The Leadership for Competitive Advantage Model

The foundation for the Leadership Development Institute is its leadership competency model, Leadership for Competitive Advantage. Leadership for Competitive Advantage was developed by our director, Ron Kirsch, as the basis for our complete leadership system. It is the groundwork for our:

  • Assessment
  • Development Planning
  • Core Curriculum Design and Development
  • Course Customization
  • Open Enrollment Certificate Programs

Leadership for Competitive Advantage asserts that leaders focus their time and energy along two intersecting dimensions:

  • Present to Future (The Vertical Dimension)
  • Internal to External (The Horizontal Dimension)

When combined, five competency areas emerge:

  • Self Mastery and Social Responsibility
  • Direction Setting
  • Action Creation
  • Culture Creation
  • Learning and Change

The competencies, skills and desired organizational outcomes that make up the substance of the Leadership for Competitive Advantage Model reside in these five areas.

Another important feature of Leadership for Competitive Advantage is that it is an “integrated model of leadership,” through which it combines the so-called “hard skills” (e.g. finance, strategy) with the so-called “soft skills” (e.g. communication, style). This makes a very important statement-that the old dichotomy between hard and soft skills is in fact a false one. People are not one-dimensional. The two are ever present, if not obvious, in all of us. It is important to leadership effectiveness that self-development focuses on how leaders can combine the two in order to lead more effectively.

Leadership for Competitive Advantage is also a dynamic leadership model. It evolves in response to forces that reshape the business environment (e.g. globalization). And, our approach to using it is flexible; we regularly tailor it to meet the requirements and language of our customers.