Paths to Leadership Introduction

An Introduction
 Leadership Matters
 What Really Makes You a Leader?
 Take the First Step: Learn to Lead
 Contact Us
© Key Consulting Group Inc.

2 | © Key Consulting Group Inc.
Your organization needs leaders.
Great management, technical
excellence, and business acumen
are always necessary for success.
But they are not enough to sustain
that success in a changing world.
Leaders “pursue a better future by
working with and through other
people.” Leadership is about two
things: results and relationships.
Leaders have a passion for results.
They are pathfinders, seeing a
problem or opportunity, knowing it
must be acted on, then doing what
is needed. Their focus may be large,
even changing the world.
But more commonly they seek to
deliver results within the reach of
any of us: enhancing a team’s
performance, implementing a new
idea, or achieving a challenging
business target.
…To your organization
Leadership Matters People are the source of most
valuable results generated by an
organization. The things of your
business (strategies, structure,
systems, etc.) don’t work unless
designed and implemented well by
the people involved in the business.
Their collective capability, creativity
and intelligence will ultimately
decide the fate of the organization.
Private business, public service, or
not for profit agency, people drive
them all, as individuals and teams.
Leadership is also then about
relationships. Leaders know they
must engage others to achieve big
results. They can’t do what needs
doing alone, so they extend their
own capacity by building influential
relationships, then connecting
others with the work to be done.
Business Success
Business
Acumen
Technical
Excellence
Leadership Management
“Leaders pursue better results by
working with and through others”
Results
Relationships
+

Externally, the business environment
is demanding and dynamic. Waves of
change are driven by consumers,
communities, competition and
technology. Failure to adapt in a
timely way threatens the future of
every business, even those that have
been very successful in the past.
Internally, organizations are in the
midst of a cultural transformation.
Traditionally hierarchical, siloed and
formal, with power exercised from
the top, the changing nature of work
and workers now demands that
power shift to the front line.
The factory is dead, and with it the
traditional “boss‐subordinate”
relationship. Too much happens, too
fast, and in too many places. No one
individual or group, no matter how
experienced or skilled, can know
everything, do it all, or control
what’s happening everywhere.
…Now more than ever
Leadership Matters
From this…
…To this.
The last thing any business needs
right now is people on the job who
simply put their heads down, do as
they are told, and keep their ideas
to themselves.
Those doing the work must make
choices and take action in their
work. They need to step up, doing
what’s needed skillfully, responsibly,
and often beyond the view or
capability of those “in charge”.
A Changing Workplace
Yesterday Today
Tangible
(hand work-visible)
Routine
(same every day)
Simplified
(assembly line)
Generic Skills
(all do same thing)
Individual
(work done alone)
Intangible
(head work-invisible)
Dynamic
(always changing)
Complex
(each job unique)
Specialized
(need unique skills)
Connected
(work done in teams)

People need leaders. Not always, but
especially when things change.
There are times in any human
enterprise when someone must
lead, seeing what others can’t,
pointing the way, taking the first
steps, showing others what needs to
be done and how to do it.
And these are changing times. At all
levels in an organization, people
can, and should, make a difference.
A new team of capable performers
and great followers is needed to
partner with leaders to bring the
pieces of a complex, dynamic, fast
paced, business together to create
results that really matter.
…In a changing workplace
Leadership Matters Traditional ‘super’ vision just doesn’t
cut it anymore.
Great leaders create the conditions
in which this new type of performer
will step up. These leaders value
capable individual contributors,
facilitate team effort, and help those
who do the real work of the business
fulfill their own needs as they help the
business succeed in challenging times.
These leaders understand that being
the “boss” is not enough. They
know the authority of a “position” is
poor substitute for the “personal”
power, the influence, that can be
earned with others if they deem you
worthy of being followed.
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new
ideas as in escaping from old ones.”
John Maynard Keynes
A Culture Shift
From the factory…
To the modern workplace…
This
way!
Which
way?

