Business

Leadership: the missing piece of the puzzle

Regardless of size, it takes a lot to be a successful company, particularly today, as organizations now operate in the New Covid-19 Normal. There are many moving parts within an organization: processes, business model, alignment, strategies, customers, and of course, employees. Putting it all together can be a challenge. But that’s where leadership comes in. Behind every great organization, there is strong leadership. Employees execute strategies, leaders drive strategies. Leaders ensure that business processes (eg, business model) consistently meet the brand standard: what you stand for in the minds of your customers; the one thing you want customers to associate only with your brand. Leaders ensure that the organization is properly aligned to execute its strategies; alignment of: strategy, business model and people.

Perhaps the greatest responsibility of leaders, especially today, is to ensure organizational alignment. Apart from the alignment of the business model with the strategy, the alignment of the organization’s most critical resources and assets: people. Do I have the right people (talent) with the skills, ability and desire to execute my organization’s strategy to a high level? I like to think of the lineup of people as one of those row teams you see at Ivy League colleges and the Summer Olympics. The best teams can reach speeds of 14 miles per hour. That’s pretty fast! People Lineup is about ensuring the right people are in the boat and the wrong people are out of the boat, in the right seats, properly trained and prepared to use their oars, understanding their role, destiny, and with a desire to win. . Do your organizations have this kind of alignment of people?

Consider these results from a 2019 worldwide study by PricewaterhouseCoopers on people’s alignment:

�§ 39% You cannot see the value your jobs create.

�§ 22% Strengths are not fully exploited.

�§ 66% They do not contribute strongly to the success of their organizations.

�§ 53% They are not even “somewhat” motivated, passionate or enthusiastic about their jobs.

Let me put this data in the context of a 9-player baseball team:

�§ 4 players do not understand what to do or why.

�§ 8 players do not see a connection between their position and winning.

�§ 7 players are not enthusiastic about playing or winning.

If you were the manager of this baseball team, what are your chances of winning a championship? Forget about the championship, what are your chances of winning a single game?

Leaders are paid for two things: leadership and results. Popularity is not leadership, it is results. Great leaders don’t seek to please their followers, but rather seek to build their own credibility and earn trust and respect. Trust and respect vs being your friend. Great leaders are not preachers, they are doers. Great leaders lead from the front, not from the sides. Great leaders transmit their energy to their teams, setting both speed and pace. Great leaders are consistent and predictable – this is how trust is established. Employees need to know where their leaders are coming from and how they will react to situations. Great leaders help their people succeed by listening to them, supporting them, and removing barriers so they can achieve their goals that will make the organization’s vision a reality. Great leaders develop the next generation of leaders. Does this describe the leaders of your organization? If not, what is your plan?

Think of leaders as set designers, not artists. How well are your organization’s leaders setting the stage for victory, both today and in the future? Have you equipped your leaders with the skills, confidence, and tools to guide your organization into an unknown future? The only thing we know for sure about the future is that it is coming faster, and skill sets are becoming obsolete faster as a result. Organizations must be in a continuous upgrade mode for their leaders’ skill sets. Think of it like driving 100 MPH with the ability to change the lug nuts at the same time.

Perhaps Mr. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, said it best: “Control your own destiny or someone else will.”

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