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LEADERSHIP: CREATIVE DESTRUCTION
published: 2008-08-04
General Motors was once a paragon of American business. It's now in serious decline. Its plight illustrates what a famous economist called “creative destruction.” New industries, products and services rise to prominence; but, later lose their traction. Horse-drawn carriages gave way to automobiles - ushering in gas stations but destroying buggy-whip manufacturers. Gas guzzlers had their time on the road, but were overtaken by energy-efficient compacts. And now hybrids; and, so on.
LEADERSHIP: EDISON NEVER STOPPED TINKERING
published: 2008-08-11
New ways often bring new words; or reinvigorate old ones. "Betterment" is a case of the latter - and something every leader must deliver. A strategic rethink may set a whole new direction for your business. However, between these major shifts, there's lots of room for innovation and upgrades. That's betterment.
LEADERSHIP: GETTING THAT JOB
published: 2008-04-28
What's the secret to being chosen? Sadly, there's no one answer. But there are sensible pointers. The right experience and qualification; presenting well; and, writing a good resumé. But years of experience (as both an executive and consultant) tell me the acid test is record of consistently delivering results.
LEADERSHIP: A STEP UP FROM MANAGEMENT
published: 2008-04-14
Are you a leader or a manager? And, what's the difference? For me, the distinction is one of degree not kind. Most managers spend time leading; and, leaders also manage.
LEADERSHIP: LIFTING MY GAME
published: 2008-05-05
How was your last leadership performance review? And, feedback from colleagues? Was the employee survey result less positive than you'd like?
LEADERSHIP: THE SEEDS OF FAILURE
published: 2008-04-21
Think of big corporate disasters you've known or read about. What was the cause? Bad strategy, wrong business model, inefficiency, bad luck? Not in my experience. Most often, the core issue is flawed human beings - and, at the top.
LEADERSHIP: WHAT'S IN A BRAND?
published: 2008-03-24
The article "Building a Leadership Brand" (HBR July/August 2007) is excellent. Assuming, that is, you’re a CEO or HR strategist in a major global corporation. In other words, a few hundred people. But, what about the rest of us: working in smaller organisations, or leading our own businesses? And, worrying daily about delivering products and services, dealing with staff and hoping to improve productivity and profits?
LEADERSHIP: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
published: 2008-03-17
The article, "The Making of an Expert" (HBR July-August 2007), is worth reading if only for one line: experts are always made, not born. And, as the authors stress, this is as true for business leaders as sportspeople, scientists and artists. But how? Years of "practicing intensively"; focusing on "tasks beyond your current level of competence and comfort"; and, having a coach not only to guide you but "help you learn how to coach yourself."
LEADERSHIP: LEARNING FROM NET GENERS
published: 2008-12-14
In 1997, Don Tapscott published "Growing up digital" - and coined the name "net generation" for the natives of the online world. Now 11 years on, and after a two-year survey of 8,000 people (born 1978 to 1994) from across 12 countries, he's published "Grown up digital". He concludes that on average Net Geners are smarter, quicker and more tolerant of diversity than the decrepit oldies like the Baby Boomers, let alone the dodos like me, familiarly known as Veterans.
LEADERSHIP: YOUR FISCAL STIMULUS
published: 2009-02-02
Whether you're President Obama or the leader of China, France or any other country, you’re currently struggling to craft or manage a stimulus package that’s both effective and efficient. Effective in creating growth and jobs; efficient in doing so without waste. There’s no point giving money that isn’t spent, gets into the wrong hands or takes years to impact. OK, but what about your personal stimulus package? In these times of retrenchments and cut-throat competition, what are you doing (and investing) to grow as a leader and keep your job?
LEADERSHIP: LIFT YOUR GAME OR LOSE YOUR JOB
published: 2009-02-09
Do the math. Ericsson, Microsoft, UBS and BHP (to mention just four global companies) are each retrenching thousands of workers. Unemployment in New York is rising at the "fastest pace on record". Job losses in Singapore may "triple in 2009". Small businesses are closing in every Main Street. Across the globe, millions of people are losing their jobs. And, for every ten workers, one leadership position disappears as well. So, what are you doing to be sure you're not the next leader without a role?