The value of front‐line leaders is often ignored, largely in the belief that
level in the hierarchy is key to leadership, that position defines who leads.
But every day, leaders on the front‐line have real opportunities to step up,
influence others, and move individuals, teams, and organizations forward.
These front‐line leaders typically occupy three groups…
Formal Leaders: The job descriptions of supervisors, foremen, lead hands,
etc. include accountability for the performance of others. Their positions
grant them authority to assign, direct and assess the work of individual
contributors and small teams. They are expected to represent the interests
and expectations of more senior leaders as the work is done.
Helpful Advisors: There is a growing cadre of individual contributors
expected to achieve goals beyond their own capacity, but to do it without
the formal authority to require others to help them. Many work as advisors
in support functions like HR, IT, or Safety. Their influence is largely founded
in specialized expertise, complemented by a willingness to help.
Mature Performers: When less experienced front‐line people don’t know
what to think or do, they look to the opinions and actions of more
“seasoned” performers who have “been there and done that”. Intentional
or not, the example set by these mature workers is leadership, and it
critically impacts the decisions and actions of other front‐line people,
especially when things need to change.
This
way!
Front-Line Leader Types
Formal
Informal
I can
help!
Helpful
Advisors
Seasoned
Performers
…Especially at the front-lines
Leadership Matters

Push To
Results
Managers
What Really Makes
You a Leader?
Leader and manager are terms often
used interchangeably. Managers and
supervisors are regularly referred to
as, and assumed to be, leaders.
But management and leadership are
not the same. Managers and leaders
do different things, and impact a
business in different ways. These
differences are not trivial. Neither is
“better”; both are needed in a
successful business.
A manager or supervisor may also
be a leader, but this isn’t necessarily
so. Becoming a better leader starts
by understanding the differences
between these two key functions.
Good managers keep a business
running smoothly, headed steadily
toward its goals. Their efforts create
order, stability and predictability so
plans are executed on schedule, to
standard, and within budget. They
“push” an organization forward on
the track it is already on, planning,
controlling, monitoring and ready to
improve how things are done.
Managers succeed in their role by
controlling the “things” of an
organization – policies, processes,
practices, tools, time, etc.. Those
things include human resources.
People are assets to be deployed in
the best interests of the business.
Two Important Functions
Pull For
Results
Leaders
“Leaders are the architects.
Managers are the builders.”
John Marriotti, Author
…It isn’t being a manager

Manager Leader
Reduce
Risk
Improve
Plan
Efficient
(Do Things Right)
Coordinate
Communication
Policy
Control People
Compliance
Supervise
Pursue
Opportunity
Transform
Purpose
Effective
(Do Right Things)
Inspire
Conversation
Values
Engage People
Commitment
Coach
…3 things distinguish leaders
What Really Makes
You a Leader?
Managers and leaders do different things, and impact a business in
different ways. They differ in at least three key ways…
Change vs. Continuity
Where managers seek stability now, leaders
look down the road, setting themselves and
others on a path to the future in spite of the
ambiguity and uncertainty of going forward.
People vs. Things
Leaders recognize their capacity to deliver
results is rooted in the capacity of those
who choose to follow them. These people
have needs and interests they expect to
fulfill through their work. Helping them get
what they want, helps the business.
Person vs. Position
Managers get things done using the
legitimate authority of a position given to
them by their organization. Followers
choose their leaders, opening themselves to
the influence of those they respect, trust,
and believe can deliver a better future.
“A leader takes people
where they want to go.
A great leader takes people
where they don’t necessarily
want to go, but ought to be.”
Rossalynn Carter
“Leadership is the capacity
and will to rally men and
women to a common
purpose and the character
which inspires confidence.”
Bernard Montgomery

