Many employees dream of being promoted to the corner office and being a key part of the organisation’s success. In fact, few will decline an opportunity to journey there. Seasoned leaders can however attest to the reality that managing people is often the hardest part of their role and that there seems to be an abundance of examples of new leaders who are unable to reach the goals they set for themselves and their teams.
More than a third of SA citizens are millennials. Add to this the perspectives from a recent study about millennials in South Africa: almost 50% of the participants indicated that mentoring others is the most attractive aspect of leadership, and nearly 60% seek traditional management-track corporate careers (Universum South Africa). This means that young people are taking up leadership positions at an accelerated rate. However, as a Harvard Business Review article points out, between 20% and 40% of new leaders fail in their new roles. Dr Renate Scherrer, Managing Director of JvR Consulting, says the two main reasons for failure on the individual leader’s side is the lack of certain requisite skills and the presence of certain “undesirable” characteristics. “However, one will not only look to the individual for reasons, since a leader never fails in isolation. One also needs to consider the contribution the organisation made and the support it offered or did not offer.” Matching company requirements and individual aspirations It seems like organisations are often very good at appointing exactly the type of leaders they vow to avoid, those individuals who end up being the company’s Achilles heel. Future-fit organisations are also less hierarchical and offer fewer traditional career paths where the assumed way to self-actualisation and growth is to climb the corporate ladder. It is therefore becoming even more critical to appoint the right people into leadership. In order to do this, organisations need to map the basic requirements of the organisation. They need to be clear about the core components of their people strategy, what skills are needed to meet the organisational objectives, and align people decisions to this. Further to this, organisations have to measure current and future talent against these criteria and drill deeper than surface characteristics such as charisma, social skill and self-confidence to determine leadership suitability. Lastly, organisations need to then mobilise identified individuals to make strategic career decisions aligned to their own core values and strengths, and in line with the organisational intent. Promote to fail Scherrer says in many instances there is not enough time spent on the preparation phase of the new leader. They are simply put into the role and expected to know what to do. “Companies are not mindful enough to ensure that people, especially given the number of millennials in the workforce, are equipped for the roles they are chosen for.” Many people are still being promoted because they have a specialised skill and can deliver on key requirements. However, being promoted into a leadership position changes the rules of the game, especially with modern day requirements of needing to lead, connect and enable virtual teams to perform under increased pressure and stress. It then becomes the classic reality of “what got you here, will not get you there”, and critically important to also “manage” those undesirable dark side characteristics that may negatively impact leadership effectiveness. These characteristics typically manifest during times of stress and uncertainty. Accelerated and continuous development Once there is an awareness of certain shortcomings, development becomes a key requirement. Struggling and new leaders must be equipped with a personalised development plan – i.e. some people may benefit from coaching or mentoring, others from job rotation or formal coursesClear and structured development plans to which people are held accountable is a key requirement in this process. “Progress against the plan has to be carefully measured. There has to be a baseline and frequent and continuous assessment of progress, as well as brutally honest feedback.” By doing nothing to support new leaders, the company is doing something. It is setting them up for failure. It will cost them dearly. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With its head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group
0 Comments
The recent behaviour of leaders in the private and public sectors greatly harmed the already unsteady foundation of trust that South African citizens have in those who claim to have their best interests at heart. Suddenly it is not only government that can be blamed for the state of affairs.
