On February 3rd this year, a new institute was founded at London Business School. This establishment called the Leadership Institute will admit future business leaders and teach them not only to use their skills in management, marketing or finance, but also how to be well-liked by their subordinates
According to Randall Peterson, the Leadership Institute director, a leader in business needs to not only use their logic, but also attract other people emotionally. Leadership, Mr. Peterson says, should be psychological, not just technical.
The institute’s advisory board members, Randall Peterson, Nader Tavassoli and David Myatt, refer to this newborn school as a thought incubator, meant to do research in the fields of leadership, inclusion return and effective management. Peterson explained that their research would be based on data obtained from large British companies.
In a release focused on the institute’s future, Vyla Rollins, the new school’s executive director, stated that she sees their goal as developing the leadership and management skills in talented students. Leadership will be established as something compulsory, not just a fancy optional course. According to Ms. Rollins, the institute’s future research will be put to practice helping students develop their leadership skills and turn them into a fine art.
THE 2014 RYDER CUP CASE STUDY
The school’s primary listeners will be students of London Business School, especially those majoring in executive education. Several case studies (together with events, competitions, projects etc.) have already been completed and will be used in teaching leadership. The most prominent case study that will be used by the new institute is the one of the 2014 Ryder Cup.
The 2014 Ryder Cup was a golf competition between US and European teams. The case will use the positive example of the European team captain, Paul McGinley, who built his leadership approach on knowing every player in his team and using their individual skills and qualities to make an intricate playing strategy.
According to Randall Peterson, this case is a perfect example of true leadership as it shows how you can combine strategic and logical thinking with emotional ties to the team. To be a good leader, you have to know every last person on your team and be sure to establish an emotional connection to them.
NO MORE COLD AND UNEMOTIONAL LEADERS
Peterson believes that it’s time to abandon the ‘cold and logical’ MBA stereotype. With technical skills alone, it’s difficult to build a real team and make all your subordinates work together. That’s why the institute will not only teach students to appreciate the psychological side of leadership, but also assess their soft skills and give them feedback. This, according to the institute’s founders, will help students realize the influence they have on their co-workers and use it for the good of the company.
Peterson calls this approach ‘return on inclusion’, meaning the ability to turn people’s different backgrounds and experiences to an opportunity of healthy competition and teamwork. A cold and logical, or ‘machine-like’ leader is incapable of such a result, and that’s why it’s important to use not only your head, but also the heart.
NEW SCHOOL’S MATERIALS WILL BE PUT ONLINE FOR FREE ACCESS
To expand the institute’s influence and promote its research, all case studies and materials will be put online to be used for free on the new school’s web page. The materials will also include video recordings of interviews with famous leaders.
The reason why the advisory board decided to promote all the institute’s research and course materials is simple: Peterson hopes that their new Leadership Institute will be the cornerstone of teaching and learning true leadership. In his own words, he appreciates the opportunity to “make the world a better place”.
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