Quality or Position?

There are many different types of leaders. There are those who are placed into leadership positions due to accomplishments such as consistently leading a team to success. There are also those who are placed in positions due to company politics. Others might be leaders because they are more senior and experienced within an organization. But simply being placed in a leadership position does not make you a leader. If you do not possess qualities of leadership, then people will likely only follow you because they are required to or they just want to keep their jobs. True leaders are those who make a difference and influence others as a result of the qualities they possess. They are remembered and cherished by those they influence.

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Igniting The Strategic Spark In Others

If the whole purpose of leadership is to leverage talent and achieve results through the efforts of others, then leaders have a very special stewardship when it comes to igniting the strategic spark in others. Leaders who understand the essence of this part of leadership have a golden opportunity to mine strategic ideas and capitalize on strategic actions of others. All it takes is a willingness to teach and motivate others about how to think and operate strategically. This in turn creates an organization that is prepared and ready to seize opportunities and head off catastrophes, which translates into better operating results down the road. But there is a tradeoff; it does require an upfront investment, discipline, and a skill set that unfortunately are foreign to some leaders.

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For a long time, we have been an advocate for leadership development, succession planning, and the transfer of talent. You simply can’t run an organization successfully for long without a stable of competent leaders. Furthermore, organizations must actively nurture leadership. Professional grade leadership skills, behaviors and qualifications don’t just spontaneously occur without the investment, discipline and training that can only come through the organization.

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The senior management team is the social and cultural engine that drives organization performance. Senior teams juggle and resolve a myriad of issues like strategy formulation, productivity improvement, changing markets, competition, innovation, quality, and talent management. Yet to succeed in the market place today, senior teams have to collaborate, share information across silos, make collaborative decisions and solve big problems. In order to do this, members of senior leadership teams need to communicate easily, constantly share information, and develop a high level of trust. They need to know each other’s needs and styles, and to be cohesive and aligned around common goals.

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Is it possible for people at the senior leadership level of your organization to work as a cohesive team? After all, you are probably dealing with a group of very independently minded-individuals who are self-confident (maybe even egotistical) at this point in their careers. In addition, you are likely looking at a group of people who are hyper-competitive, hard driving, and unlikely to seek out help from others. These individuals have probably been compensated and rewarded for results within their individual business units. They are very focused on “righting their own ships” rather than worrying about other parts of the business. Finally, these individuals may even be in pitched battle for the final career move into the CEO’s or COO’s office. So an equally important question is this: is working as a team important or does some degree of collaboration add value at the top of the organization?

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The Leadership Ring

The ring has a circular shape that forms to fit the finger. A circle is never-ending. It is constant and infinite. Likewise, a true leader is constant. Leaders are not people-pleasers nor do they sway to the left or right depending on who is around them. They are constant in their morals; in their vision and viewpoints. Rings are also solid and sturdy. Leaders stand their ground and are not indecisive. They are firm in their commitment. Rings can be molded and fitted to the finger to make the perfect fit so that they never slip off, get lost, or inflict pain. Likewise, leaders can be selected for specific and special purposes. One person can be the perfect match for a specific situation where another person might not. It all depends on the situation, the people involved, and the needs of the group.

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At a fair or amusement park you might find a game of skill called “Whack - a - Mole.” The point of the game is to wait for one of several moles to raise its head through a hole in a platform and then “whack”
it with a padded mallet before the mole quickly ducks below the platform. Just as fast as you whack one mole, another one appears. The point of the game is to test your concentration, reaction time, and
hand-eye coordination. On a game I recently watched my grandchildren play, there were nine moles that poked their heads above the platform. Points are won each time a mole is whacked before it disappears.

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I’ll call the first boss “Joe.” He was a gruff, no-nonsense, all business type of person who saw himself as important, powerful, significant, and highly effective. He had worked his way up the organization from an entry level clerk to the president’s office and was obviously proud to have the authority of being the top executive in a large company.

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It all started with a simple meeting request. My manager asked me to join the Director of Learning, Anne and the General Manager of Organizational Effectiveness, John in a meeting to discuss my role in “Renewal,” the largest organizational change initiative our department had ever implemented. Renewal’s purpose was simple: To create a customer centric organization where business results flourish. However, Implementing “Renewal” was anything but simple. It would require sweeping changes in the organization’s vision, goals, roles and responsibilities, work processes and even relationships for the 20,000 employees.

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When you give power to an executive you do not know, you will be filling that position when the time of crisis comes. Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)

As the leader of your organization, you want the right executive in the right position at the right time, doing all the right things. You want an innovative executive who has vision and the courage to take calculated risks. You need someone who can motivate and inspire, raise productivity, increase quality, and lower turnover and absenteeism. Just as importantly, you want someone who will be able to rise to any crisis or disaster with speed, integrity, strength, and creativity.

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