This is my first post, which rather resonates with me as an ex soldier - hope it's not my last post!
I'm excited to have a forum to share wisdom, stories, tips and lessons from 30 years of working with incredible organisations in over 40 countries around the world. And what a ride it continues to be!
So I hope very much you find my posts practically helpful, interesting and thought provoking. Please ask me questions and give me some feedback to help me better serve your needs and interests.
I thought I'd start with briefly exploring the first critical question for any leader, which is 'where are you going?
As Stephen Covey discusses in his immortal book, 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People', it is absolutely essential as leaders, that we start with considering where we want to finish up.
I remember a friend reminding me of a story from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' about when she first meets the Cheshire Cat. She is wandering along the road through Wonderland and reaches a junction. As she looks both ways and wonders where to go next, she notices the broad grin of the huge ginger Cheshire Cat in front of her. They exchange greetings, and Alice then asks the cat 'Which way do I go?'. The cat, smiling broadly, replies 'That depends'. Alice responds 'Depends on what?'. The cat smiles even more broadly and says 'On where you are trying to get to!'
I may not have reproduced the story perfectly, but the principle of clarity speaks loudly at us. How do we know what road to take if we haven't determined what our destination is? Imagine trying to book yourself a holiday abroad (imagine is probably all we can really do right now!) when you don't know where you really want to go. You're not going to have much luck booking flights or a hotel.
For leaders, whether stepping into the role for the first time, or for senior executives, the need to be very clear on that destination is paramount. Our goals determine our strategy. Our strategy determines which road we take, and what we and those who follow us do on a day to day basis to move towards that end point.
Whilst working in Europe in the early 2000s I heard an alarming statistic taken from a study into the primary reasons why individuals tend to underperform against their manager or leader's expectations. In over 70% of cases, it had nothing to do with behaviour, skills or motivation. It was simply due to a lack of clarity. People didn't really understand their goals, or those of the organisation. And like a sprinter who can't see the finish line, they were left trying their best but at a constant disadvantage.
So the message is clear. Take time to consider your destination. Here are some questions which you might find helpful:
We'll leave it there for now. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Until the next time....................
