Recently in Leadership Category

No one disputes that leadership matters. We recognize good leadership firsthand when a leader we admire inspires, excites, engages, or even leaves us. Beyond our personal awareness, research has shown that the quality of leadership helps meet the expectations of investors, customers, and employees. While we can stipulate that leadership matters and that we know it when we encounter it, it is much more difficult to find the elusive answer to the simple question, "What makes an effective leader?"

In their forthcoming book Leadership Code, Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood, and Kate Sweetman, attempt to answer that question. In a brief and clear way, the authors synthesize existing scholarly and applied research on leadership to identify the essential rules that govern what all great leaders do.

In this video, Dave Ulrich introduces The Leadership Code and describes the Leadership Code model.

Additional Resources

	Pre-order Leadership Code before Nov 30, 2008 and get a free Leadership Code self-assessment, plus access to the author videos and online tools. Visit www.LeadershipCodeBook.com/offer to find out how.
	Learn more about The Leadership Code. Visit www.LeadershipCodeBook.com and download an excerpt from Chapter One.

As global trade continues to increase sharply, general managers and HR professionals must understand what is required to do business in emerging economies. In this video, Wayne Brockbank talks about two key questions that global organizations must consider: First, what are the basic requirements of doing business in emerging markets? Second, how do we leverage these countries as sources of competitive advantage? (8 min)

Additional Publications

What knowledge and abilities distinguish successful HR professionals? Learn about the six competencies identified in the largest study of global HR competenices in HR Competencies by Dave Ulrich, Wayne Brockbank, Jon Younger, Kurt Sandholtz, and Dani Johnson.

Each year, organizations spend millions of dollars on leadership development. In some companies that money is well spent. In others, the investment is wasted. What is it that makes the difference? Why are some organizations in a continual fight to find the money and time for leadership development while others receive funding readily?

In this video, Mark Nyman discusses the value of starting with a leadership development architecture when investing in leadership.

Additional Resources

	The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book Leadership Brand by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood published by Harvard Business School Press.
	View other videos on "Leadership Brand"

Your firm has developed a leadership brand statement - a clear, simple statement of what you want your leaders to be known for, but how can you tell whether you and your fellow leaders at all levels are living up to it?

In this video segment, Norm Smallwood answers the questions: What is the secret to good assessment? What can we learn from those who do this well? And how do these general principles apply to assessment of leadership brand?.

Additional Resources

	The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book Leadership Brand by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood published by Harvard Business School Press.
	View Norm's video "Introduction to Leadership Brand"
	Learn how to create a statement of leadership brand

We refer to the connection between a firm's market brand and behavior of internal employees and organization processes as a firm's "Leadership Brand". Wal-Mart, for example, is known for "low cost" and should build a leadership brand emphasize behaviors that reduce costs (e.g. doing process re-engineering, contracting aggressively with suppliers, and managing to a budget). Marriott, on the other hand, is known for service and subsequently seeks consistent behavior among its leaders (knowing customers, listening to customer, responding to customers, and so forth.)

Building on last month's topic,"Making the Case for Leadership", Norm Smallwood discusses the value and process of developing a formal leadership brand statement.

Additional Resources

	The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book "Leadership Brand" by Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich published by Harvard Business Press.
	View norm's video "Introduction to Leadership Brand"

Some executives just don't get it. They may say they believe in leadership, but they don't act like it. When times are good, they invest in leadership and proclaim themselves good corporate citizens, but in rough times, leadership investments are one of the first budgets they cut. What they really need is to understand how an investment in leadership will help them reach their own goals and their company's strategies--and how lack of leadership inhibits growth and confidence and diminishes value.

Building on last month's topic, "Six Steps to Building Branded Leadership", Norm Smallwood explains why leadership matters, and how you can demonstrate the value that leadership brand creates.

Additional Resources

	The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book "Leadership Brand" by Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich published by Harvard Business Press.
	View norm's video "Introduction to Leadership Brand"

If you are a leader or an individual responsible for developing leadership in a company and your senior leaders "get it" - they not only say leadership matters, they invest personal and corporate resources to make it happen - our online assessment will confirm the work you have done. But if you're dealing with a commitment to leadership that is only a thin veneer, you can use the arguments in this assessment to help build the case for investing in Leadership.

CLICK HERE, or on the graphic above, to take the online assessment now.

Additional Resources

	The Leadership Business Case Audit was first published in the recent book "Leadership Brand" by Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich published by Harvard Business Press.
	View norm's video "Making the Case for Leadership"

What are your leaders known for? Wal-Mart's brand - "everyday low prices" - is a household phrase. It's no coincidence, then, that Wal-Mart's leaders are known for relentlessly managing the company's costs. Or take Apple, Inc. - known for innovation and sleek design. Similarly, Apple's leaders are recognized for creative thinking that produces leading-edge products and services.

In this short video, Norm Smallwood discusses the six crucial steps for building branded leadership in your organization.

Additional Resources

	The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book "Leadership Brand" by Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich published by Harvard Business Press.
	View norm's video "Introduction to Leadership Brand"

Companies spend millions on leadership development - only to get lukewarm results. Why? They rely on leadership competency models that identify generic traits (vision, direction, energy) without a supportive and systemic leadership architecture. Then they try to find and build next-generation leaders who fit the model. Result? Vanilla managers and executives who aren't equipped to manage their firm's unique challenges.

There's a better way. Build a leadership brand: a shared identify among your organization's leaders that differentiates what they can do from what your rivals' leaders can do.

In this short video, Norm Smallwood introduced the concept of Leadership Brand and how it can elevate market value and sharpen your competitive edge.



Additional Resources

The ideas in this video are explored in-depth in the recent book "Leadership Brand" by Norm Smallwood and Dave Ulrich published by Harvard Business Press.

I would like to welcome you to The RBL Review, the online HR journal and community of The RBL Group. Our goal is to offer new ways of thinking about Strategic HR and Leadership in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. We aim to help HR people run their organizations more productively, more competitively, and more creatively.

Articles and short videos, provided by RBL Group consultants, offer practical ideas based on the Firm's experience with the world's largest companies and on proprietary research and close ties to academic institutions and research partners.

I hope you enjoy The RBL Review.


Dave Ulrich, Co-founder The RBL Group