Mastering The Role of Leader: A Definitive Guide For Developing Leaders at All Levels of Your Organization

Mastering the Role of Leader
A Definitive Guide for Developing Leaders at All Levels of Your Organization

A discussion with Tom Roth, Michael Leimbach, PhD, and David Yesford, Wilson Learning
Table of Contents
4 | What Is Leadership? 21 | Leadership Development Framework
5 | Who Are Leaders? 22 | Summary
6 | Form and Essence 24 | Next Steps
7 | First-Level Leadership 25 | About the Authors
10 | Mid-Level Leadership 26 | About Wilson Learning
16 | Executive Leadership
Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 |3

© Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. All rights reserved.
What Is Leadership?
Some see leadership as command and control.

Others see inspiration and values.
The purpose of a leader is to engage others in

committing their full energy
to the creation of value and success.
Executive
Mid-Level
First-Level
4 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Who Are Leaders in the Organization?
Arguably, everyone in an organization Most leadership development providers

who is in a position to influence the view the differences between levels of
actions of others is a leader. leadership as primarily a skill issue— Executive
that is, as you move to higher levels
When most organizations think about of leadership, you need to acquire
developing leaders, it’s generally additional skills.
in three accepted levels.
While this is true, it is not the Mid-Level
First-level leaders: Managers and complete challenge for leadership
supervisors of individual contributors development.
Mid-level leaders: Managers of
departments or functions First-Level
Our view is slightly different.
Executive leaders: Executives
responsible for the overall leadership
of the organization

Form and Essence
At Wilson Learning, we believe effective leadership requires
both skills, what we call Form,
and character, what we call Essence.
Essence is who you want to

BE as a leader.
This includes your philosophy, beliefs,
values, and sense of purpose that guide
who you want to be as a leader.
Form is what you need to

DO as a leader.
This includes the skills and behaviors
you exhibit, consistent with your
philosophy, beliefs, and values.
© Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc.
The integration of skills and character is required to be effective at all three levels
of leadership. What leaders need to focus on, and how skills and character are
implemented (and the balance of the two), is different at each level.

First-Level: Leadership Survival Skills
Moving from an individual contributor,

climbing onto the first step of the
leadership ladder . . .
The Form (or Skill) requirement most

important to a new first-level leader is
to quickly acquire the necessary skills
to succeed—what we call Leadership
Survival Skills.
Executive
Before my new job as supervisor, I was
responsible for my performance only—and, after
being here for eight years, I was respected for
knowing the lab floor inside and out.
Mid-Level
Now I’m responsible for leading a team’s

First-Level performance. I feel like all I am doing is reacting
to problems and questions. It’s like they can’t
think for themselves and rely on me to fix what
they are ultimately getting paid to do.

You can’t just get the job done yourself anymore;
you need to do it through others.
Leadership Survival Skills
Motivating employees
Communicating effectively
Defining tasks and goals
Delegating with confidence
Observing behavior
Providing feedback and coaching
Resolving conflict
Helping others solve problems

First-Level: Establishing Leadership Credibility
The Essence of first-level leadership is

the shift of moving from solving others’ problems . . .
TECHNICAL
EXPERTISE LEADERSHIP
(ENGINEERING,
FINANCE,
Leadership
OPERATIONS) LEADERSHIP TECHNICAL
as your source
EXPERTISE
Expertise as your of credibility
source of credibility
. . . to helping employees learn how to

solve problems themselves.
First-level leaders often resort to “leading with their From a leadership Essence (character) perspective,
technical expertise.” The challenge for new leaders is new first-level leaders require the wisdom to make
to rely less on their functional credibility and instead leadership their source of credibility.
establish their credibility as a leader—something
they must earn in their new role.

Mid-Level: Shifting to Growing Others
Let’s step up to the next level, mid-level leaders . . .
While first-level leadership requires one-to-one
survival skills, mid-level leaders need to include
more one-to-group, or team development, skills.
I feel like I’m the only one really committed,

and the team is doing just enough to get
by—just enough to stay under the corporate
radar. It stresses me out.
Executive
Mid-Level
Mid-Level
First-Level I wish I could delegate more and not do it all,

but I’m not confident the work will get done.

As leaders move into mid-level leadership,
their focus shifts.
A mid-level leader needs to shift more to Growth Leadership Growth Skills

Skills (Form) to help grow others’ capabilities
Team goal-setting
and help the department and, ultimately, the
organization grow. Problem-solving facilitation
This critical shift requires leaders to understand Cross-functional collaboration

the importance of building capability in others,
Negotiation
rather than being a Heroic Manager who controls or
micromanages people. Delegation
Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 11

Mid-Level: Clarifying Leadership Essence
The transition from first-level to mid-level

requires the development of Purpose- and
Value-Centered Leadership.
Leaders develop their Essence by
clarifying their:
0 Purpose for being a leader
0 Leader philosophy
0 Beliefs and values
They use these elements to guide their

leadership actions.
This transition starts by understanding where they

get their signals that guide them as leaders—from
external sources or internal sources.

