Part 1

Context matters.

If you do not care for context, you might lose 80 IQ points, according to the guru of object-oriented programming, Alan Kay.

In Part 1 we start off by creating a context reflecting the history and language of leadership as it has been modelled, practiced and spoken of since human#1.

We begin to establish leadership as an essential and necessary human construct.

We take a tour through the rise of leadership and imagine why it was established by humans and then follow its flow into the modern ages.

We also examine how leadership is framed in the variety of models and theories, including how it is easily lost in translation with management and other social constructs.

Because there is considerable conflation between leadership and (business) management, there is a broad discussion of this matter.

Matters such as why people choose to lead, the perceived benefits of leading and leadership and the essential role of critical thinking are examined.

We also discuss and define the purpose of leadership, which anchors the System to be built in Part 2.

By the end of Part 1 we are ready for the new world.

Part 1 includes four assessments.

Part 2

In Part 2 we fashion the Influential Leadership System, from the ground up.

Every glorious construct needs an architecture, and it is no different with ours.

BTW. One of the fundamental shortcomings of most legacy forms of leadership is the absence of an architecture; they often appear like a mirage – the closer you get to them the less substance they have.

The distinctive architecture of the Influential Leadership System includes the following building blocks:

• A fundamental assumption that is that leadership is an ecosystem that exists and functions within other interacting systems.
• Social agency, which is founded on self-efficacy, is the intellectual basis for the value and power of leadership.
• Then there are three internal pillars:
  • The leadership philosophy.
  • The leadership principles.
  • The leadership behavioural attributes.
• Leadership moments are the leadership triggers (activators).
• Leadership outcomes are the productive consequences of successful leadership.

The theme running through all of the above elements is the heart of the matter, the purpose of leadership.

At the close of Part 2, we pull all the pieces together into a coherent whole before we head into some Influential Leadership practicing.

There are six assessments in Part 2.

Part 3

Parts 1 and 2 build up to Part 3 that takes us into the practice of leadership.

One of the trademark characteristics of the Influential Leadership System is that it is a practice.  It is akin to the professions of accounting, engineering and football, for example, that manifest themselves in their practice.  I.e., one becomes a leader, an accountant, an engineer or a footballer through practicing that skill.

Leadership is a strategic skill, an Apex Skill.

Because leadership always starts with one’s own thinking, choices and behaviours, in other words, self-leadership, our first leadership practice sessions are about leadership in our immediate spaces.

This approach is also consistent with the principle of people being object and subject of leadership.

The second set of instances in which we must choose to lead is our variety of collective or group settings, such as teams and workspaces—the teacher, headmaster, team captain, CEO, journalist, political representative and country president.

The third set of practical applications takes us to leadership as an activist citizen. We are citizens wherever we are.  Because our Leadership is wall-to-wall, we are called to lead as citizens – on our commute to work or the mall, standing in the queue at the checkout counter, in our neighbourhoods and in our recreational spaces.

There are two assessments in Part 3.

There are two limitations, both are self-selective, you decide

Firstly, while Alpha is designed to cater for a broad range of people in terms of age, life stage and life experience, it is intellectually demanding and is best suited for people who are at least 15 years of age, and have sufficient schooling or life experience to understand the issues.

Secondly, Alpha requires English language competency, even if not your home language.

Beyond these two self-determined criteria, everyone is offered the opportunity.

The choice lies with each of us.