LEADERSHIP: A BROADBAND APPROACH
published: 2009-02-16
The Brookings Institution claims the US gains 300,000 jobs for each one percent increase in broadband penetration. And, two European consultancies see 2m new jobs by 2015 from increased broadband access*. That's the good news. But, what about the bad? What's the upside (and downside) of broadband for your leadership - and your job?
LEADERSHIP: NEITHER BORN NOR BRED
published: 2009-04-06
What do Kim Jong-il, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Dick Fuld, Lakshmi Mittal and Conrad Black have in common. Yes, fame (or infamy). But, not necessarily life stories. For me, the link is their role as potential exemplars in the debate about leadership being either the result of "nature" or of "nurture". "Nature" being about genes, family and early life; "nurture" about job experience and training. So, which is the dominant driver of your leadership approach?
LEADERSHIP: HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU?
published: 2009-06-29
In the years before his conversion to Christianity, St Augustine of Hippo is quoted as having prayed: please make me virtuous but not yet. Similarly, many of us want to be better leaders but won't invest the effort and energy necessary to shift how we operate. So, let's check other areas in which we've all changed in recent years - and contrast these with how (if at all) we've upgraded how we lead those we rely on for the success of our projects.
LEADERSHIP: IT STARTS WITH LEADING YOURSELF
published: 2009-07-20
It's a wry statement but true: every overnight success is preceded by ten years of slog. A serial entrepreneur said this to me recently. He was talking about his current business venture that's struggling to get traction. But, the same statement also applies to leadership. Getting to the top is a testament to discipline and courage. At each stage, the discipline to make a plan. And, the courage to implement it. Do you have that? And, know what it means today?
LEADERSHIP: LESSONS FROM TIANANMEN SQUARE
published: 2009-07-06
Most of us would rate the Chinese Communist Party as both tough and inflexible. And, we'd be right about tough. But, wrong about inflexible. Reflecting on the twentieth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, here are some quotes from the May 30th edition of The Economist. "After the massacre, the Communist Party set about transforming itself." And, today, "the outcome is a wholesale reinvention." If colleagues reviewed your leadership over the last two decades, would they report "wholesale reinvention"? Or, more of the same? And, if the Chinese Communist Party can change so radically, what can you learn from it?
LEADERSHIP: THE LOWEST-HANGING FRUIT
published: 2009-09-07
To the question "Why aren't things going to plan?", a cynic commented "Because there ain't no plan." And, from time to time, this afflicts all aspects of business. The well-conceived launch is modified so often it ends up having no real plan. The technical upgrade is derailed by a system failure and morphs into a series of ad-hoc adjustments. The long-planned acquisition becomes overrun by legal and ego battles, and key conditions get forgotten. The results: time and cost overruns; and, crashed performance. But, for leadership, most people don't even start with a plan - of actions to ensure people will want to deliver a successful project. And, that's why leadership is the lowest-hanging fruit of performance improvement. And, it's also high-energy fruit, affecting all business functions.
LEADERSHIP: DON'T WAIT FOR THE MUSIC TO STOP
published: 2009-09-14
How's this? Eighty percent of CEOs expect big changes in their companies' strategies and operations this year! In a calamitous downturn (trashing markets and businesses), people expect organisational change. Well, I'd be concerned if they didn't! The same report also worries about succession. Two thirds of candidates won't be ready for 12 or more months. But, one third being ready seems OK to me. Surely, the real issue is raising performance of all leaders - NOW and in their current jobs. Not playing musical chairs! So, what's your plan - other than waiting for the music to stop? Here are some thoughts.
LEADERSHIP: FOR BOTH NOW AND LATER
published: 2009-09-21
Bad times are tough for everyone. Fewer sales, lower margins, cancelled contracts - and, yes, lay-offs. We're each under pressure - trying to find new customers, offer extra service, get bills paid, cut costs. In sum, improving our effectiveness (in achieving goals) and our efficiency (in delivering them). Doing more and doing it better - but with less! This is true whether we're an engineer, front-line salesperson or work in the canteen. But, it's doubly true for leaders. You have to inspire and motivate people more than ever. You've got to be a leader for today and tomorrow - not yesterday. Which are you? Here's how you can find out.