In fact, several corporate entities have also gained first-hand experience of the devastating impact of what Warren Buffet positioned as: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.". South Africans feel betrayed, deceived and manipulated like never before by those walking in front. When one analyses this more closely, it is clear that some of these leaders displayed narcissistic characteristics by being self-promoting, having a sense of entitlement and not owning up to and taking responsibility for their role in authorising poor or unethical decisions. The Tarzan leaders Renate Scherrer‚ MD of JvR Consulting Psychologists, says many narcissists are charming and seem visionary, but they also have a false sense of importance and are self-serving and entitled. It does not take long before the trust people have in a leader, who is overly preoccupied with him- or herself and their own interests, disappears. “They never own up to mistakes, never apologise, are quick to blame others and to praise themselves. In fact, such a person does not shy away from taking the credit even though it is not due.” When things are running smoothly their language is lavishly sprinkled with “Me” and “I”, but when problems arise the conversation becomes a finger-pointing exercise of “You” and “Them”. This Tarzan-like behaviour (declaring himself the king of the jungle) is however often a mask or persona to compensate for a deep sense of insecurity. The Humble leaders Scherrer says mature leaders have a large dose of humility. They do not put themselves above what needs to be done. President Cyril Ramaphosa eloquently demonstrated some of this when he referred to the words of the Hugh Masekela song, Thuma Mina (Send Me). “A humble leader takes responsibility for his actions, admits when he has made a mistake, and does not only focus on his own interests,” says Scherrer. In fact, a humble leader looks to himself first when trying to understand when things go wrong, but reflects on the actions of others when credit is due. Humble leaders do not abuse authority and are willing to serve others first. Their language has phrases such as “We” and “Us” and they insist on honest and direct conversations with clear commitments to a shared vision. Former president Nelson Mandela remains an impeccable example of a humble leader. He is quoted as saying that “there is nothing to popularize a person. Only humility, which is the ability to remain in the background and to put others in the front light”. The Complex leaders South Africa requires “complex” leaders who are Competent; innOvative; Mature; emPathetic; ethicaL; connEcted and fleXible. True complex leaders have an acute awareness of their limitations and do not try to disguise it for the benefit of the audience. They realise that ignoring their own weaknesses will lead to inevitable failure. In the VUCA-world we live in, the complex leader will ensure organisations and state entities answer volatility with vision; uncertainty with understanding; complexity with clarity; and ambiguity with agility. Getting it right According to Scherrer it is difficult to rebuild trust in an organisation or state entity if the leader displays narcissistic tendencies. Trust is based on integrity and strengthened when leaders admit and take ownership of mistakes, something narcissists do not even contemplate doing. Therefore, it is necessary to get it right from the start. “When appointing people, make sure the charisma is not narcissism in disguise. It is essential to implement a scientific selection process and validate references,” says Scherrer. Listen for clues in the examples used in interviews, and to what extent organisational achievements and success are attributed to the self. She adds that when people are promoted from within the ranks it is critical to continuously evaluate performance in an objective manner and not fall into the trap of ignoring the “red flags” that are inevitably already visible, even if perhaps well managed. Having more power will expose true character, so if someone is already entitled, self-centred and arrogant when they are supposed to follow, don’t be fooled to think it will become less when they lead. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group Technological innovation has triggered a new trend internationally – the need for large companies to become more “entrepreneurial”.
Dr Gorkan Ahmetoglu, co-founder of Meta Profiling and lecturer in business psychology at the University College of London, says although many companies talk about “incorporating new technologies”, they are in fact doing nothing at all. The reason is that people are not sure what to do or they are too comfortable. However, there will be an incremental move towards innovation and creating entrepreneurial ecosystems. “Companies no longer have an option. It is now the stick rather than the carrot,” he said at a breakfast hosted by JvR Africa Group in Johannesburg. Many companies are “almost panicking” about all the new technology needed to remain relevant and competitive. He refers to data which indicate that 50 years ago the average lifespan of a company in the S&P 500 Index was 60 years. Today it is 12 years. “In 10 years’ time most of the companies listed on the Index will be companies we have never heard of,” says Ahmetoglu. Disruptive technology Innovation has changed the way we do things. It has changed business models. The world now talks about the gig economy, the on-demand economy and the sharing economy. In the gig economy organizations often contract with independent workers on shorter term contracts. The on demand economy is enabled by the rating economy – everyone is rated like products – Uber drivers rate you and you rate them. We will have on-demand managers, lawyers and even doctors and they will be chosen because of their ratings – mainly by total strangers. In the US there is the concept of rating your professors on overall quality, helpfulness, clarity and “hotness”. The internet has made it easier for people who have usable assets such as cars (Uber) and property (Airbnb) and those who want to use it, to find each other. This economy is also referred to as collaborative consumption and collaborative economy. Entrepreneurial talent Ahmetoglu says for a company to become entrepreneurial it needs to identify the entrepreneurial talent within the organisation. Meta Profiling has done more than 100 empirical studies to identify the key characteristics of entrepreneurial talent. It includes:
