Developing a regulated leadership model: An inquiry into what differentiates successful senior managers and leaders in regulated organisations?

Since the financial crisis, regulators around the world in financial services and beyond have recognised that the quality of leadership and its impact on culture, governance, risk management and conduct is a key factor in avoiding failure of regulatory organisations. In this paper, the author describes his research into the skills, characteristics and ways of thinking that differentiate the more successful leaders of highly regulated organisations, as well as some of the unique challenges they face both personally and in their roles. His regulated leadership model sets out these factors and can be used in reviewing leadership capability, as well as in assessing candidates for leadership roles and developing and coaching current and future leaders. The model should be of interest to leaders themselves as well as regulators, risk functions, human resources practitioners, leadership educators and business schools.