Sustainable Leadership

Abstract

Effective leadership in managerial jobs has increased in its vitality due to the present fundamental shift in the corporate environment. The most current theory perceives leadership to be a process in which leaders are not seen as individuals in charge of followers, but as members of a community of practice. Sustainable leadership is a relatively new term, particularly in the context of managerial or organizational view. It is debated, that sustainable leadership is required for continuity of stable vision and to assist the flow of organizations policies for a long period of time. ABS Pumps, is in the process of organisational change. The organisation has faced financial risks due to weak sales and low margins in Germany and the UK and by unsatisfactory margins for process pumps for the pulp and paper industry. Our main research problem, deals with how ABS Pumps can develop a high level of leadership capacity that can be sustained over time. As an alternative consideration to how individuals can become more effective leaders, research as to how organisations can sustain leadership over time, as individual leaders move in an out of the organisations has been carried out, as well as an analysis of how ABS Pumps can attract and retain people with future leadership potential and what ABS Pumps should do to develop and broaden those people with leadership skills. We have considered selected theoretical themes in the context of sustainable leadership literature and conducted in-depth interviews at ABS Pumps to collect the empirical data. A thorough analysis of theory and empirical data leads us to conclude that a deliberate recruiting effort followed by a comprehensive leadership skill assessment tool is required to attract people with leadership potential. Consistent organisational polices regarding an attractive work environment, giving challenging opportunities to employees, equal opportunities for future growth, lack of internal politics and in-house process for identification of leader is required to retain people with leadership skills. Leadership, training and development programs play a vital role to develop and broaden people with leadership skills, since individual leaders move in and out of the organisations. The best way to sustain and develop a high level of leadership capacity is to establish an executive team, which consists of a top management group that includes CEO and other top executives, responsible to initiate and implement all strategic decisions.