World Leaders Behaving Badly

The challenge of global ambition in a consulted world.

In today’s climate of escalating global crises, business leaders face a critical decision: adapt or face the possibility of becoming irrelevant. The dependency on management consultancies has cast a long shadow over leadership autonomy, prompting a deep introspection about the risks to one’s own legacy. “The Big Con” by Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington clearly frames this dilemma, calling into question the wisdom of outsourcing critical, visionary decision-making. This reliance, as seen in McKinsey’s contentious role in climate strategy, with pushed interests of big oil and gas clients, not only undermines the authenticity of leadership but also endangers the very future it seeks to secure.

The upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December, 2023, presents a critical juncture for leadership on a global scale. This article explores the necessity for leaders to move beyond a reliance on management consultancies, especially in such forums where visionary and independent decision-making is crucial for addressing the urgent global challenges.

From Globally Absent to Globally Ambitious

For leaders at crossroads, sensing an impending global shift, the Four Global Leadership Dimensions offer a roadmap away from being ‘Globally Absent’ - trapped by short-sighted, consultant-driven directives - to becoming ‘Globally Ambitious’, where the power to drive societal and business breakthroughs is realised. Yet, this journey is fraught with risks; the seductive certainty offered by consultants can stymie innovative thought and action, potentially compromising a leader's ability to enact meaningful change. Embracing these dimensions requires a conscious unshackling from the allure of consultancy dependency and a bold step into the realm of proactive, impactful leadership.

The Global Leadership Framework

In assessing the performance of business leaders, understanding their position within a framework of global leadership dimensions is crucial.

This framework, which encompasses the ‘Globally Absent’, ‘Globally Aware’, ‘Globally Active’, and ‘Globally Ambitious’ stages, provides a lens through which we can evaluate the evolution and effectiveness of leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.

It is particularly relevant when scrutinising the impact that reliance on management consultants has on a leader’s ability to perform. By navigating these dimensions, we can discern how consultants might bolster or undermine a leader’s capability to address global challenges and drive organisational success on the world stage. It sheds light on the transparency needed in global leadership, spotlighting those who do not embody the ‘Globally Ambitious’ benchmark, thereby forfeiting win-win outcomes.

The Four Global Leadership Dimensions:

In the ‘Globally Absent’ dimension, leadership is characterised by a rigid adherence to traditional corporate structures and top-down decision-making, heavily influenced by industrial-age thinking. It often leads to a narrow focus on short-term business metrics at the expense of global trends and long-term sustainability. The risk here, particularly with reliance on management consultants, is that leaders may miss out on diverse insights and innovative approaches to global challenges, resulting in a reactive rather than proactive stance on issues like climate change.

As leaders become ‘Globally Aware’, they start to appreciate the interconnectedness of the world and recognise that true, sustained value extends beyond financial metrics, encompassing social and environmental impacts. However, the risk persists that reliance on management consultants can limit the potential for internal innovation, as strategic direction is influenced by external entities that may not prioritise long-term or global perspectives.

Moving into the ‘Globally Active’ dimension, leaders engage with global issues directly, fostering a culture of connection and connectedness across industries and geographies, spanning global talent pools, partnerships, and markets. Yet, the strategy of risk mitigation by leaning on consultants can still undermine the autonomy and agility required to navigate the rapidly evolving global landscape effectively.

In the ‘Globally Ambitious’ dimension, leaders aim to transform industries, influence policies and drive organisational and societal progress on a global scale. Here, the risk associated with an overreliance on management consultants is that it may constrain the visionary potential of the leader, stifling the transformative impact they could have on the world stage.

Mitigating The Biggest (Personal) Risk

This reclamation of agency is not just about steering through today’s challenges; it’s about ensuring that the legacy left behind is one of forward-thinking stewardship and resilience. Leaders must now look beyond the horizon, adopting a holistic vision that harmonises business success with societal progress. The imperative is clear: business leaders must step up and fully embody global leadership, or they may be viewed as those who had the opportunity to shape the future yet defaulted to the safer, well-trodden paths laid out by others. The choice leaders make today will define their legacy of tomorrow.

I believe amplified ambition drives global goals. In your professional world, is global ambition a driving force, or is it restrained by cautious risk management strategies?