I sat in a new clients team meeting recently while they went through the agenda. It quickly became clear who on the team were team players and who were the team hand-brakes. Observing the levels of participation, show-boating and deflection it became evident this client was going to face significant challenges when it comes time to implement the changes needed to move his business to a new level of operation and profitability. Sadly he could not see it.
He had accepted the behaviour of his team and worked to a strategy of going to the team players to get things done, allowing the team hand-brakes to do the low ask tasks and letting the show-boaters strut around making themselves feel important while the deflectors dodged attention. He had it sussed, he know each persons strengths.
When we sat down afterwards he was shocked when I said his leadership was his biggest challenge – he thought it was his planning, his lack of systems and the fact his competitors were taking his clients.
Yes planning, systems and market share are important factors in creating a profitable business, however you cannot achieve any level of success without the people around you, supporting you and helping you implement that planning. These people are needed to work and develop effective systems to deliver quality products, services and customer care – but this cannot happen without leadership.
Let us make it easy for you … Leadership is a skill that can be learnt but it has to be practiced to refine the best leadership style for you and your team. Contact Jerome for a leadership snapshot to identify what style of leader you are and what more could you achieve with stronger leadership in your business. Ph 0800 747 323.
