The old approach to workforce leadership – one of fear and coercion – no longer works, according to an international management expert.

Scott Blanchard, a corporate trainer and leadership well-known for his pioneering ideas on management issues, explained that the new workforce, made up of an increasingly networked Generation Y, responds better when they know they are part of something important.

Blanchard said: “A successful leader creates an environment that enables people to work as hard as they can to achieve their goals.

“Some of the old models don’t work: where fear and coercion are used. Employees may respond for a time, but they will then start to withhold their cooperation in the medium and longer-term.

“The most effective model seems to be using carrots, and then backed up with a stick if needed. What is important is to let people in on the larger picture, so they can understand the role they play in the business, and how they will contribute to achieving its goals. Then they can create their own role and use their initiative.”

Father and son leadership experts Ken and Scott Blanchard will present Pioneering Leadership and Employee Effectiveness for Organisational Success, organised by Global Leaders at the InterContinental Regency Bahrain on November 11.

The duo will present their latest, powerfully influential leadership concepts in a full-day, interactive event, combining very practical leadership case studies and examples.

Scott said: “Remember why we actually come to work in the first place. Firstly, we need to make money, to support ourselves and our families. Secondly, we want to be productive and set an example.

“Thirdly, we want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. This last point is the one that makes the real difference: it unleashes a major factor in employee passion that otherwise remains untapped.”

According to Scott, sharing the big picture with employees – and making them feel a part of the organisation’s goals - will have a positive effect on output.

“Being a part of something important causes the highest level of productivity,” he said. “Leaders need to create this environment in the workplace, not just a soft environment, but one that is action and results-orientated.

“We all need to remember that employees are humans; they come with feelings, hope, aspirations and fears, and we need to manage all of these.”

Scott is an accomplished author in his own right, having co-authored Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest and Leading at a Higher Level.

Ken, who is the co-author of the bestseller One Minute Manager, which has sold more than 13 million copies in over 30 languages, has had a huge influence on both strategic and day-to-day management of people and companies. – TradeArabia News Service