Wickland Westcott

The Fall of Rebekah Brooks

Illustrating the dangers of the ‘untouchable’ leader

So Rebekah Brooks has resigned. Whilst a minority has come out in support of the former News of the World editor, it’s probably safe to say that the vast majority of people feel that this is a necessary end to a week of controversy and damage limitation for News International.

So where did it all go so horribly wrong? Certainly a major criticism has been the shocking level of judgement displayed by Ms Brooks in developing a culture of success (in this case selling papers) at all costs – no matter who the victim or the potential damage to reputation. However interestingly, what seems to have been making people most angry of late is the unwillingness of this leader to be accountable or apologise for any personal wrongdoing. By refusing to assume responsibility early on, Rebekah was demonstrating a major weakness in her leadership – a total lack of humility.

This illustrates what Occupational Psychologists have known for a long time – that whereas in the past good leaders were hailed as ‘heroes’ – untouchables who could do no wrong – today’s leaders of successful organisations carry themselves with a realistic perspective of themselves, their organisation and the environment. Today, a humble leader is a critical strength for organisations – and an arrogant leader a perilous weakness. The term ‘Level 5 leadership’ has been coined to describe leaders who combine ambition with a central focus of success for the organisation rather than themselves. This means it is possible to be both daringly competitive and humble at the same time.
So what makes a humble leader? According to Vera et al (2004), a total of 13 characteristics describe such a person:

1. being open to new paradigms;
2. being eager to learn from others;
3. understanding his or her limitations, and attempting to correct them;
4. accepting failure with pragmatism;
5. asking for advice;
6. developing others;
7. having a genuine desire to serve;
8. respecting others;
9. sharing honours and recognition with collaborators;
10. accepting success with simplicity;
11. lacking narcissism and repelling adulation;
12. avoiding self-complacency;
13. and being careful with money.

From this list we can sum up what makes a humble leader good for the bottom line of an organisation. Firstly, a high level of humility influences leaders to behave in a way that is mostly concerned with enhancing others, rather than themselves. Secondly, it protects leaders from needing the attention and adulation of the public. Finally, it encourages a culture of learning and organisational resilience.

So  - Tom Mockridge has been announced as the new CEO of News International. Whether he will demonstrate the humility required to gain the confidence of his team and the public remains to be seen, however one thing can be certain – he will need to demonstrate courage and resilience in the months to come.

If you would like to find out more about the work we have done with Senior Leaders and Executive Boards, please call us on 01625 508100.

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