Margaret Thatcher
“One of the most difficult tasks of change leaders is delivering their vision for change and showing benevolence to those who disagree or resist”
👏 Happy Friday!
On this day, June 9th, 1983, Margaret Thatcher's British Conservative Party won a landslide second-term election victory, taking 397 seats to Labour's 209. Thatcher's success was fuelled by her resolute leadership during the Falkland Islands War and the disunity within the opposition party. Notably, she etched her name in history as the first female Prime Minister of Britain. Throughout her tenure, she introduced and implemented economic policies that later became known as Thatcherism. Her unwavering stance and unyielding politics earned her the moniker “Iron Lady,” a title that resonated with her firm resolve and unwavering leadership style. While Thatcher implemented significant economic reforms that aimed to modernise the British economy, some argue that she could have done more to address the social impacts of these changes. The negative consequences felt by certain industries and regions created discontent and eroded support, leading to challenges to her leadership.
✅ Thatcher possessed exceptional communication skills and charisma, which enabled her to effectively articulate her vision and connect with the public. She used powerful rhetoric and memorable phrases to engage, influence, and inspire people. Her leadership style was characterised by her strong determination, assertiveness, and uncompromising approach to politics. She told us. “To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say: You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.” However, her policies and governing style were also highly divisive, and she faced significant opposition from political opponents and protesters during her time in office. Typically, business leaders implementing change cannot alienate their stakeholders. Benevolent Leaders Compromise.
“One of the most difficult tasks of change leaders is delivering their vision for change and showing benevolence to those who disagree or resist"
👉 Benevolent leaders are committed to making their organisations better, and this trait complements change leadership. They are approachable and accessible but are neither wimps nor pushovers. Benevolent leaders are servant leaders, they put the needs of their employees first. Benevolence includes empathy, humility, and respectful leadership.
Have a fantastic weekend with the ones you love and care for, enjoy some fresh air, exercise, eat, drink and be happy.
Further Reading: Change Management Leadership - Leadership of Change Volume 4.
Peter consults, speaks, and writes on the Leadership of Change®.
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Peter F Gallagher is a Change Management Global Thought Leader, Guru, Expert, International Speaker, Author and Leadership Alignment Coach.
Listed #1 by leadersHum Top 40 Change Management Gurus You Should Follow in 2022 (Mar 2022).
Ranked #1 Change Management Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Change Management (2023-2022-2021-2020) by Thinkers360.
Ranked #1 Business Strategy Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Business Strategy (2022) by Thinkers360.
Ranked #2 Leadership Global Thought Leader: Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Leadership (Aug 2020) by Thinkers360.
Business Book Ranking
Change Management Behaviour - Leadership of Change® Volume 6, listed among the 50 Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2022.
Change Management Adoption - Leadership of Change® Volume 5, listed among year-to-date’s (Jul 2021) most popular books on business and technology from Thinkers360 member thought leaders.
Change Management Handbook - Leadership of Change® Volume 3, listed among the 50 Business and Technology Books from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders to read in 2021.
Change Management Pocket Guide - Leadership of Change® Volume 2, ranked within the top 50 Business and Technology Books (Jan 2020) from Thinkers360 Thought Leaders.