…It isn’t what you have
What Really Makes
You a Leader?
Does position, a lofty title and the
authority that goes with it, make
you a leader. In hierarchical
organizations, most do defer to the
“boss”, perhaps out of habit or fear.
But borrowing power from their
position is a coercive short‐cut over‐
used by some managers to get
things done. And, it isn’t leadership.
Are leaders born or made? It is an
ages‐old question. No doubt some
get a head start as leaders due to
natural traits or talents . And, all
leaders benefit from acquiring new
knowledge or skills. Innate ability or
learned competence won’t matter
though if these advantages are not
acted on, if you don’t use them.
Choose to Lead
Another view holds that great
events or crisis make leaders. In this
thesis, leaders are defined by having
these opportunities, lucky to be
where they are, when they are. But
watch people in crisis. You see some
step up, while more step back. So is
it the crisis that defines a leader, or
is it the actions of leaders in crisis?
Leaders are defined by what they
“do”, not what they “have”. Every
day, each of us is confronted with
“moments of truth”, opportunities
to lead by stepping up, influencing
others, and moving ourselves, our
teams, or our organizations forward.
The leader you are depends on the
choices you make in these moments.
Choose to act as leader, responsibly,
capably, consistently, and others will
make the choice to follow your lead. 1
2
4
3
Choose to Learn …
…About What’s Happening
Observe, inquire, and listen
with an open mind.
Choose to Control…
…What Only You Can
Especially your own thinking,
emotion and behaviour.
Choose to Influence…
…Whoever Can Help You
Allies, decision makers and key
stakeholders.
Choose to Let Go…
…of What You Can’t Change
Don’t waste your energy on
things outside your reach.
“The only thing that will
dependably happen from
the top down is the digging
of your own grave.”
Stan Slap, CEO-Consultant

Ultimately, leaders are chosen by their followers. The perceptions others
have of you define the leader you are – they watch what you choose in
those moments of truth, then decide to follow, or not. Their expectations,
at least in part, define the leader you need to become.
Whether we’re talking about a simple task, a large project, or changing the
world, followers expect two key things from their leaders. If you want to
have others follow you, prepare to answer questions like those below for
them every day, questions about who you are and where you are going.
…Followers – plain and simple
What Really Makes
You a Leader?
What Makes You a Leader?
“A leader without followers is
just someone out taking a walk.”
Mark Goffman, writer “The West Wing”
Followers!
PathPresence
Positive Beliefs
About You
Current
Reality
Better
Future
+
Attracted by…
Presence – positive beliefs about
who you are as a person.
Are you worthy of my respect?
Can I trust you?
Are you helping me grow?
Do you care about
what I care about?
Can you help me get to
where I want to be?
Path – a clear, compelling way
forward to a better future.
Is it clear where we’re going?
Can we really get there?
What can I do to help?
Will it be better for me there
than it will be for me here?
Are you doing
what you ask of me?

…Learn to play 5 leader roles
Take the First Step:
Learn to Lead
The only thing you control in the
leader‐follower dynamic is your own
behaviour – what you choose to do,
and how well you do it.
No one is born ready‐made to lead.
Every leader has strengths that help,
and weaknesses that hinder, their
efforts to lead. Habits of thinking
and acting, developed over a
lifetime, can be difficult to undo.
New leaders in particular need to
acquire concepts and skills different
from what helped them stand out as
individual contributors. Past success
can be their biggest barrier to doing
what’s right as leaders, right now.
Even experienced leaders must
constantly improve and develop. A
dynamic business environment
demands it. What worked yesterday,
may not work for you tomorrow.
5 Roles Leaders Play
Model Be responsible in every
situation, and learn from
each experience.
Partner Connect with others in
ways that encourage them
to work with you.
Coach Help followers perform at
their best and develop to
their potential.
Sponsor Create the conditions for
high performance by your
followers.
Guide Offer a compelling vision
of a better future, and a
path toward it.
Paths to Leadership is designed
specifically for front‐line leaders. It
offers ways of thinking and acting
that prepare an aspiring leader for
success in five interrelated domains
or roles played by all leaders.
Every leader is different in talent
and style, and the situations in
which they lead are unique. But the
challenges they will face as they
develop are somewhat predictable.

