APPOINTED AND EMERGENT LEADERS

- COMPETENCE, COMMITMENT,
AND RESPECT

NIGEL A.L. BROOKS

THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Article reprint
 APPOINTED AND EMERGENT LEADERS
- COMPETENCE, COMMITMENT, AND RESPECT

Leaders are either appointed or emerge. An appointed leader can be

selected by an individual in a higher position of authority in an enterprise,
or by team members. Appointed leaders assume the role because someone
wants them to. An emergent leader steps up to the role because either the
appointed leader is underperforming or there is no leader at all. The
emergent leader maybe just the person that the team and the enterprise
needs to get the required results.

An enterprise comprises one or more organizational units composed of

groups and teams. A group is a "loosely-coupled" set of individual
contributors formed around common work, primarily by function. A team
is a "tightly-coupled" set of individuals working together, either
voluntarily or involuntarily, and sharing mutual accountability. Ideally, the
entire enterprise is a team, lead by the chief executive, and consisting of
sub-teams both within and across functions.

An appointed leader is an individual assigned by a higher authority to an

organizational unit, usually in a managerial capacity, or to a team. A leader
can also be appointed by the team itself, either from within or recruited
from the outside. As a manager, they may be given an official title, but in
reality they have to earn the "leader" title by transforming a group into a
team, or by enhancing an existing one. A team that becomes demotivated
degrades to a group and can become dysfunctional.

An appointed leader will be respected, but not necessary liked, if they

have the competence and commitment for the role, and if they treat others
fairly consistent the values and guiding principles of the enterprise. In fact,
if the leader is respected, the team will compensate for gaps in their
competence by sharing accountability mutually to get things done.

Appointed leaders are common in institutional enterprises that are highly

structured. Appointments should be made based upon competence and
commitment, and potential for the future growth of the appointee, the
enterprise, and its constituencies. However, appointments may be made on
the basis of political intentions by those with vested interests regarding
authority and power. As such, the appointee may "win" but the enterprise
and its constituencies may lose.

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An emergent leader develops organically from within a group or team,
either because the group is not a team, or because the appointed leader is
not performing. Emergent leaders evolve because of need; they have a
"can do" mindset but are not individual contributors. They can establish an
environment for motivating others to build accountability mutually.
Emergent team leaders can evolve anywhere in the enterprise where there
is a need.

Independent contributors are those who have strong functional knowledge

and technical skills but lack the skills required to attract followers.
Independent contributors are highly valuable if they can generate ideas
that others can transform into value. If an individual contributor does not
have competence and commitment and cannot adapt to participate as a
team player, then their opportunities for advancement beyond menial tasks
are limited.

Emergent leaders are common in entrepreneurial enterprises where roles,

responsibilities, and activities are often vague and unstructured. They take
solutions, not problems, to the entrepreneur or management that have "buy
in" from others. They may become appointed leaders or they may never be
formally recognized at all. However, it is usually widely understood
within the enterprise as to who got the job done, sometimes in spite of
others. Emergent leaders are well respected.

Those in a higher authority should pay attention as to how managers are

performing as leaders, and to those who are the real leaders. Candidates
for executive positions must be able to attract followers and build teams,
or else the enterprise and its organizational units may degrade should they
be appointed. An executive's strength is dependent upon enterpriship
competencies, not necessarily just subject area domain expertise.

Enterpriship comprises entrepreneurship, leadership, and management

competencies.

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For more information...

For information about audiobooks, books, earticles, ebooks, and eseminars

offered by The Business Leadership Development Corporation visit
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For more information about the discipline of enterpriship visit

www.enterpriship.com

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your opportunity for instant access when you go to
www.individualcompetencies.com

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About Nigel A.L Brooks...

Nigel A.L Brooks is a management consultant to entrepreneurs, business

enterprise owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they
serve. He specializes in developing the entrepreneurial, leadership, and
managerial competencies that build sustainable advantage from vision to
value. He is an author and a frequent speaker.

He obtained his professional experience as a partner at Andersen

Consulting (now Accenture, Ltd.), as a vice president at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. (now Booz and Company), as a senior vice president at the
American Express Company, as president of Javazona Cafes, Inc., and as
president of The Business Leadership Development Corporation. He has
been a contributing editor for the Bank Administration Institute magazine,
and has served on boards of entrepreneurial networks. He was educated at
the University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom.

His clients are in the financial services, food services, high-tech,

manufacturing and distribution, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, professional
services, retail and wholesale, transportation, and government industries.

He has experience in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

www.nigelalbrooks.com

About The Business Leadership Development Corporation (BLD)...

The Business Leadership Development Corporation is a professional

services firm that works with entrepreneurs, lifestyle business enterprise
owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they serve.

BLD develops entrepreneurial, leadership, and managerial competencies

that achieve performance excellence by building sustainable advantage
from vision to value through:

 Strategic Management Consulting

 Executive Coaching and Mentoring
 Professional Training via The Center For Business Leadership
Development (CBLD)
 Motivational Speaking

www.bldsolutions.com

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