff with tough empathy; care intensely about the work staff do
Reveal their difference and capitalise on it
NB. What is special is ability to capture ‘hearts and minds’, not just grow the business
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

13. The 4 Quadrant model of leadership
Charismatic
Enabler
More Less
codified codified
controls controls
Systematic
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

14. The 4 Quadrant model of leadership
The model suggests:
The more charismatic the leadership style, the less codified controls are likely to be
Autonomy for key people in the organisation
A high level of delegation to the CE by the Board
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008

15. Learning from exceptional leaders
There are endless variations of how people lead
There are skills, knowledge and behaviours that leaders can learn and/or improve
It is essential to ‘live’ the core values
Emotional intelligence is an important attribute
Ruth Lesirge December 2008

16. So what….? Our ambition should be to : Recognise their gifts
Celebrate their achievements
Be generous about their shortcomings
Not to copy but to learn from their work
Work out how to craft a personal leadership style which has personal authenticity
Ruth Lesirge, December 2008