Do leaders in the housing sector need technical competencies?

I am seeing much discussion around competency within the Housing sector and what it means to be competent. The dictionary definition of competent is “having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully”. How does this apply to leaders in the industry and does it follow that they must have a related technical competency?

A paradox of leadership is that the individual with the most responsibility often has the least direct insight into the daily machinations of an organisation. They cannot be everywhere all the time, they face myriad pressures and responsibilities and of course have their own personal shortcomings; hence a leader understands that success depends almost entirely on the actions of the people in their team.

Creating a culture in which the team feels valued and empowered, where staff are trusted to meet expected standards in the absence of the leader is therefore crucial, and the leader has to be a role model of this culture.

Technical skills are necessary for certain roles and we know that other factors, such as attitude have a bearing on a person’s competence to carry out a particular task but of the avoidable tragedies witnessed in this sector over the past few decades, most point to failings of leadership. Indeed the Hackitt Review criticised leadership across the spectrum of construction, building management and regulatory bodies.

I’m sure we have all come across people who are brilliant in their area of expertise but put them in charge and it just doesn’t work. It’s why an excellent teacher may not turn out to be an excellent Head.

Following the explosion and fire at the Buncefield oil storage depot, a commitment to improving process safety was signed by members of the Process Safety Leadership Group, in recognition of the crucial role played by leaders in the industry in achieving safe outcomes. The principles recognise that safety leadership is at the heart of managing a major hazard industry; that safety management does not happen by chance – it requires constant, active engagement; and safety leadership requires board level involvement and competence. The commitment was to safety leadership, not specific technical competencies.

According to Harvard Business Review, the top 3 leadership competencies are:

1.Demonstrates strong ethics and provides a sense of safety

2. Empowers others: Provides clear direction and doesn’t micro-manage

3. Fosters a sense of connection and belonging

Jim Collins talks of leadership function and leadership style. He says the function of leadership - the number 1 responsibility of a leader -  is to catalyse a clear and shared vision for the organisation and to secure commitment to, and vigorous pursuit of, that vision. No matter your leadership style, you must perform this function.

In his book “the habit of excellence” Lt Col Langley Sharp presents leadership as habitually doing what is right, difficult and necessary every single day, to build trust and cohesion to deliver the desired results.

Leadership is a necessary competency, without which it is impossible to build the right organisational culture to precipitate widespread improvements in safety and resident welfare. A technical competency does not make for a good leader and the sector should be looking outside itself to learn from other industries, else it risks operating in an echo-chamber.

Collins, J.C. and Lazier W.C. Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 Penguin Random House, London. 2020

Sharp, L. the habit of Excellence. Why British Army Leadership Works Penguin Random House, London. 2021