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07 November 2008

As the dust begins to settle following Barack Obama’s extraordinary and historic election victory and the President Elect of the United States gets ready to take up his place in the Oval Office, the world is waiting in anticipation to see exactly what kind of leader he will become. 

Penny de Valk, Chief Executive of the ILM, said: “The fascinating thing about Obama is that he has little executive experience and we know very little about his policies. The American people voted for the man – for his integrity, authenticity, character, vision and judgment. Someone who doesn't see the enormous task ahead as a zero sum game, who assured us in his acceptance speech that he would do a lot of listening - especially to those he disagreed with. Obama captures the spirit of the modern leader – he is not the expert with all the answers but someone we trust to help create new solutions." 

So now the $500 million campaign is over, what next? The big tension for any new leader is always between establishing yourself, listening and asking questions, but at the same time managing the expectation that you are going to get things done.

“This is a risky time so engaging with stakeholders is important”, continued Penny. “The key is to get a feeling for the informal networks of power that are operating, getting a sense for the currents and undercurrents that will need navigating".

“Choose your team wisely - make it a mix of enhancing your strengths and compensating for your weaknesses. The team you choose will also send a signal about who you are, what you consider important and what you think the road ahead will need."  “Quick wins are important but make them signals of what you stand for. After 60 days, be ready to make some of these ideas happen".

“There is no set recipe for leaders in the 21st century. They cannot be one trick ponies, rather they need a repertoire of skills to draw on. As Barack Obama said himself, the road ahead is long. It will be fascinating to see how his leadership will play out over the coming weeks and months.”

For further information and interviews with ILM Chief Executive Penny de Valk, please contact:  Anya Matthews or Rebecca Griffiths at Colman Getty / T: 020 7631 2666

Notes to editors: The Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) is Europe’s leading management organisation. ILM partners with more than 80,000 individuals and organisations each year to help them fulfil their potential and achieve success through its wide range of flexible leadership and management development solutions.  From industry-leading qualifications and membership services to specialist learning resources, all ILM products and services are built on in-depth research and benchmarked against best practice standards. Supporting a fast-growing community of over 30,000 practising leaders and managers, ILM’s membership services are designed to provide ongoing continuing professional development throughout every stage of a manager’s career.  Backed by an in depth programme of thought leadership research, ILM operates internationally, improving leadership and management skills, knowledge and outputs across all sectors, from corporate finance to the armed forces.