Table Of ContentUnsecured ladders
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Unsecured ladders
Meeting the challenge of
the unexpected
Graham Robinson
Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Management
Learning and Development, University of Surrey
and
John Harris
formerly Chief Executive, Calor Group plc
© Graham Robinson & John Harris 2009
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2009 978-0-230-22230-4
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this
publication may be made without written permission.
No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted
save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence
permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency,
Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The authors have asserted their rights to be identifi ed as the authors of this
work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2009 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke,
Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries
ISBN 978-1-349-30784-5 ISBN 978-0-230-24915-8 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9780230249158
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully
managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09
To Katie, Daniel, Alfi e and Siân who will face
the challenges that we shall leave behind.
Graham Robinson
To my wife Frances without whom there would be
nothing, and to our daughters Louise and Catherine
for being simply the best.
John Harris
v
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C
ONTENTS
Dedications v
List of boxes x
List of fi gures xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1 Introductions and a problem 1
1.1 What’s the big idea? 1
1.2 Who we are 4
1.3 For whom are we writing this book? 4
1.4 Four areas of leadership choice and challenge 7
1.5 A major issue: why would you want to be a leader? 10
1.6 M ore challenges 13
1.7 Obligations and key messages 15
1.8 How to use the book 18
1.9 If you read this book: what will you know that
you did not know already? 19
Chapter 2 The core issue – the unexpected is inevitable 22
2.1 Some preliminary questions 22
2.2 Two sources of the unexpected 23
2.3 How will you respond to the unexpected? 27
2.4 Cumulative consequence explored 29
2.5 Acquiescing in ineffi ciency 35
2.6 Be on the lookout for signals 41
2.7 Summarizing so far … 43
2.8 An obstacle course 44
2.9 Some more questions 49
Chapter 3 Attitudes and the unexpected 51
3.1 Setting the tone 51
3.2 A wareness, refl ection and the management
of expectations 53
3.3 Challenge your expectations 57
3.4 Some risks of categorization 60
vii
viii Contents
3.5 Good leadership or good luck? 63
3.6 Check your assumptions 64
3.7 The role of myths and stories 67
3.8 Honor the experts – wherever you fi nd them 72
3.9 Leaders need to focus on solutions
rather than on problems 74
3.10 Surfacing your attitudes – some key questions 75
Chapter 4 No surprises! – anticipating and preparing
for the unexpected 78
4.1 Any bus can take you there 78
4.2 Doing the groundwork: personal integrity 79
4.3 Managing by exception or merely
missing the signals? 83
4.4 Values, attitudes and beliefs 84
4.5 Doing the groundwork: organizational integrity 86
4.6 Doing the groundwork: aligning resources 92
4.7 Seeking signals, telling stories 94
4.8 How you respond to today’s unexpected event
can help prepare you for tomorrow’s 99
4.9 Groundwork in summary 101
4.10 More questions 102
Chapter 5 Understanding context – inside the
organization: Obligations, values and
managing paradox 104
5.1 Formal and informal leadership obligations 104
5.2 The visible professional 106
5.3 Shaping the future: values 107
5.4 Shaping the future: visions and acts of faith 114
5.5 Paradox and unreasonable truths 117
5.6 Some more questions 120
Chapter 6 Marshalling resources – building and
managing commitment 122
6.1 Different ways of thinking: engagement
and commitment 122
6.2 Rational-analytical thinking 123
6.3 Imaginative-emotional thinking 129
6.4 Toolkits and snakepits 131
Contents ix
6.5 Integrated thinking 134
6.6 How well do you know your business? 134
6.7 How well do you know your people? 139
6.8 How well do you know your stakeholders? 144
6.9 Building commitment 146
6.10 Integrated thinking: leadership and trust 147
Chapter 7 Context is key 150
7.1 Keeping in touch with the external context 150
7.2 The external context: 2015? 153
7.3 The external context – competitors and suppliers 159
7.4 Sensitivity to external signals 160
7.5 Keeping in touch with the internal context: process 163
7.6 Representations of the internal context 164
7.7 Stuff goes right on happening 169
7.8 Making changes that work 170
7.9 Pulling the threads together 174
Chapter 8 Securing the ladder – preparing
your action plan 179
8.1 By way of introduction 179
8.2 Make time for refl ection 180
8.3 Hold up and look into the mirror 181
8.4 Check the tone of your organization 182
8.5 People 183
8.6 Make changes that work 184
8.7 Articulate the changing context 186
8.8 Speed is a core competence 187
8.9 Articulate your values and your touchstones 187
Notes 189
Index 192
