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The Leadership Gap

The Leadership Gap: Episode 3

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Episode 3

BBC Radio 4 - The Leadership Gap, Episode 3

Sir John Tusa explores the state of leadership in large UK organisations today.

John Tusa explores the state of leadership in large UK organisations today, talking to past and present leaders of the NHS, Marks and Spencer, the BBC and other major institutions.

Sir John Tusa explores the state of leadership of large organizations in Britain today.

In the final edition of the series, he explores concerted attempts to close the gaps that often appear around leaders.

He visits London Business School to watch a charismatic lecturer exhorting senior executives to be creative and break from the conformism of hierarchical organizations.

He explores the merits of bringing business dynamism into the public sector - and the rival idea of promoting professional specialists in universities and the NHS into leadership roles.

He spends a morning with John Timpson, Chair and former CEO of Timpson's, the high street shoe and watch repair chain, to find out what he means by 'Upside Down Management' - his distinctive approach to leading his thousands of staff. 

He explores how that works in practice for the staff - and why Timpson objects to terms like 'Head of Human Relations' and 'Head Office'.

And he hears from Professor Jeffrey Nielsen, a former leadership consultant who now lambasts the 'myth' of leadership and argues instead for a peer-based approach.

So, John asks, is it possible - or desirable - to have a leaderless organization?


With:

Lucy Armstrong (The Alchemists)
Lord (Tony) Hall (Director-General, BBC)
Margaret Hodge MP (Chair, Public Accounts Committee)
Sir Andrew Likierman (Dean, London Business School)
Tarek Nseir (CEO, TH_NK)
Sir David Nicholson (ex-Chief Executive, NHS England)
Jesse Norman MP (Treasury Select Committee)
Sir Hugh Orde (President, ACPO; former Chief Constable of Northern Ireland)
Pat Ritchie (Chief Executive, Newcastle City Council)
Sir Stuart Rose (ex-CEO, Marks and Spencer)
Dame Nancy Rothwell (Vice-Chancellor, University of Manchester)
Sir Martin Sorrell (Chief Executive of WPP)
John Timpson CBE (Chair and ex-CEO of Timpsons)

PRODUCER: Phil Tinline.

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John Tusa explores the state of leadership in large UK organisations today.

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