LEADERSHIP: WHAT'S YOUR PLAN?

Published: 2009-02-23   please add a comment below

High (often unreasonable) expectations await newly appointed presidents - whether taking the helm of a company or a country. For President Obama, this is multiplied manyfold. His personal story, and the dreams it creates for others, breaks hugely with the past. And, he steps up in the face of challenges of hurricane proportions. How will he go? Sadly, if his current economic and financial initiatives fail, the dreams of many may end almost before they're born. So, let's take stock of your leadership (of your team, project or business): how difficult are things going forward? And, what the hell are you doing about them?

President Reagan arrived in Washington with many people seeing only the B-grade actor and hearing his seemingly banal simplifications. But, as he retired many (of the same people) admitted he'd done a great job, and made the Presidency doable again. How come?

Let me list five strands that can help us all as leaders, whatever the scale and specifics of our role. On each, mark yourself out of ten; and, identify what you're going to change!

• Find the few critical issues, where you (as leader) have a unique opportunity - and responsibility - to take charge. Top for Reagan's list was winning the Cold War. But, there were domestic ones as well.
• Verbalise these top issues in simple, memorable terms, for example, Reagan's "evil empire". It was new then, but didn't copy well in the mouth of GWB.
• Take tough decisions, as he did with the air traffic controllers' strike.
• Delegate once you've created the sense of purpose and given a lead on the critical issues. Give others the implementation - and the power to do it.
• Share or deflect credit as Reagan did to Gorbachev for ending the Cold War.

There are more things we can all do driven off the specifics of our business challenges and the strengths and weaknesses of the team we lead. But, the above five can get you started.

But, there's also two more. Higher level ones that are often overlooked. The first is not Reagan's style, but I think he'd agree with the second.

• Develop a Leadership Action Plan (an LAP) - of personal actions through which you can exert unique leverage and inspiration. Yes, have a plan. Or, risk losing the dream.
• Wish for luck - and exploit it when it comes. Just thinking about where you need luck will also help you plan more carefully in that area, and minimise the need!

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