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™