Leadership: what if the world erupts?

Published: 2007-02-07   please add a comment below

The chameleon lizard changes colour with its environment.  As a leader, you have to do much more.  When the world changes, you have to transform your organisation and how it operates.  Otherwise, it may fail.  And, to start the organisational change, you have to change.  New situations bring new leadership challenges. 

Let's start with the business environment.  Sometimes, change is gradual.  This is comforting but also dangerous.  Slow change can seem like no change at all.  Until, it's too late.  And, a new competitor has stolen your customers.

At other times, change is dramatic.  The government suddenly changes legislation.  Or, a new technology floods the market.  It seems instantaneous.  In fact, it seldom is.  There are normally early warnings: in magazine articles, research findings and so on.

Test yourself!  What are the two most-likely, significant shifts in your industry over the next two years?  And, quantum shifts over five?  How are you reshaping your organisation's strategy?  What innovations are being tested to keep you ahead - or, at least, keep you competitive?

And, what does this mean for you, as the leader?  How will your new priorities alter where (and with whom) you spend time?  What new skills do you need to learn - whether technical, commercial or interpersonal?  What are you doing to open your mind and ensure you're adaptable?  Otherwise, how will you lead your people?

Leaders (like businesses and organisations) need to be able to jump from one S-curve to the next.  That requires building both organisational and personal capacity for Learning and Reinventing.  Prepare to jump!

Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership^®