Many new leaders tend to rely on getting their signals
from external sources.
Moving into mid-level leadership is EXTERNAL
usually a big step. There is often a big
increase in responsibility and greater I need to have power,
span of control, causing leaders to authority, and control.
focus on what they think they need to
succeed.
As a result, many leaders start taking So I can do more, create

their signals from external sources.
change, and improve.
Then I will be successful.

Powerful leaders have learned to focus on
internal, not external, signals.
Rather than taking their signals from INTERNAL
external sources—“I must have, so I can do,
and therefore be successful”—the job of What kind of person/
mid-level leaders is to take their signals leader do I want to be
from internal sources. remembered as?
This leads them to consider . . .
Therefore, what do I need
to do as a leader?
Then I will have a sense

of how to contribute to
the success of others.

For a Purpose- and Value-Centered Leader, an internal
focus leads to a renewed set of values.
Having a clear sense of Essence EXTERNAL INTERNAL
(character) provides the
foundation that makes their Appearance Depth
leadership skills (Form) effective.
more important more important
Responds to signals Responds to

from others values
Success is measured Success is measured

by appearance, by contribution to
position, title others
Life is lived on Life is lived on

“approval” “purpose”

Executive Level: Shifting to Leading the Culture
What about the C-suite, executive leaders?
The good news? I have a strong team of leaders

responsible for managing people on a day-to-day
basis.
Executive
Mid-Level My challenge is how to grow the organization

and ensure sustainable performance, while at the
same time acting as a positive role model for the
kind of leadership we want to cultivate and the
First-Level culture we desire. I know all eyes are on me.

The focus is less on leading individuals and teams and
more on leading the culture of the organization.
Leadership Strategic Skills
Executives have layers of other managers/leaders to
direct others’ performance and growth. Creating strategy
Executive leadership is needed to ensure there are Communicating strategy and
systems, processes, and a culture in place to sustain organizational passion
the organization’s performance over time.
Creating a culture of engagement
Therefore, the executive level requires strategic skills
focused more at the organizational level than the Leading an executive team
individual level.

When history points to great failures and
great successes of companies, it always
points to the character of the leader.

Character takes on
even more importance
for executive leaders, as they are responsible for the
consistency of communication, action,
integrity, transparency,
and being the example for other leaders
and employees to follow.
We refer to this as Culture-Centered Leadership.

Consider the balancing act of an executive leader,
as Pathfinder and Steward, at the helm of the organization.
As a Pathfinder, an executive is expected to As a Steward, an executive is expected to protect the
promote change and continually renew the constants—the organizational heartbeat that does
organization—blazing new trails and taking people not change.
where they would not go without being led.
PATHFINDER STEWARD
Ways to take the organization forward: Enduring tenets that do not change:
0V
ision 0V alues
0S
trategy 0 Mission/purpose
0S
ystems/processes 0 Culture
0S
ustainability 0 Leadership as role models
The essence of executive leadership is balancing the Pathfinder and Steward roles.

The Wilson Learning Leadership Development Framework . . .
a picture is worth a thousand words.
Leadership development through the lens of the framework:
0 Both Skills (Form) and Character

(Essence) are important at all levels of
leadership.
0 Skill needs dominate at first-level
leadership; character is based on
leading from the leadership credibility.
0 At the executive level, few additional
skills are required and the dominant
development need is developing their
Character: leading from a Culture-
Centered Essence.
0 Leadership development, at all levels,
must address both Form and Essence.

Character at all leadership levels is the
culmination of the leadership Essence journey.
Leaders at all levels must make the transition from:
0 A leader who, instead of seeking power, empowers
0 A leader who, instead of seeking control, frees you up
0 A leader who, instead of being served, serves
0 A leader who has a strong sense of his or her essence
0 A leader who is seen as courageous

“Ultimately, you will not be judged
so much by how well you lead,
but by how well you
are followed.”

Next Steps
Further explore how to best develop leaders who

drive your business, visit
www.wilsonlearning.com/wlw/leadership
Submit an inquiry online, visit

