Why Leadership is Difficult & Why Leaders are Failing

• In spite of technology, communication is regressing
• Diseconomies of scale place extraordinary burdens on the organization and front-line managers
• Leaders are not present (locked behind a door and captive to email)
• Little or no investments in training and development, cannot afford it, don’t support it, don’t know what to do.
• No handbook (like parenting) (in spite of all the effort, there is still no certification or accreditation in management or leadership)
• Few useful feedback mechanisms (at best, although some progress is being made at Google and GE, among others)
• Insufficient numbers of bona fide and qualified role models
• Little or no supervision and mentoring
• A weakened HR function; need power like a Chief Quality Officer…break the glass and pull the handle
• Weak boards focusing on the wrong things
• No transparency. So many examples but one notable one:

“The Talent Strategy Group surveyed 200 companies
in 2014 and found that 73% of companies have
decided that lying to their employees about their
potential to advance is the right choice.” Leadership
BS by Jeff Pfeffer, page 123

• Positional authority that destroys the notion of
  leadership

 

Going Forward, What Will We Need?

• Audacious and tenacious leadership. What do we work for? IMPACT
• Boldness
• Coalition building: matrixed organizations and
  customers
• Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck)
• Customer intimacy and centricity: products and
  services; accepted and relevant messages or they will
  get it somewhere else
• Our economy is based on connections: need
  coordination, trust, and permission…connections are
  an asset
• What impact will automation have on your
  organization?

Get Back to Basics:

• Leaders light the fire within, not the fire beneath
• Everything is in a constant state of change, businesses have to change
  and leaders have to change!
• Power and authority will increasingly be given to the employees
  (and/or teams), not the managers
• New management skills will be needed as tasks are becoming
  exceedingly complex
• How do you manage the autonomous souls (cell phones) into
  collaborative souls?
• Transparency (Google and EPIC)
• Stand Up…Speak Up…Stand Out…Walk Around…Be Visible…Be
  Present…Disconnect and Re-connect
• Train, Mentor, Teach, Coach, Advise
• Do What is Right

BE THE LEADERS, FIND THE LEADERS, CREATE THE LEADERS™