Every leader has a role in the leadership structure and is supported by the way the role is integrated with other leaders.

The negotiation process helps leaders to delegate parts of their role to others, in advance, before there is a crisis and while they have time to talk through and think through the consequences.

This captures so well the dilemma we all have about being too busy on one hand but still reluctant to delegate parts of our role to someone else.

How leaders integrate their roles reflects a strategy for succession. It is a process that develops younger leaders can to assume more accountability and freedom to act in the future.

Well defined outcomes orients the organization with their strategic vision.

Mission - Why do we exist?Vision - What are we trying to become?Outcomes:  What do we need to deliver to fulfill our mission and strategic vision?

How we know if they are clear?The Primary role is strategic, tactical & operational

People understand their roles, focus..

People have many roles and need to be adaptable to filling the role.  Leaders need to be able to effectively engage in conversations about roles and be able to re-negotiate their roles on the fly.  

Having clearly defined roles:

• Serves to coordinates decisions, ensuring each leader's actions to deliver, complement and do not interfere with others outcomes.  
• Decisions are balanced in short and long term needs and goals.  
• Acts as controls that decrease impulsive decisions and acts which increase risk and loss.
• Creates a balance between personal objectives and company objectives

Here's a list of the types of roles we discussed in previous episodes.  

Types of Roles

• Primary role - The  point person; the primary accountability for a certain outcome. The primary role needs the power to design the system for execution.
• Approve Role - Must be in the information loop before decisions are made or actions are taken.
• Consult Role -  Consulted before the planning and design process.
• Inform role - This role must be informed on the process of the outcome delivery.
• Monitor Role -This is a critical role who gives feedback, tracks, and reports.

Consider the following:

• In view of the future are we to enter into new relations that are important to realise our Mission?
• Are there any present relations that had better be reduced or dismantled?  

The answers to these questions can even be accentuated by the following questions:

• Are there any advantages to the present situation which we will lose if we change our relation-pattern?
• Will there appear any (unexpected) disadvantages?
• Next can you have a reconsideration of activities?
• How exactly do we create an added value to these (separate) relations?

RESOURCE LINKS:

• Kolbe.com - Test for Conative Skills
• Gene's book: Leaders First: 6 Bold Steps to Sustain Breakthroughs in Construction