LEADERSHIP: BEWARE SELF-DELUSION
published: 2009-09-28
Half a dozen times in the last 20 years, I've worked with a CEO, who'd completely lost touch with reality. In discussing strategy, they believed themselves as informed and proficient as they'd been in their prime. Whether talking about customers, markets, technology or staffing, they knew it all - and, worse, felt no-one was ready to succeed them. But, in each case, their colleagues (particularly their immediate team) saw the fading powers - and the growing self-delusion. So, how would your team rate you on objectivity versus conceit? Are you honest about your strengths and weaknesses - and your use-by date? Here are six check-points.
LEADERSHIP: NOT ANOTHER ASSESSMENT TOOL
published: 2009-10-05
A CEO recently showed me a tool she's considering - to help lift her own and her team's leadership effectiveness. She asked what my criteria would be for choosing such a tool. I highlighted the five listed below. How do tools you've used measure up?
LEADERSHIP: BEING UPBEAT IS A CHOICE
published: 2009-10-12
"Today, it's all about confidence" is a comment I heard this week from a friend, who runs an industry association. And, he's right. More than ever, leadership is about having the courage to drive for success. Market signals are ambiguous. So, people's conclusions are driven by personal bias. Bears are super-bearish, and seeking a cave for the economic winter. While optimists see early signs of growth and are leading their cattle out to the new pasture. So, how would your team label you: an optimist or a pessimist? Are you seeking a cave or stepping out? And, if it's a question of attitude, what can you do?
LEADERSHIP: ARE YOU AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL?
published: 2009-10-19
Heading for work recently, I ran into a neighbour I don't see very often. He was leaving for his Wednesday, early-morning game of golf. I noted his smart, all-weather jacket and his bag of high-quality clubs. Clearly a serious player, I thought. But, from our brief conversation, I soon learnt that though he'd played for years, he was still a hacker. Sadly, many of us are like that with our leadership. We do it every day and we've been at it for years. But we make little improvement. We're paid (and are therefore professionals) but we lead unthinkingly, like total amateurs. So, what do serious golfers and leaders do? And, could you do the same?
LEADERSHIP: 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE MANAGERS
published: 2009-10-26
I'm no techo, nor a digital native. But Langdon, V|E|C|T|O|R's technology manager, tries to educate me. And, recently forwarded an article by Nari Kannan from www.it.toolbox.com* - and, I've borrowed its title for this Potshot. It's a play on a famous book title and the seven negative habits he lists are all too common - and, not just in IT. So, why not check below and rate yourself - and see what options you have to overcome such habits!
LEADERSHIP: BRIDGING FROM TRAINING TO TRACTION
published: 2009-11-09
I remember my first skiing lesson. A cold sunny morning, in a shallow bowl, above the then tiny village of Obertauern in Austria. A German friend was showing me the basics: standing up, snow-ploughing, turning and so on. I felt safe and we had the place to ourselves. But, I remember even more vividly my first attempt to get down the mountain. The learning didn't seem to work. I had the theory but no plan for the reality of steeper slopes. And, for the next week, I made a fool of myself - with much time spent face down in the snow. Sadly, it's often like that with leadership: what you take from the training sessions doesn't translate quickly enough to the steep slopes of day to day leadership. So, what can you do?
LEADERSHIP: THE POWER-DRESSING PARALLEL
published: 2009-11-16
Before I meddle with your mind, let me meddle with your wardrobe. What are you wearing today? And, why? When dressing this morning, you probably had a choice in your closet: suits, casual stuff, even beach wear. And, you made a selection. Perhaps you thought: where am I going; and, how do I want to come across? Appropriate dressing isn't a default action of grabbing the first thing you see. And, effective leadership is similar. Conscious choosing; not what worked in a different situation; or, what your boss used to do. But what's right for leading your current people in their current situation. So, why's that so difficult?
LEADERSHIP: WHEN GOOD-TO-GREAT IS ONLY LUCK
published: 2009-11-23
Business gurus and their books are full of magic formulae for achieving business and career success. It's alluring: we all want to succeed. And, they often clothe their advice in research across hundreds of companies or thousands of leaders. Very impressive on the surface. But, at bottom, it's all just another medieval philosopher's stone - promising to transmute stodgy lead into winner's gold. Lovely words but not for real. And, all too often, later review will indicate this "great" company has now slipped back, and that exemplary leader has fallen from grace - or, worse, is doing time. But is there something we can learn here?
