Printable Edition Click Here  :  Subscribe   :   Page  5  : Feature   :  December 2006    Go to page:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16           Previous Page      Next Page

Leadership for the ‘myspace’ generation     In his new book The Connected Leader, Emmanuel Gobillot, director and head of consumer sector consulting practice at management consultancy Hay Group, asks what if management thinking to date has been directed at the wrong problem? What if leadership literature’s focus on formal authority and organisational structures has been at the expense of the “Real Organisation” – the powerful network of informal relationships which doesn’t appear on     any organisational chart.    Gobillot argues that a shift in context calls for a shift in leadership. Mass consumerism is being replaced by the People Economy. Now the customer is in the driving seat – and today’s customer wants to co-create their products and experiences within communities of value – as the explosion of the myspace phenomenon demonstrates.    Meanwhile, employees are also demanding more. Bribery is no longer a     performance management option – employees will only fully engage with organisations that tap into their own personal goals and aspirations.    In today’s context, formal hierarchies are no longer effective. Only the Real Organisation, with its cross cutting networks, can be agile enough to respond to the People Economy.    “Leaders are looking at their companies through the lens of the organisational chart,” says Gobillot, “This makes them blind to the     ‘Real Organisation’. The most successful leaders focus on relationships, not structures. The job of the leader is to connect with employees and customers, and to bring the world of the real and the formal organisation together.”    Leadership of the Real Organisation requires a leap of faith, argues Gobillot: power is rooted in personal credibility not formal authority. Leaders must earn their place through trust, meaning and dialogue.    Gobillot presents     both theoretical arguments and practical examples of connected leadership in action. Using a series of business leaders as exemplars, The Connected Leader provides diagnostic tools to enable leaders to evaluate their impact on their organisation, and offers clear steps to help leaders put connected leadership into action.

Molten MD short-listed for Young Entrepreneur of the Year award     Molten co-founder and managing director, Irene Molodtsov, has been short-listed for Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Growing Business Awards, presented by CBI.    The award, sponsored by T-Mobile, identifies and celebrates entrepreneurs under the age of 35 who “have the ambition, energy, skill and vision to really scale the heights”.    The Growing Business Awards, dubbed “the business equivalent of the Oscars” by     Chancellor Gordon Brown, are now in their eighth year and have become a showcase for the best entrepreneurial talent in the UK.    Molodtsov founded business management consultancy, Molten, together with Rory Colfer, managing director, in 2003. Since then the company has grown into a successful global enterprise with offices in London, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Hong Kong and a client list that includes: BP, Vodafone,     The Royal Bank of Scotland, The Cabinet Office, American Express and Barclays.    Positioned between the strategy consulting houses and the major systems integrators, Molten has filled a much needed gap in the UK consulting market. The company specialises in implementing business strategies and managing change for clients in the financial services, telecommunications and energy sectors. Its services are focused on programme management and     communications & engagement.    CBI director-general Richard Lambert said: "There are so many fantastic companies out there, creating wealth and jobs for the country, but few ever get the public recognition they deserve. The Growing Business Awards are important to celebrate the success of the best in British business and to inspire the entrepreneurs of tomorrow."    The Growing Business     Awards are organised annually as a partnership between Caspian Publishing’s Real Business magazine and the CBI. The awards – now in their eighth year – are open to all independently-owned UK companies with fewer than 500 employees. They attract hundreds of entrants each year and have become a spotlight for recognising entrepreneurial talent in the UK.

Consulting Times | Page 5 Previous Page     Next Page