Model
Your behaviour is the best evidence for
others of your character and capability.
Learn, Then Lead: Be open to new
experiences and feedback that challenge
you to improve and grow your capability.
Choose to Lead: Do the “right” thing,
responsibly, even when it will be difficult
or other paths seem easier.
Partner
Followers choose their leaders. Be the
kind of person others want to work with.
Connect With Others: Nurture influential
relationships with others to extend your
personal power and capacity.
Have Constructive Conversations: Listen
considerately, then speak authentically
about what you know, believe and feel.
Coach
People largely want to do good work. Be
the catalyst that helps them do it.
Engage Performers: Facilitate a satisfying,
fulfilling connection between the work to
be done and those who need to do it.
Empower Capability: Provide the mix of
structure and support that allows others
to find their own way to high performance.
Challenge Everyone: Negotiate performance
promises that draw out the best effort of
every performer.
Hold Others Response‐Able: Respect every
performer’s capacity to choose when
confronting breakdowns in their work.
Sponsor
The path to change or great results goes
through resistance and breakdowns.
Enable High Performance: Champion the
interests of your team of followers, while
mitigating barriers to their performance.
Collaborate: Problem solve with others to
find creative solutions that satisfy the
interests of key stakeholders.
Guide
Success is fleeting. Organizations change
only when the people in them change.
Think Strategically: Keep your head up,
aware and purposeful, then choose a way
forward toward a better future.
Inspire Change: Sustain the focus and
energy of others as they work to bring
about needed change.
…The Paths to Leadership©
Learn to Lead
The challenges faced by leaders as they develop are
somewhat predictable. We help front‐line leaders
learn to face these challenges by playing five roles
well, and following twelve Paths to Leadership©.

…We can help.
Learn to Lead
How We Help
Leaders Learn to Lead
Learning to lead takes discipline,
time, and just a little courage. There
is no short cut, no easy path to the
leader you can become or others
expect you to be. Most leaders can
use some help along the way.
The partners and associates of Key
Consulting Group have trained and
coached leaders at all levels, on 5
continents, for more than 30 years.
We developed Paths to Leadership©
to support aspiring leaders as they
learn, in the ways they learn today.
We know most of that learning
doesn’t happen in a classroom, or by
reading a book. Those options can
help set you on the right path if they
are relevant and ready when you
need them. In our workbooks or
presentations, we strive to offer just
the information you need, in an
accessible way, then have you apply
it right away to your situation.
Experience
…reflecting on successes
or breakdowns on the job
• Personal coaching
• Action learning programs
• On-line leader support
Exposure
…to the thoughts and actions
of good people around you
• 360 assessment
• Facilitated team sessions
• Leader forums
Education
…via workshops or reading
• Custom workshops
• On-line learning
• Presentations & keynotes
70%
20%
10%
Our workshops, whether in a
physical classroom or virtual forum,
are interactive, even fun. They allow
lots of opportunity to work with
other leaders on common issues.
But, most of what you will learn
about leading, you will learn on the
job. All our content is available to
you on‐line, a ready reference for
you any time. And, we use the best
available communication technology
to be sure you can talk to us via
phone, email or the web whenever
you need personal, one on one help.
Let us know how we can support you
on your own path to leadership.

Contact Us Head Office Toll Free:
General:
Email:
Mail:
888.4KEYINC (453.9462)
403.264.7200
help@keyinc.com
33 Shannon Circle SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2Y 2K4
Calgary Partner
Direct:
Mobile:
Email:
Randy Parkin
403.256.6869
403.607.9888
randy@keyinc.com
Robert Craddock
403.257.3399
403.870.5339
robert@keyinc.com
Edmonton Partner:
Direct:
Mobile:
Email:
Don Beeken
780.423.1869
780.909.7766
don@keyinc.com
Web http://www.keyinc.com

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