Executive Leadership Requirements
in a Hyper-Competitive World
Hosted by Grafton Consulting
Group
April 5, 2011
BEESON CONSULTING, INC.
Topics to Discuss


Brief review of Conference Board Research Study
Implications for senior leaders:
– Your role
– Your ongoing development

Suggestions for identifying/developing your organization’s
next generation of leaders
Background on Conference Board
Research Report

What are primary business/organizational
challenges senior leaders must be equipped with to
face in a globalizing, highly-competitive world?

What critical capabilities must senior leaders have
to succeed?

What practices promote the development of future
leaders with the required skills and capabilities?
The Research Thrust
Surveys and interviews with

32 large organizations, mostly global
– America and international MNCs

40 thought leaders from around the world, e.g.,
– Paul Evans, INSEAD
– Henry Mintzberg, McGill University
– Noel Tichy, University of Michigan
Forces Driving Change
Hyper-Competition
Globalization
Technology
Financial Market
Expectations
Employee
Expectations
Focus on Customer
Relationships
Changing Organization
Structures
Workforce
Demographics
Implications for Senior Leaders
Continued importance of “softer” leadership skills
– Vs. technical skills, industry knowledge
Four key roles
1.
2.
3.
4.
Master strategist
Change leader
Relationship builder/network manager
Talent developer
Derailment Factors

Risk aversion:
– Hesitancy to take necessary business/organizational
risks

Arrogance and insensitivity

Overly controlling leadership style

Reluctance to deal with difficult people issues

Failure to manage stress/avoid burnout
Your Ongoing Development as a Leader
Two Foundation Questions:
1.
As a leader
– Where should I be spending my time and energy?
– How can I add the greatest value to the
organization?
2.
What set of skills/expertise do I need on my
team
– For us to accomplish our performance objectives?
– To allow me to play that value-adding role?
Suggestions for Your Personal
Development
1.
Build your team:
– The source of your personal success
– To free up “bandwidth” for high-value executive activities
2.
Get out into your “marketplace”:
– Customers, stakeholders, external constituencies

Hone your strategic thinking and change management
skills
– And find multiple sources of input for strategy and innovation

Seek periodic feedback
– Especially to determine when your leadership style/approach
needs a “tune up” as strategic and organizational requirements
change
Developing Your Organization’s
Next Generation of Senior Leadership

Assess early and often
 Provide future leaders with a rich set of
experiences and assignments
– For example, cross-functional/organizational;
customer contact; market-facing roles
– To develop a breadth of perspective on the business
and organization
Candid, constructive – but not brutal –
feedback
 Monitor learning ability

Q&A