www.wilsonlearning.com/wlw/contact
Call Wilson Learning at 1-800-328-7937

About the Authors
Tom Roth Michael Leimbach, PhD David Yesford
Tom Roth is Chief Operating Officer for Michael Leimbach, PhD, is Vice President David Yesford is Senior Vice President of
Wilson Learning Worldwide. With more of Global Research and Development for Wilson Learning Worldwide. With more
than 40 years experience developing Wilson Learning Worldwide. With more than 30 years of experience developing
and implementing human performance than 25 years in the field, Dr. Leimbach and implementing human performance
improvement solutions, Mr. Roth is provides leadership for researching and improvement solutions around the globe,
responsible for the strategic direction and designing Wilson Learning’s diagnostic, Mr. Yesford brings valuable experience,
business performance of Wilson Learning learning, and performance improvement strategic direction, and global perspective
Worldwide operations. In addition, he leads capabilities. He has managed major to his work. He has held strategic roles in
the global marketing services and R&D research studies in sales, leadership, Wilson Learning’s core content areas of
solutions group, which is responsible for the and organizational effectiveness, and sales and leadership, as well as e-learning
research and development of all solutions has developed Wilson Learning’s impact and strategic consulting. Mr. Yesford is the
and position papers. Mr. Roth assists evaluation capability and ROI models. contributing author of several books and
global executive leadership teams with He has served as a research consultant has been published in business publications
issues related to employee engagement, for global clients, is Editor-in-Chief of around the world. He frequently speaks
leadership development, strategy the ADHR journal, and serves on the at international engagements, focusing
alignment, and business transformation. ISO Technical Committee on Quality on sales, leadership, employee and
Before assuming his current role, he was Standards for Learning Service Providers. customer engagement, brand, and strategy
President of the global R&D and solution Dr. Leimbach is a published author and implementation.
development groups and also served as frequent speaker at global conferences.
President of Wilson Learning Americas.

About Wilson Learning
Our work with thousands of Our broad-reaching capabilities include: 0 Bringing our implementation “know-
organizations has taught us that every how, can-do, and will-do” expertise
organization is uniquely shaped by its 0 Providing learning services that to every learning initiative to fully
history, culture, mission, values, lore, help address human performance engage key stakeholders and provide
leadership, and, ultimately, its people. needs, including performance transformational learning that is
Every organization has a pulse. consulting, instructional design, recognized, reinforced, and sustained
customization, and flexible delivery
For more than 50 years, Wilson of learning solutions using every 0 Employing our global presence to
Learning has partnered with available modality meet your needs for consistent
organizations around the world to learning solutions around the world,
consult on, assess, design, develop, 0 Leveraging the wellspring of our ensuring local and cultural adaptation
deliver, reinforce, and sustain learning Intellectual Property to produce while working in over 50 countries
solutions, fueled by our passion double-digit percentage performance and 30 languages
and vision for “Helping People and improvement in salesforces,
Organizations Achieve Performance leadership, and workforce ranks For more information, contact us at
with Fulfillment.” 1.800.328.7937.


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Mastering the Role of Leader

A Definitive Guide for Developing Leaders at All Levels of Your Organization

4 | What Is Leadership? 21 | Leadership Development Framework

5 | Who Are Leaders? 22 | Summary

6 | Form and Essence 24 | Next Steps

7 | First-Level Leadership 25 | About the Authors

10 | Mid-Level Leadership 26 | About Wilson Learning

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 |3

Some see leadership as command and control.

The purpose of a leader is to engage others in

4 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Arguably, everyone in an organization Most leadership development providers

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 |5

Essence is who you want to

Form is what you need to

6 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Moving from an individual contributor,

The Form (or Skill) requirement most

Now I’m responsible for leading a team’s

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 |7

Defining tasks and goals

Delegating with confidence

Providing feedback and coaching

Helping others solve problems

8 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

The Essence of first-level leadership is

. . . to helping employees learn how to

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 |9

I feel like I’m the only one really committed,

First-Level I wish I could delegate more and not do it all,

10 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

A mid-level leader needs to shift more to Growth Leadership Growth Skills

This critical shift requires leaders to understand Cross-functional collaboration

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 11

The transition from first-level to mid-level

They use these elements to guide their

This transition starts by understanding where they

12 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

As a result, many leaders start taking So I can do more, create

Then I will be successful.

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 13

Then I will have a sense

14 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Responds to signals Responds to

Success is measured Success is measured

Life is lived on Life is lived on

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 15

What about the C-suite, executive leaders?

The good news? I have a strong team of leaders

Mid-Level My challenge is how to grow the organization

16 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 17

18 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

We refer to this as Culture-Centered Leadership.

Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937 | 19

20 | Mastering the Role of Leader | WilsonLearning.com | 1.800.328.7937

Leadership development through the lens of the framework:

0 Both Skills (Form) and Character

4 | What Is Leadership? 21 | Leadership Development Framework

5 | Who Are Leaders? 22 | Summary

6 | Form and Essence 24 | Next Steps

7 | First-Level Leadership 25 | About the Authors

10 | Mid-Level Leadership 26 | About Wilson Learning

0 Both Skills (Form) and Character

0 A leader who, instead of seeking power, empowers

0 A leader who, instead of seeking control, frees you up

0 A leader who, instead of being served, serves

0 A leader who has a strong sense of his or her essence

0 A leader who is seen as courageous