LEADERSHIP: FROM MARS AND ALSO FROM VENUS
published: 2010-03-15
Discussing the percentage of women in senior roles is a quick way to start an argument. Some people, including some men, argue for gender equality – or a specific level of improvement. Others, including also women, argue that merit is all that counts. Less contentiously, as leaders, I believe we need both hard and soft skills – often categorised as male or female characteristics. IQ and EQ. Numeracy and literacy. Toughness and fairness. If you asked your colleagues, what would they say about your balance – and what might that mean? Here are some thought-starters.
LEADERSHIP: THE WISDOM OF CICERO
published: 2010-04-06
In Rome of the first century BC, most leading politicians were soldiers as well as statesmen. For example, Caesar, Mark Anthony and Brutus. But, one key contemporary was not: Cicero was primarily a thinker, orator and writer. He had huge influence during the final turbulent decades prior to the fall of the Roman Republic and appointment of the first Emperor, Augustus, in 27 BC. John Adams (the second US president) said of him that the world has not produced "a greater statesman and philosopher combined". As leaders, what can we learn from Cicero? Here are four must-haves I've taken from a biography* I read recently.
LEADERSHIP: FOR REAL-WORLD MANAGERS
published: 2007-08-28
Business-school journals publish “more than 20,000 articles each year.” And, the Economist magazine says these remain “almost universally unread by real-world managers”. A frightening indictment. And surprising, since “business schools inhabit a highly competitive world.” And, it’s even more competitive for their thousands of graduates – and the millions of other managers and leaders, working in large and small businesses around the world.
LEADERSHIP: BEING GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO
published: 2008-02-11
Richard Rumelt’s CV includes conquering both mountains and new territory in business thinking. In the latter, from an analytical base, he’s disproved many old assumptions. One of his most notable findings is as follows: being in the right industry does matter, but being good at what you do matters a lot more – regardless of your industry.
LEADERSHIP: THE BLACK SWAN STRATEGY
published: 2008-01-14
Black swans don’t exist; only white ones. Or, that was the belief until European explorers found some swimming happily in Australia, that land of strange animals and even stranger people! John Stuart Mill picked up the conceptual possibilities in such evidence: the non-existent actually existing. And, Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the latest to popularise the implications of an unknown unknown coming to be known. And, one hopes Donald Rumsfeld has bought a copy of his book, The Black Swan. It might have helped.
LEADERSHIP: HOW WOMEN CAN GET TO THE TOP
published: 2008-01-28
The authors of “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership” take a new viewpoint on the challenge women face in rising to senior leadership roles. They emphasise deep systemic problems rather than a single obstacle such as the glass ceiling, which has dominated debate for 20 years. In their view, “by depicting a single, unvarying obstacle, the glass ceiling fails to incorporate the complexity and variety of challenges that women can face in their leadership journeys.” However, notwithstanding this broader perspective and a wide-ranging review of available research, the authors don’t come up with a lot that’s new – or, more importantly, that a woman executive can directly control. So, is there an answer?
LEADERSHIP: WHY WAS GOLDMAN SACHS SO STUPID?
published: 2010-04-19
There have been two volcanoes in the news recently: one spewing ash into the air over Iceland and much of Europe; the other igniting a potential fire-storm of banking regulation and litigation in the US and elsewhere. The first warns of nature’s unparalleled power; the second of man’s repetitive stupidity. The Goldman case is commercially extreme – in scale and implications. However, as leaders, we daily face moral questions: does this customer deserve her money back – regardless of the fine print? Given what I know, must I retrench my biggest-selling salesman? Are the representations I’m making about this product true? By a career of such decisions, we build our image and brand – as a company and as a leader. If I polled your staff and customers, how would they rate you on honesty and integrity? For some of us, particularly a few of the very, very smart, this is the biggest (and most dangerous) blind spot of all. Let’s explore this a bit further.
LEADERSHIP: THINK BIG BUT ALSO SMALL
published: 2010-05-24
Successful leaders offer both an uplifting goal and the steps to get there. The secret’s in the balance. If you’re only visionary, your legacy may well be just that: a high-potential but unrealised dream. People love it, but nothing happens. Equally, if you’re only focused on action and implementation, your people may be busy as hell but going nowhere. On long flights, I sometimes cook up an idea and enjoy the experience of what the outcome might look like – truly the view from 30,000 feet. But later, back at my desk, I have to think about how we’ll get there and my interest wanes. Too much hard work. Which would your people say you are: the dreamer or the detailer? Test yourself: which of the following two statements is more your home territory?
