transitioning leadership

The transition of Prime Minister says a lot I think about leadership, with lessons that can be taken into the world of business.

Even though I’m not a Labour supporter I acknowledge the skills and (with a few exceptions) the positive intent of anyone who puts their heads above the parapet and goes into the cut-throat world of politics. 
Starmer was the right leader at the right time for Labour when they were at their nadir.  He excelled in changing the aspect of culture that had been so toxic to their image.  He had a vision and the support of the ‘Board’ (UK plc) to deliver that vision. 

In any organisation’s life however, they are subject to ‘events’ and circumstances change where the leader is now not succeeding.  And it takes a lot of self-awareness and courage to acknowledge that you are no longer the right person to be in that leadership role.  The organisation needs a different voice, a different skill set.  Succession planning at its peak.

It appears that Burnham had seen the need for change, for a different skill set some time ago and had put in place a plan to enable that to happen.  We are now in a transition phase where the leader, the team, individuals need time to think.

In the relative privacy of a company’s transition that’s difficult.  In the openly public cut-throat political world of social media and carnivorous press it can be almost impossible.  In either case it doesn’t need to be.

Nancy Kline says that the quality of the decision we take is dependent on the quality of the thinking we do.  We need time to think, to gain clarity of purpose and clarity of implementation.  I coach people who are surrounded by a maelstrom of urgency and demand and by shutting out the noise, by constructing a Thinking Environment, they are able to think far more clearly and deeply.  As a result the quality of their decision making improves.

Who, I wonder, is helping Burnham to do that? 

Who is helping you and your organisation to do that?

Let’s deal with the first step.  We talk about thinking inhibitors and enhancers when training people in the Thinking Environment. As a leader have you identified what inhibits or enhances your thinking?  What practical, emotional, intellectual stimuli either negates or encourages thought?  And then, when you’ve identified it, what will you do differently that enables you to think more clearly, to have time to think?
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Take it another step.  Ask your colleagues the question.  Support them in making the changes that will enable them to improve their thinking.  You’ll see a difference and start to appreciate how learning about and introducing a Thinking Environment can make a profound difference to your organisation.