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Lindsay Sherwin
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Adair Leadership Model
John Adair developed this simple but powerful and widely used model
when he was senior lecturer in military history and adviser in
leadership training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. It has
since been used widely internationally in leadership development and
training.
The Adair model describes leadership as the balancing of the three elements depicted above as overlapping
circles. They are
The Task Needs
The work that the team leader needs to carry out to ensure that the
task gets done satisfactorily. |
Key words
are:
- objectives, constraints,
- resources, planning, standards,
- priorities, progress.
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The Needs of the Group itself
The need to develop and maintain working relationships
amongst team members so that the task can be accomplished. |
Key words are:
- team-working, morale
and team-spirit, motivation
- coordination, cooperation,
- climate of the group,
discipline,
- conflict resolution, roles, feedback.
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The Needs of each Individual.
Each team member also has their own needs, pressures and ideas, and
is also usually a member of other groups (their family, section,
profession) who also have their own needs to fulfil.
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Key words are:
- support, coach and develop,
- recognition, praise,
- responsibility, delegate.
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Commentary
He emphasises the importance of distinguishing the individual
from the group. There will seldom, if ever, be a perfect match
between the needs of the individual, the group and the task. The
leader’s job is to be aware of the tension and to manage it. To do
this he needs a functional approach which has eight elements:
- Defining the task;
- Evaluating;
- Planning
- Motivating;
- Briefing;
- Organising;
- Controlling;
- Setting an example.
The key to success lies in the leader achieving and maintaining the
appropriate balance for the particular group that they are leading, and
resisting the urge to focus on those areas that they feel most at home
with.
The following assessment checklist has been used by some leaders with
their groups.
TASK: Did the leader:
- get the task done as required?
- understand the task?
- get all the relevant information from their Boss?
- define the Problem?
- make a plan of action and keep to it?
- test ideas and solutions?
- make the best use of resources?
GROUP: Did the leader:
- tell them enough about the task?
- explain why the task was necessary?
- get agreement on what the group goals should be?
- agree group standards? (e.g. time limits, quality)
- summarise progress (during and at the end)?
- criticise the group constructively?
- praise the group appropriately?
- maintain harmony?
- keep the group to its purpose?
- involve them in decision making?
- ease tension with humour?
INDIVIDUAL: did the leader:
- give each person an appropriate job to do?
- explain the significance of each person’s job to them?
- check understanding?
- check on special skills or knowledge?
- consult, listen and acknowledge?
- tell each person hoe they were getting on?
- discipline where necessary?
- set a good example?
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Adair on Leading