What Leadership Talents are needed to Produce Top Results?
Overview
When a company is looking for a new CEO or senior leader, they often start with a plan to hire an individual who has previously done what their organization is looking to achieve today. This is generally an excellent strategy since past behavior and achievement are the best measures of future success within a similar sector. The key is to find leaders that not only have the right talent, personal traits and abilities but also have the “fit” and chemistry needed to work effectively with the owners or founders of the company. A shared vision and the ability to collaborate on important business issues are essential to the empowerment of the CEO or senior executive to drive the business forward.
The key to success is to locate people who can go well beyond the basics of the job – individuals who demonstrate true leadership. Not just any kind of leadership will do. Leadership that produces results is what is needed. Given the unique demands of the situation, what kinds of leaders using what methods will produce top results?
The Effective Leader
Starting with the person, leadership depends on people who are in control and under control. Good leaders are smart and demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence. They are self aware, manage themselves well, are socially aware and have good social skills.
•They have the ability to read and understand emotions and to recognize their impact on work performance and relationships.
•They demonstrate self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability, a need to achieve – to take the initiative.
•They are empathetic, organizationally astute and have a strong service orientation.
•They demonstrate visionary leadership, influence and team well with others while providing feedback and guidance, good conflict management and the development of a web of relationships in the organization and with important outside constituencies.
The effective leader usually has a leadership style which is especially effective in certain situations. For example, coercive managers are good in crises and turnarounds while managers who provide clear direction and feedback are helpful in organizations looking for better performance in their mainline businesses. Friendly managers are useful in conflict situations and democratic managers are helpful in getting more and better ideas for improvement from their people. Pacesetters are usually the most expert in the company’s business and lead via strong personal leadership and superior knowledge. Finally, managers who are good coaches excel in the development of people and in the building a good bench for the future.
A Moving Target
Every effort should be made to match talent with need but the real world is complex and constantly changing – even in a single organization.
Truly effective leaders have the capacity to use more than one style to get the job done. When the leader lacks the specific style needed to succeed they need to call on the right style from one of their people or even an outside consultant.
In a start up operation there is a need to wear a number of hats at one time, to operate with scarce resources and to be very action-oriented. Strong, directive leadership is usually the norm. In second stage companies capitalizing on early success by driving more volume or reaching out to new markets the need turns to knowing about business basics and how to run specific departments where expertise is needed in disciplines like accounting, personnel, production, marketing and sales, R&D and the like. The general manager’s job changes from a totally hands-on do it now mode to the need to plan, structure, and set goals while relying on knowledgeable managers to build departments, to reduce errors and to build the carrying capacity of the organization. In third stage companies looking to further growth and success more emphasis is placed on long range planning, better ways of dealing with complexity and the need for better communication and feedback systems.
A Sobering Reality
The illusion of certainty and steady progress causes some in business to assume that what works for now will work in the future. Obviously, that is not the case nor is it the case in other facets of life like our families, our hobbies and our interests. It can be difficult for those inside a company to see subtle but steady change and the need to upgrade the organization, to plan for the future. Which of your people have really developed recently and need more challenge? Which people have reached a plateau in the face of increasing demands for innovation and leadership in new methods and products? And, which people are retired on the job or totally failing?
A review by an objective outsider with broad knowledge of business, the needs of companies of differing sizes in a range of industries can be a helpful starting point in plotting the kinds of leaders who will take the company the next mile. Attached is a scorecard you can use to assess the needs of your organization. Call us if you want to compare your notes with our insights and we can work with you to provide the kinds of leaders you most need while making sure that your organization is not only being effective today but developing the leadership talents and styles needed to provide enhanced results in the future.
Dan Dieck, CEO
Dieck Executive Search
February 2, 2009
608-238-1000
www.DieckExecutiveSearch.com
Dan@DieckExecutiveSearch.com