David Fairhurst interview: Complex times require complex leaders

At the HRD conference and exhibition earlier this year, leadership development dominated the schedule . Whether it was CIPD president Vicky Wright hosting a session designed to identify the characteristics of the leaders most likely to succeed, or Doug Strycharczyk discussing how his research had identified scales of leadership effectiveness, leadership was on everybody’s lips. But with so many leadership models being touted, and no clear definition of what constitutes a great leader, there remains a great deal of confusion in this area – and particularly so for the growing number of firms looking to grasp the nettle and invest in leadership development. Who better to provide some clarity than one of the industry's leading lights, David Fairhurst - senior vice president and chief people officer, UK and Northern Europe, at McDonald’s Restaurants, and regularly voted one of the most influential figures in human resources.