Ahmetoglu says bureaucratic cultures in an organisation lead to the disengagement or loss of entrepreneurial individuals. Entrepreneurial ecosystem He warns against the “over romanticising” of entrepreneurship. He says when there is growth in the number of “start-ups” in a country, it is a sure sign there is something wrong with the economy. The key is to optimise entrepreneurship and innovation within companies. Leadership needs to promote an innovative culture, there has to be mechanisms to test ideas, decision-making cannot take forever, managers must be able to implement innovative ideas, and all good ideas must be rewarded, not only the ones that made the money, but also the ones that did not. Optimise entrepreneurship Ahmetoglu says the “rule of thumb” is to have people who will come up with good ideas. Their ability to use information to connect the dots will assist with predicting consumer demands. No matter how innovative people are, they still need the tools and encouragement to implement the ideas. “Innovation is also relative and contextual to a particular company – it is not general and absolute. The main factor is to analyse your competitors and recognise what it is, that you have to be a little better at.” Invaluable benefits Dr Jopie de Beer, CEO of the JvR Africa Group, says many large corporates employ entrepreneurial talent. The trick is to identify and nurture them. Having a mix of entrepreneurial talent in the organisation can provide invaluable benefits with regards to staying abreast with technological and other innovations. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consist of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group Author: Dr Renate Scherrer‚ MD of JvR Consulting Psychologists There is consensus that ‘a day in the life of’ tomorrow’s leaders will be significantly different from today. The broad future trends such as globalisation, virtualisation, digitisation and automation of organisations are literally transforming the nature of jobs. At the same time a progressively diverse workforce is also adding challenges, as well as benefits, to the leadership task of effectively integrating and spearheading teams that are multi-generational, increasingly educated up to tertiary level, and likely working off-site. Out with the old The impact of these future requirements will be acutely experienced at the individual and organisational levels. Organisations will have to rethink, redesign and reposition anything from organisational structure, to work processes, to talent strategies. Traditional selection or succession processes will no longer be effective when only yielding a list of potential candidates to be placed into specific well-defined roles. Future leaders will have to tick a few essential boxes that will enable a good measure of success across a variety of roles in the ever-changing and shifting organisational landscape. This is where the complex leader steps up to the challenge of being adaptable and resilient, ready to face the challenges ahead and doing so whilst empowering their people and doing the right thing. Complex leadership can be unpacked as being COMPETENT, INNOVATIVE; MATURE; EMPATHETIC; ETHICAL; CONNECTED and FLEXIBLE. The complex leader will have to help organisations answer volatility with vision; uncertainty with understanding; complexity with clarity; and ambiguity with agility (VUCA). How to find and cultivate complex leaders Proper selection and development is paramount. However, more than ever before, these procedures need to be holistic and technologically enabled, as well as informed by science and predictive analytics to assist in making effective real-time decisions with a future-focused perspective. The good news is that there are numerous excellent and scientifically sound psychometric assessments available, as well as a growing body of knowledge on transformed leader development strategies that will cater to the requirements of discerning future leaders. Organisations will benefit from implementing an end-to-end process that includes the following core and recurring steps:
What should aspiring leaders do? The demand for leadership development is no longer a ‘nice to have’. In the next decade, aspiring millennials will increasingly take on the daunting task of becoming inspiring leaders. With more than a third of South Africa’s citizens being millennials, the upcoming leadership generation will need to cope with the complexity of leading boldly into the future without the benefit of years of experience and exposure in preparation. They will need to have or grow ‘bigger’ hearts and minds on the go as part of a lifelong learning experience. They will have to future-proof themselves through being open to continuous learning, to question and explore, to experience and innovate. True complex leaders are by no means perfect and without fault. Somewhat like the centuries-old Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with powdered gold lacquer – Kintsugi – complex leaders embrace their fault lines and continuously work at repairing it. Because the leader’s unique history and flaws are not hidden and disguised, followers are also authorised to find new meaning in who they truly are and, in the process, become more resilient. John Maxwell said: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Against the future backdrop it seems that the successful leader of tomorrow will be the one who, even though they do not know the way, are willing to make the way and guide others to find and achieve their purpose, embrace their vulnerabilities and celebrate who they truly are. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group A recent report released by the research department of JvR Africa Group, consisting of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy and JvR Safety, highlights the critical role that the youth can play in driving economic change and development.
It is clear that one of Africa’s prevalent challenges is also a source of immense opportunity – its people. Africa is home to the youngest population on the globe, where 200 million people are between the ages of 15 to 24 years. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that about 77.6% of South Africa’s population are below the age of 35 years. As UNFPA’s Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, stated: “Never before have there been so many young people. Never again is there likely to be such potential for economic and social progress.” Unemployment This abundant youth population can be the key that unlocks Africa’s economic potential, yet at present 60% of Africa’s youth population are unemployed. Further, if we consider those individuals who are employed, but who are receiving low pay, no benefits and few advancement prospects, this statistic becomes even more alarming. In the world’s least developed countries, every year around 15 million young people enter the labour market, whereby the large majority of them are faced with the reality of unemployment, underemployment, or vulnerable employment. This is substantiated by UNFPA, claiming that economic power tends to be the lowest amongst the youth population. A primary reason could result from a lack of