A strong Total Leadership Typology

Primary Typology:  Leadership Intent

What is the leader trying to do?

  1. Be – Identity, values, presence, ethics

  2. Understand – Sense-making, systems, judgement

  3. Move – Change, transformation, influence

  4. Engage – Negotiation, dialogue, relationships

  5. Create – Innovation, design, re-imagination

  6. Decide – Risk, crisis, pressure, accountability

  7. Deliver – Capability, performance, execution

  8. Contribute – Society, systems, future generations

This typology is sector-neutral, intellectually sound, and deeply aligned with Leadership3.

Secondary Typology: Leadership Context

Where is leadership being exercised?

 •.  Individual
•    Team
•    Organisation
•    Network / System
•    Community / Society

Tertiary Typology: Leadership Style

How is leadership enacted?

  • Reflective

  • Adaptive

  • Strategic

  • Relational

  • Decisive

  • Creative

  • Ethical

These three dimensions of leadership3 help us to align what we want to achieve (impact), in which context (level of leadership) and in what manner (leadership style).

As a reflective activity we could use the six intelligent leadership questions as a means of interogating the situation,

Leadership Category

Primary ILQ Resonance

Why this works

BE — Leadership Identity & Practice

Why?

Purpose, values, intent, selflessness

UNDERSTAND — Systems & Judgement

What? / Where?

Sense-making, systems, context

MOVE — Change & Transformation

When?

Timing, momentum, readiness, sequencing

ENGAGE — Influence & Negotiation

Who?

Stakeholders, relationships, interests

CREATE — Innovation & Design

What (could be)?

Reframing problems, imagining futures

DECIDE — Crisis & Risk

When? / How?

Urgency, pressure, judgement

DELIVER — Capability & Performance

How?

Execution, capability, method

CONTRIBUTE — Systems & Society

How (with what impact)?

Consequences, legacy, social value