The 3 Core Circles of Leadership Responsibility — Action Centered Leadership

Introduction

As a team leader, you likely face many demands coming from different directions. Sometimes, however, the tasks, problems, or people who “shout the loudest” tend to grab your attention more, causing other important areas to be sidelined or overlooked without you realizing it.

It can be difficult to step back and reflect on your full responsibilities, and to consider the specific actions you need to take to achieve your goals.

Fortunately, there is a leadership model that can make this challenging task easier. This model identifies three main circles of focus for leaders and offers a framework to help keep them balanced.

This model is called Action Centered Leadership (ACL). First introduced in 1973 by leadership expert John Adair, ACL focuses on the core actions a leader must take to lead their team effectively. It emphasizes balancing three core management responsibilities: (1) Task, (2) Team, and (3) Individual.

These three responsibility areas are interconnected. To be an effective leader, you must balance your actions across all three. Understanding these core responsibilities helps you manage the whole picture, ensuring you achieve organizational goals without being overwhelmed by overlapping duties and pressures.

The 3 Core Responsibilities Every Leader Must Balance

1. Task

Your primary responsibility is to ensure your team can achieve the set goals or mission. This means equipping your team with the resources they need to complete their tasks.

As a leader, this includes setting a clear vision and mission for your team, and creating an effective plan to accomplish it.

The best approach is to involve your team in planning. When team members create their own plans, their commitment is much stronger. A key part of this planning is ensuring everyone understands their individual responsibilities.

Another critical element is setting milestones. Celebrating achievements motivates the team and reinforces progress toward the goal.

2. Team

Your second key responsibility is managing the group you've formed to complete the tasks.

A leader’s biggest role here is fostering real team spirit. Team members need to understand each other’s commitment to shared goals and collaborate effectively.

You should establish conditions that build strong working relationships and leverage those connections to empower the team to set their own rules and develop a team culture aligned with the task at hand.

With a clear goal and shared culture, the team can take pride in their accomplishments.

Building team rituals also strengthens bonds. Simple routines, like celebrating birthdays with cake, help individuals get to know and appreciate each other’s skills and contributions.

3. Individual

Lastly, you must ensure that every team member and role is considered and supported.

You have an obligation to meet their physical, emotional, and psychological needs, so they can perform their jobs well. This includes providing knowledge, support, and guidance.

A vital part of your leadership role is to treat everyone fairly. Employees will stay longer if they feel they are treated justly. But if one member thinks others are being favored unfairly, team cohesion breaks down, and your credibility as a leader suffers.

Thus, it’s essential to ensure each individual gets what they need to fulfill their duties and receive due recognition for their contributions.

Balancing These Responsibilities in Practice

Achieving balance among the three areas is not always easy.

Imagine your team is skilled and collaborates well, but progress is slow because no one clearly understands the team’s purpose. In this case, individual and team needs are met, but the task itself is neglected — making failure likely.

Action Centered Leadership is practical and adaptable to any leadership situation. It involves three stages:

1. Develop Core Leadership Skills

John Adair and colleague David Faraday highlight that leaders at different levels must cultivate specific skills:

• Team Leaders: Need skills in planning, directing, supporting, motivating, and evaluating their team, leading by example.

• Operational Leaders: Must influence and inform their teams, interpret objectives, launch projects, implement decisions, build networks, and plan succession.

• Strategic Leaders: Require all prior skills plus the ability to inspire, articulate the organization’s mission, integrate team efforts into broader goals, build partnerships, and develop future leaders.

• Focus on the Three Core Responsibilities

To achieve the task:

• Define and communicate clear objectives, priorities, and success criteria.

• Develop plans with timelines, strategies, and measurable outcomes.

• Allocate resources and ensure understanding of tools and processes.

• Set and explain quality and reporting standards.

• Monitor progress and evaluate performance.

To build the team:

• Set standards for behavior and performance.

• Ensure the team has necessary skills and training.

• Manage relationships and conflicts.

• Facilitate effective communication.

• Motivate the group.

To support individuals:

• Clearly define roles and responsibilities.

• Help individuals plan their development.

• Spend time understanding each member’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, goals, and skills.

• Encourage quieter members and manage more vocal ones.

• Provide training, support, and constructive feedback.

• Recognize and appreciate contributions.

• Adapt the Model to Your Situation

Real-world leadership demands mean you won’t always balance these three areas equally. The right balance shifts depending on context and time.

When responsibilities compete for your attention, prioritize based on organizational goals. Use your judgment to find the best focus balance for the moment, and adjust as needed.

The key is to limit shifts in focus to short-term adjustments and restore balance once issues are resolved.

Conclusion

The Action Centered Leadership model offers a straightforward yet powerful framework for leaders to manage their core responsibilities.

By focusing on the task, the team, and the individual, and by developing the skills to balance these priorities, leaders can navigate the complex demands of leadership more effectively.

Balancing these three circles isn’t easy, but it is essential to achieve lasting success—for the team and the organization.