BMA eBook - Manual / Resource - Page 55
Intervention and Leadership
2. Questions for Leadership Learning
A typical question often asked even by experienced and skilled managers is “how
do I know when to act (intervene) and on what issues do I respond”. This question
concisely conveys an important dilemma facing those exercising leadership – “how
do I intervene in order to hold people through a sustained period of change, often
involving distress, when there may be no long term answer or solution” and “how
do I time, sequence and pace my interventions in order to get people to engage in
moving things forward?”
Our challenge, as trainers, leadership educators and consultants, is how best to
prepare people for the challenges of leadership they face. In particular, we are
interested in two things: first how to prepare people for the day to day activity they
are involved with, much of which occurs in groups of people – that is, to enhance
their capacity to intervene in groups so progress can be made on issues that matter
to them; whether it is making better decisions in meetings, through to designing
and implementing longer term strategies for change.
Second, to strengthen
peoples’ capacity to cope (and thrive) with the inevitable consequences of
intervening in groups; consequences which range from the increased tension and
conflict arising from differing perspectives through to resistance, avoidance of hard
issues and personal attacks. We want practitioners to be able to intervene more
effectively in ways that mean that they can withstand the pressures, push backs and
disequilibrium that might ensue?” Indeed in the end leadership is about making a
difference through their actions (interventions) and interventions are the visible
elements of leadership.
Copyright Vantage Point Consulting Pty Ltd 2010
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