Leadership – to change or not to change, that is the question

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

So David Moyes has departed Manchester United - not an unexpected result given the clubs performance this season. I have to confess to being a lifelong supporter and so I am dismayed at the change in fortunes in only one season, therefore Moyes leaving is no surprise and with a reported £5m payoff every cloud has a silver lining! Failure can be rewarding after all. Who was it said, "Gentlemen, we need to fail more often."?

Of course, it raises some interesting points on the subject of leadership. A number of pundits have claimed one reason for his failure was he wanted the team to adapt to his style of leadership rather than the other way around. It seems that whenever a new “leader” arrives they seem to want to stamp their authority and character on the team/organisation/company. Same in politics, new governments want to change whatever the previous lot did irrespective of whether or not it is needed.

So what should a good leader do?

It seems to me that certainly if things are not working properly, if a team is not performing, then change is of course needed. However, if the team is a high performing one, meeting its targets and objectives then the mark of a good leader is to recognise what works well and continue to support it. Sometimes it takes more courage to maintain the status quo and to acknowledge that your predecessor got it right.

Surely leadership is about supporting your team and ensuring the successful delivery of objectives, not personal ego.