Action Centred Leadership

Action Centred Leadership

A model for team leadership and management, John Adair's simple Action-Centred Leadership model provides a great blueprint for leadership and the management of any team, group or organization. 
Action Centred Leadership is also a simple leadership and management model, which makes it easy to remember and apply, and to adapt for your own unique situation. All good managers and leaders should have full command of the three main areas of the Action Centred Leadership model, and should be able to use each of the elements according to the situation. 
Being able to do all of these things, and keep the right balance, gets results, builds morale, improves quality, develops teams and productivity, and is the mark of a successful manager and leader. 

The model 
The three parts of Adair's model are commonly represented by three overlapping circles, and is one of the most recognizable and iconic symbols within management theory. This illustrates Adair's three core management responsibilities: 

Achieving the task 
Managing the team or group 
Managing individuals 

John Adair's action-centred leadership task-team-individual model adapts extremely well for the demands of modern business management. When using it in your own environment think about the aspects of performance necessary for success in your own situation, and incorporate local relevant factors into the model to create your own interpretation. This will give you a very useful management framework. 

Your responsibilities as a manager for achieving the task are: 
Identify aims and vision for the group
Purpose and direction - define the activity (the task) 
Identify resources, people, processes, systems and tools (inc. financials, communications, IT)
 Create the plan to achieve the task - deliverables, measures, timescales, strategy and tactics 
Establish responsibilities, objectives, accountabilities and measures, by agreement and delegation 
Set standards, quality, time and reporting parameters 
Control and maintain activities against parameters 
Monitor and maintain overall performance against plan 
Report on progress towards the group's aim 
Review, re-assess, adjust plan, methods and targets as necessary

Your responsibilities as a manager for the group are: 
Establish, agree and communicate standards of performance and behaviour 
Establish style, culture, approach of the group - soft skill elements 
Monitor and maintain discipline, ethics, integrity and focus on objectives 
Anticipate and resolve group conflict, struggles or disagreements 
Assess and change as necessary the balance and composition of the group 
Develop team-working, cooperation, morale and team-spirit 
Develop the collective maturity and capability of the group - progressively increase group freedom and authority 
Encourage the team towards objectives and aims - motivate the group and provide a collective sense of purpose Identify, develop and agree team- and project-leadership roles within group 
Enable, facilitate and ensure effective internal and external group communications 
Identify and meet group training needs 
Give feedback to the group on overall progress; consult with, and seek feedback and input from the group 

Your responsibilities as a manager for each individual are: 
Understand the team members as individuals - personality, skills, strengths, needs, aims and fears 
Assist and support individuals - plans, problems, challenges, highs and lows Identify and agree appropriate individual responsibilities and objectives 
Give recognition and praise to individuals - acknowledge effort and good work 
Where appropriate reward individuals with extra responsibility, advancement and status Identify, develop and utilise each individual's capabilities and strengths 
Train and develop individual team members 
Develop individual freedom and authority 

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