education. In 2011, 64 million adolescents around the world did not attend secondary school, of which 21-million of these individuals lived in Sub-Saharan Africa. If this delicate matter is not adequately addressed, by 2050 Africa’s population is estimated to double in size to approximately 2.4 billion people, and the world's largest working-age population will remain economically stagnant. The solution A re-inventing and shift in youth development focus is therefore essential if Africa is to move to a socially and economically prosperous state. But how can Africa move forward and adequately address this current reality? The answer is a simple one, but it requires tremendous effort from government, leaders, philanthropists, and initiatives across the continent. There needs to be a deliberate and conscientious attempt to create and harness entrepreneurism. By promoting entrepreneurial initiatives, this will in turn generate millions of new jobs for the expanding workforce. With ‘strength in numbers’ a positive impact can be achieved, bringing with it transformative and sustained growth throughout Africa for Africans. With the correct policies and investments in place, along with sustained engagement and enthusiasm, the largest generation of young people in human history can become the problem-solving producers, creators, change agents, and leaders of the coming decades. Identifying entrepreneurs The JvR Africa Group has long recognised the impact that entrepreneurs have on society and the economy. Without the creation of small businesses in Africa, an even larger proportion of people would be unemployed. Yet, for a business to be sustainable, Africa needs to look beyond the external barriers and focus on the people aspects behind the business. Identifying individuals with entrepreneurial potential is critical, since it has been widely confirmed that there are measurable individual differences in entrepreneurial talent, such that some individuals are more successful in entrepreneurial ventures than are others. The Measure of Entrepreneurial Tendencies and Abilities (META) is one such tool able to assess an individual’s entrepreneurial potential. It taps into the likelihood of an individual becoming an entrepreneur who innovates and creates jobs. According to the META, the essence of a successful business relies on four foundational characteristics possessed by entrepreneurs, including a combination of creativity, opportunism, proactivity, and vision. On a knife’s edge In order to achieve measurable progress in Africa, entrepreneurialism is imperative. Since economic development in Africa is on a knife edge, the next few years mark a quintessential period for Africa to take advantage of and invest in the human capital so abundantly available. African entrepreneurs are needed to construct globally competitive value adding businesses that create employment, spread wealth, and address intractable social challenges. By cultivating entrepreneurial opportunities for young Africans, both society and the economy can thrive. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group South Africa faces a potential increase in the number of people who find it acceptable to act in an unethical way. A recent survey on business ethics saw an increase in the number of people who observed misconduct from 16% to 25%. However, almost half the number of people who witnessed the conduct did not report it.
Dr Renate Scherrer, MD of JvR Consulting Psychologists, says “good people” can make “poor ethical decisions”. Her firm is part of the JvR Africa Group of companies, and focuses on human assessment and development. She says good people are upstanding citizens with a strong value set, who do not have any intent to defraud or harm anyone. Conforming to the norm She says in an environment where unethical behaviour is almost “rewarded” people tend to conform to the norm. They fear losing their jobs and then start rationalising why they too, make poor ethical decisions. In South Africa people constantly have to adapt to change and they are almost daily fighting for survival. In such an environment good people may succumb to external pressure and act in a way that is counter to the way they truly are. Unrealistic targets People may also find themselves in a position where the targets set by management is clearly unrealistic. Many then find creative ways, or they take shortcuts, to achieve these targets. This conduct, in the long term, will be harmful to the company and even to its customers or stakeholders. “If the example is set by the leaders of an organisation, it becomes very difficult for the underlings to object to it. They then tend to rather follow the leaders.” Scherrer says people who find themselves in an environment where they are constantly forced to make “poor ethical decisions” must seek help. “Discuss your ethical dilemma with someone you trust. It does not have to be someone within the company, if it is the norm to make poor ethical decisions.” Leaders have the responsibility to continuously remind employees of what is considered “unethical decisions”. It is vital to have a whistle blowing policy for people who observe unethical conduct to report it. “Talk about the values of the company. It is crucial to have systems and processes in place which aims at improving and rewarding ethical behaviour.” Lack of accountability In many instances unethical behaviour spreads like a cancer, because of a lack of accountability. Scherrer says there has to be “personal consequences” for acting in an unethical manner. The link between the harm done and an unethical decision must be clear for all to see. An environment where there are no consequences it leads to resentment and even to disillusionment with the system. If people see there are consequences to poor ethical decisions, they will be more likely to report behaviour that is unacceptable. However, they may feel vulnerable and exposed when no action is taken. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za ABOUT JvR Africa Group: JvR Africa Group of companies consists of JvR Psychometrics, JvR Consulting Psychologists, JvR Academy, and JvR Safety. With it’s head office is situated in Johannesburg; the group conducts business nationally and across Sub-Saharan Africa. They work with test developers, consultants and academic institutions all over the world and supports a range of development opportunities and hosts events around People Development in Africa, a cause they feel is extremely important to the future of our continent. For more information on JvR Africa Group please visit: Website: https://jvrafricagroup.co.za/ LinkedIn: JvR Africa Group Facebook: The JvR Africa Group - People Development in Africa Twitter: JvR Africa Group YouTube: The JvR Africa Group |
Welcome to the JvR Africa Group Newsroom.
Archives
August 2019
Categories
All
|