LEADER PROCESSING
…the choice is yours
The process of identifying leaders is one that should be used carefully to facilitate the identification of suitable leaders that will support organization development and sustain order. A further reason why careful thought should be given to the method of identifying leaders is because experimenting with leaders is a costly organization process and can quickly and easily lead to corporate failure. There is need for suitability and stability in the leader box for leadership in an organization to have opportunity for profitable expression. Too frequent changes in the leader box causes traffic light leadership.
PROCESSING METHODS
These terms emphasize the methods used to arrive at identifying leaders. Each process yields a leader characteristic of the process. Before an organization seeks a leader it must determine the best method of identifying the leader. Each method has its separate strengths and will reveal leaders who will exercise those strengths in office.
Poor choice of method of identification may yield a mismatch of position such as an elected leader (popular) being appointed to a position that requires very specific competencies. Such a situation is not just a leader processing failure but could easily result in organization leadership failure and collapse of corporate performance.
The nature of the organization may call for a specific leader processing method. Associations favor elections while corporations will delay appointments to senior positions in search of specific competencies. An election processes leaders from an open-ended spectrum. Selection will emphasize the most suitable from a limited bank of qualified options. Recruitment emphasizes need based functional ability. While the search process leading to appointment is based on identifying a suitable fit to match specific assignment.
Organizations must take cognizance of the process that will yield the leader to create balance and stability in the leader box and also ensure desirable continuity of organization leadership form to support corporate performance. Each method will process and produce a leader with strengths and weakness characteristic of the process.