What is Action-Centered Leadership?

Action-Centered Leadership, a model proposed by John Adair, distinguishes 3 groups of interrelated activities of effective leaders. 

1. Achieving the Task.
   • Identify aims and vision for the group, purpose, and direction.
   • Identify resources, people, processes, systems and tools.
   • 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.
2. Building and maintaining the Team.
   • Establish, agree and communicate standards of performance and behavior.
   • 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.
3. Developing the Individual.
   • 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 utilize each individual’s capabilities and strengths.
   • Train and develop individual team members.
   • Develop individual freedom and authority.