New Water Policy and Practice Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 14

Understanding Six Water Leadership Roles

3.1. The champion leader

A role that primarily involves initiating processes of influence (change) to
advance water management projects, innovations, and policies. Leaders occupying
this role are variously described as champions, policy entrepreneurs, emergent leaders
and key change agents. They are highly motivated, stand out early in processes of
change, and excel at exerting influence. The literature on champions distinguishes
between ‘project/product champions’ and ‘executive champions’ (see Howell and
Higgins 1990; Howell et al. 2005; Maidique 1980). ‘Project/product champions’ drive
initiatives on a day-to-day level, unlike more senior ‘executive champions’. Project/
product champions typically become executive champions later in their careers.
They often promote innovations, take personal risks, question the status quo, meet
substantial resistance, and communicate clear and compelling visions for projects.
They are outstanding communicators, often engage in ‘extra role behaviours’, and
frequently use transformational leadership behaviours (see Bass 1985; Kouzes and
Posner 2012; Northouse 2013). Although they stand out as individuals early in
processes of change, they work closely with other leaders to deliver projects. The
extent to which a champion can fulfill this role is often limited by their local context
(e.g., available support from senior management and resources). Once their initiatives
are underway, their visibility tends to decrease and there is a risk of them leaving the
initiative, or being transferred, before it is fully delivered (Meijerink and Huitema
2010).

Table 2 provides a summary of the key competencies (i.e., the skills, knowledge,
personality traits, forms of power, and/or types of social networks) that the leaders
who excel in this role typically possess. It also includes a summary of the leadership
strategies (i.e., behaviors) that are typically used by such leaders when playing this
role. Tables 3–7 provide equivalent information for the other five roles.
3.2. The enabling leader

A role that involves enabling (rather than directing) others to collectively
find solutions to complex water management challenges. Leaders occupying this
role create environments where people from across organisational boundaries can
interact, collaborate, experiment, take risks, and learn together (i.e., ‘learn by doing’).
Senior enabling leaders may also help leaders at the project level by gathering political
and executive support for initiatives, providing resources, sharing risks, and building
supportive organisational cultures. Leaders in this role commonly work across
organisational boundaries and often link people within an organisation to external
people (e.g., linking industry practitioners with researchers). They can be innovative
in the way they approach problem solving and help to foster innovations at a technical
level. They are typically senior in organisations with access to position power/authority
(i.e., typically at the middle management to the executive level). They are adept at
seeing ‘the bigger picture’ and the systemic way in which projects and policies interact
both within and outside the water sector.
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