Public sector leaders receive training on effective management skills

AMMAN — A successful leader in a professional environment is one who encourages followers to be active, independent and creative, a management expert said Saturday.

Among the several categories of employees, “effective followers” are the ones who contribute the most to improving the performance of any institution, said Jimmy Gordon, the chairman of the Inspirational Development Group (IDG) Middle East, adding that alienated employees, blind followers and the “say yes” employees hinder work progress. 

Speaking at the 12th Government Leadership Forum, held by the Ministry of Public Sector Development under the patronage of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, Gordon said new management styles focus on creating a balance between leadership, followership, administration and technical work, as older styles neglected the first two.  

Meanwhile, he highlighted the difference between a task and a mission; a mission is a task with a unifying purpose that allows further engagement of employees and urges them to look for alternative routes for implementing the required work. 

Gordon shared his experience at the forum, which seeks to increase the knowledge and experiences among public sector leaders and keep them updated with recent developments in the field of public administration.

The IDG works in the field of management and leadership consultancy and has an exclusive partnership agreement with the British Royal Military Academy Sandhurst since 2001. 

The group works in Jordan on several programmes, including a partnership with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. 

IDG Managing Director Craig Preston said the leadership is “timeless” when it is dynamic and when it keeps up with the changes in governmental processes and structures.

He underlined the army’s values of self-commitment, courage, discipline, integrity, loyalty and respect for others as valid principles in the business arena and public administration.

Preston also stressed the effectiveness of the modern “mission-command” model, which depends on fast and effective decision making, understanding the intentions of superiors and clearly defining responsibilities.

Gordon said the group has trained some 150 Jordanians from various sectors over the past six years on leadership and management skills, citing an upcoming training session for 25 others. 

Minister of Public Sector Development Khleef Al Khawaldeh highlighted the need for public institution management to be open and dynamic, in addition to being knowledge-based, noting that identifying the problems is half the solution.

The unity of vision and purpose is a vital factor for improvement, according to Khawaldeh, who emphasised the need for collective thinking and acting among governmental entities.

He added that the process approach to management entails that all the functions and activities carried out by the institution add value to the overall process and improve the quality of provided services.