Category: Leadership

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Christopher Wren’s convictions, not his structural columns, support London

The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren once built a structure in London.  His employers claimed that a certain span Wren planned was too wide, that he would need another row of columns for support.  Sir Christopher, after some discussion, acquiesced.  He added the row of columns, but he left a space between the unnecessary columns and the beams above.  The worthies of London could not see this space from the ground.  To this day, the beam has not sagged.  The columns still stand firm, supporting nothing but Wren’s conviction.  Leadership is much more than an art, a belief, a condition of heart, than a set of things to do.  The visible signs of artful leadership are expressed, ultimately, in its practice.

De Pree M O (1989)  Leadership is an Art.   Melbourne: Australian Business Library, Information Australia. pp.   135-136  

Think about it:  The visible signs of  leadership are expressed in its practice.

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Nanus on developing yourself as a leader

Since most people “per se” are mediocre, true leader can be recognised because, somehow or other, their people consistently turn in superior performances.  Superior managers have the ability to create high performance expectations that ultimately subordinates fulfil.

How can you get there?

  • Seek leadership responsibility early and often.
  • Find a mentor or role model.
  • Develop farsightedness.  Create a sense of vision.
  • Master the skills of interdependence.  They’re more important than the skills of competition.
  • Become a world citizen, learning the languages and cultures of others.
  • Develop personal character, integrity, and trust.
  • Seek varied job assignments.
  • Think like a researcher, develop a sense of curiosity and creativity.
  • Design a leadership job carefully, knowing their goals.
  • Have fun at what you do.

Source:  Nanus B (1990) The Leaders Edge (US: Contemporary Books)

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Transformational and transactional leaders

Burns (1978) is credited with first distinguishing between transactional and transformational leadership. 

Transactional leadership is characterised by setting task goals, providing resources necessary to achieve goals and rewarding performance.  It is the traditional leadership concern for people and for task. 

Transformational leadership involves an emphasis on the leader activity intervening in the status quo, challenging current assumptions and understanding and encouraging others to do so as well.

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Constructive “no-people” will help you succeed

We see many examples today of leaders who can’t see the reality around them.

One characteristic of these leaders is that they tend to surround themselves with people who either agree with everything they do or say, or are to scared to offer a contrary view.

The trap then is that confirmational bias risks taking you deeper into problems and messes because you don’t get exposed to alternate views and ideas. You risk not being able to see reality, and making matters worse.

So, you should not surround yourself with “yes-people”

And, a “no-person” who is just a no-person is also a no-no! 

You need constructive no-people….


“I do not wish to hire yes-men.  Yes-men come cheap . . .what we are looking for is what I call constructive no-men.  My own personal rule for very many years has been that anybody is free to criticise me, to criticise the company, to question or argue against anything that we are trying to do – provided they will satisfy the one criterion that they will tell us what I or the company should do differently.”;
Source: Harvey-Jones J (1988)  Making it happen.  Fontana, London.  P.89

And remember that recruiting is perhaps the most important task you will undertake if your business is to be successful!