In Praise of the Incomplete Leader by D. Ancona, T.W. Malone, W.J. Orlikowski, & P.M. Senge

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The executive’s job is no longer command and control but to coordinate and cultivate the actions of others at all levels of the organization.

• Leaders need to see themselves as incomplete – having strengths and weaknesses - to make up for their missing skills and relying on others – the human leader
• The incomplete leader knows when to let go
• The incomplete leader knows that leadership exists throughout the organizational hierarchy – wherever expertise, vision, new ideas, and commitment are found

• A set of four capabilities – sensemaking, relating, visioning and inventing – they span the intellectual and interpersonal, the rational and intuitive and the conceptual and creative capacities required in today’s business environment
• Incomplete vs. incompetent – incomplete leaders understand what they’re good at and what they’re not and have good judgment on how they can work with others to build on their strengths and offset their limitations
• A leader may need to further develop the skill set he is weak in. However, there are times when it’s more important for leaders to find and work with others to compensate for their weaknesses
• Framework can be utilized by teams and organizations, not just at the individual level, to diagnose their strengths and weaknesses and find ways to balance their skill sets

Sensemaking and Relating are considered the enabling capabilities of leadership - they set the conditions that motivate and sustain change. Visioning and inventing are the creative and action oriented capabilities – they produce the focus and energy needed to make change happen. The four capabilities are interdependent and require balancing.

Leaders don't excel in all four capabilities in equal measure. Leaders must examine the whole organization for balance. The leader’s responsibility is to create an environment that lets people complement one another’s strengths and offset one another’s weaknesses.