LEADERSHIP: WHAT’S YOUR SOVEREIGN RISK RATING?
published: 2010-06-15
Daily papers and serious journals are currently full of articles about sovereign risk. The possibility Greece or other European countries (particularly those fringing the Mediterranean) will default or reschedule their debt. This could undermine the standing and even the survival of the euro. Wikipedia defines it thus: the risk of a government becoming unwilling or unable to meet its loan obligations, or reneging on loans it guarantees. What is the leadership equivalent – and how do people rate you as a risk? Let’s explore some ways to reduce that.
LEADERSHIP: SPREZZATURA – DO YOU HAVE IT?
published: 2010-06-21
I quoted Seth Godin recently and would like to again. He’s a world-famous blogger and, as quite often, the following is quirky. “Sprezzatura … is Italian for being able to do your craft without a lot of visible effort. It’s a combination of élan and grace and class … the opposite of loud grunts while you play tennis or a lot of whining and fuss when you help out a customer*.” As a leader, do you have sprezzatura? Or do you draw attention to yourself?
LEADERSHIP: ARE YOU DRIVEN BY VISION OR VENGEANCE?
published: 2010-06-28
Kevin Rudd resigned his Prime Ministership rather than face being voted out by his own party colleagues. What transformed a resounding electoral win in December 2007 into this current humiliation? More importantly, as leaders, how can you or I avoid such outcomes? And, what are the warning signs? Here are half a dozen.
LEADERSHIP: TESTING YOUR GUT INSTINCTS
published: 2010-07-05
What do these four statements have in common: I always exclude my own interests from business decisions; I exercise a strong sense of objectivity; I’ve learnt to proceed slowly and not rush decisions; unsurprisingly, the record shows I make good ones? The first link is lack of self-awareness – assuming I believe them. More importantly, as the authors of a recent article argue, there’s need for psychological checks to keep us honest – and out of trouble. Here’s how.
LEADERSHIP: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - BUT HOW?
published: 2010-07-13
Google returns 16 million responses for leadership training and 29 million for leadership development. But this begs the question of what is the best approach to either – and a deeper question: do current practices work? From my experience, much of what businesses spend is sub-optimal or wasted. Let me explain.
LEADERSHIP: FIVE FAULTS TO FIX
published: 2010-08-16
Another home run for Seth – my favourite blogger. His posting of 13 June* describes the entrepreneur’s desire for a magic lottery ticket – that sudden, solve-all event that will get you over the hump in terms of publicity, funding or customer uptake. Many times in launching my V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership business, I’ve wished for such a fairy-godmother moment. Think about it, do you by chance lead your people in similar wishful mode: hoping it will suddenly come right? Here are five traps to think about. And, what you can do to avoid them.
LEADERSHIP: FOR SUCCESS – AND HAPPINESS
published: 2010-07-19
Like Professor Clayton Christensen, I’ve faced a life threatening cancer and found it a crucible for clarifying my thinking about what’s important. The day after the operation, my wife asked me to step down from chairing a major fund-raising appeal for my daughter’s school. This seemed reasonable and I agreed. Overnight, however, I came to a different view: what was the point of being alive if I turned my back on this type of activity? We all face such decisions but, as Christensen points out in the July-August edition of the Harvard Business Review (2010), we must be proactive in formulating our life strategy. Are you clear about what you’re doing to ensure you are successful, have a happy family life and live by rules of which you can be proud? Below are Professor Christensen’s three strategic questions.
LEADERSHIP: AVOIDING BLACK-SWAN DISEASE
published: 2010-07-26
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the best-selling economist and author of The Black Swan, is famous for his arresting insights. His recent postscript to The Black Swan is no exception: presenting ten lessons from the Global Financial Crisis. Above all, he recommends learning from “Mother Nature” – by making our global financial system more robust via a series of simple but dramatic changes to our thinking and policies. However, his lessons apply way beyond finance and I’m going to apply some of them to leadership. How do you think colleagues would rate you on the issues below?