CEO - David Alterman takes a moment to reflect on leadership

There is a massive industry these days in leadership coaching.

Most mornings I, metaphorically, tip piles of emails offering me help in this area into the bin. Social media is overrun with advice on best practice, industry coaches selling the latest greatest techniques, and their new books on the subject, and warnings of all the traps you can fall into.

For any of us in leadership positions it is quite unsettling. Imposter syndrome is never far from the surface and the sheer amount that I appear not to know can be overwhelming.

But all is not lost. When you do browse some of the articles or listen to the podcasts the same things keep coming up which boil down to basic human values. I’ve pulled out a few, for example:

1.   Understand the role

2.   Listen first act second

3.   Take responsibility

4.   Support your team

5.   Be open and honest

6.   Be true to yourself

The reason this came up was that I have been reflecting on Liz Truss’s high profile fail last week. I am not going to talk about politics – this is not the place for a discussion of trickling down or levelling up. I was just intrigued as to why she has had such a difficult time.

And unfortunately when you look at the critical points where things went wrong it is pretty clear that this wasn’t (just) a political failure. It was a leadership failure.

Anyone coming into such a difficult job would have struggled. But maybe a small nod to basic leadership skills might have eased the pain a little?

Our new prime minister has identified the need for integrity, professionalism and accountability. That sounds like a better start. And the minimum my employers – all the partners at The Nursery – will expect from me.

David Alterman,

Chief Executive Officer