Leadershipology
Studying the past can help lead us through a difficult future by Ron Morrison
IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE that leading in times of prosperity has challenges, but none to the extent of what the industry is facing in the near future. In 1776 Thomas Paine, writing about the struggle for liberty and the tough times that lay ahead for the newly founded United States, said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Paine inherently knew leadership is easier when things are going your way. He also knew there was much uncertainty about how the new nation would go, and it would require relentless and courageous leadership to chart that course.
In 2009 and beyond you are going to face challenges far surpassing those of your predecessors. Understanding leadership and its impact on your organization, customers, and investors is now more critical than ever. You will undoubtedly face tough decisions with little certainty of what the future holds. In fact, you may already be experiencing a new version of the “times that try men’s souls.” The result of what these conditions bring, scary as it may seem, will depend on how you lead.
Dollars and Sense
It is difficult to estimate the value of discretionary spending on the economy. Some economists estimate 65 percent of spending is discretionary based on an individual’s wants, not their needs. As you focus on the bottom line and sharpen your pencils, be careful not to assume this is entirely true. I am no economist, but common sense tells me 100 percent of every dollar spent is discretionary. I may need a product or service, but I have discretion as to where I get it! For instance, people need food and medicine but they choose their grocery store and pharmacy. In this economy you must not rest on past laurels; it demands you lead as if every dollar of revenue is a gift of personal discretion.
Capitalizing on the Storm
The “perfect storm” brings danger and opportunity. To take advantage of the opportunities while simultaneously avoiding trouble, I suggest you take a very close and real look at your leadership capacity regardless of tenure or past success. To improve leadership capacity, appeal to the new “me” generation, and strengthen the value of your organization in these times I suggest you:
Immerse yourself in leadershipology.
In other words, study leadership. Study the great leaders of trying times and discover what made them tick, learn how they viewed themselves, and grab hold of how they identified solutions to their problems.
Develop an individual and organizational leadership philosophy.
These must be vision-centered, mission-based, and core-value driven. They must move beyond HR buzzwords, plaques on a wall, campaign slogans, feel-good materials, and the flavor of the month motivational junk.
Apply what you develop and learn.
It seems this goes without saying; put your philosophy into practice. You cannot do the same things over and over again and expect the results to be different.
Lead as if every dollar earned is a gift of personal discretion.
Ensure both you and those you lead behave as if this is fact. Teach them to respect revenue and the people who provide it.
Separate yourself from your competition internally and externally.
Leave no rock unturned and create no sacred cows in the pursuit of separation. By aiming focus and energy internally you can more easily become an employer of choice. By aiming externally you create satisfied customers who return to spend their discretionary dollars for your premier services, quality products, or unique experiences.
Create value through meeting needs.
Everyone must be able to see and clearly identify value in what you are doing.
Maintain quality at all costs.
There is example after example of organizations inadvertently harming quality in the name of the bottom line. While business is about making money, know that diminished quality results in diminished revenue. Further, reestablishing lost quality is both difficult and costly.
Ron Morrison
is the CEO of The Docentus Group. Over the past decade, Morrison and his team have been developing and delivering industry-specific training in the areas of leadership, organizational development, customer service, conflict resolution, and safety and risk management to a variety of organizations. He may be reached via e-mail at ron@docentus.com. www.docentus.com
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