The Leader as a
Key Factor in Success
A Japanese research
study
recently found…
The Japanese eat far LESS
fat than British and
Americans…
…and live longer
The French eat far MORE
fat than British and
Americans…
…and live longer
The Japanese drink far
LESS alcohol than
British and Americans…
…and live longer
But Germans drink more
alcohol (wine) than
British and Americans…
…and live longer
The only conclusion
they could draw
was that…
Speaking English
significantly reduces
your life expectancy!
The Leader as a
Key Factor in Success
“In the majority of failures – we
estimate 70% – the real problem
isn’t (bad strategy)…. It’s bad
execution.”
“Why CEO’s Fail”, Fortune Magazine
“…there’s an alarming disconnect between
the parts of the organization that formulate
corporate strategy and the functions,
processes,
and people required to
execute it”
“The Office of Strategy Management”
– Robert S.Kaplan & David P.Norton, Harvard Business Review
What’s going wrong
with the people side of the
equation?
“Employee engagement is the extent to which
employees…
…are motivated to contribute to organizational success,
and are willing to apply discretionary efforts
to accomplishing tasks important to the achievement of
organizational goals.”
Vernon Bryce, Talking in TradeArabia
2009: The Legacy
•
•
•
•
•
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Ambiguity
Fear
Complexity
Speed
Ever-changing priorities
A capable but shell-shocked
talent force
‘Sustaining High Performance in Difficult Times’
– Harvard Business |Review
Recognise that
everyone is scared
– it’s just a
question of degree
“We know that we cannot do what we’ve been doing any
more.
It’s not just that mortgage-backed securities have dug us
a deep hole; we simply can’t l leverage money in ways
we’ve gotten used to.
But where do you go from here?
No one - especially the current
crop of CEOs seems to know.
What is the next engine for growth?
The next big money spinner?”
Anonymous Banking Managing Director
- Hidden Brain Drain Interview
‘Sustaining High Performance in Difficult Times’
– Harvard Business |Review
“Sure, the lion is king of the
jungle,
but airdrop him into Antarctica,
and he's just a penguin's
plaything”
Dennis Miller
Don’t do it!
Disengagement has
a silver lining
…it represents an untapped resource that
could rocket productivity by 20%+ if tapped *
* Corporate Leadership Council Study of 50,000 employees
Untapped ‘employee
performance potential’
• 84% of highly engaged employees believe they
can positively impact the quality of their company’s
products, compared with 31% of the disengaged.
• 72% of the highly engaged believe they can
positively affect customer service, versus 27% of
the disengaged.
• 68% of the highly engaged believe they can
positively impact costs in their job or unit, versus
19% of the disengaged.
Towers Perrin (85,000 / 16 countries/ four continents)
Fortune Magazine’s
“100 Best places To Work”
“… a great workplace is measured by the quality
of three, interconnected relationships:
The relationship…
• …between employees and management
• …between employees and their jobs/company
• …between employees and other employees”
The Charismatic Leader
… your time has come
We defined a more
practical ‘commercial
charisma’…
"Charismatic leaders create and maintain a
work environment where people are
emotionally and intellectually committed to the
organization's goals.
They build an energetic and positive attitude
in others and inspire them to do their very best.
In doing so they create a common sense of
purpose where people are more inclined to
invest extra energy and even some of their own
time in their work."
The Research - 2010
• 40,000 managerleaders assessed for
their charisma
• …by 40,000 ‘Bosses’
and more than
400,000 ‘Peers’ &
‘Direct Reports’
• Results to be
published in January
“The most dangerous leadership myth
… asserts that people simply either have
certain charismatic qualities or not.
That's nonsense … the opposite is true...
....(Charismatic) leaders are
made rather than born.”
Warren Bennis
“Inspirational Leaders choose
to be Inspirational Leaders
– they make the choices that enable
them to become Inspirational
Leaders”
The Charismatic Leader emanates
a contagious enthusiasm
Charismatic leaders focus on results
"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal,
before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and
returning him safely to the Earth.“ JFK, May 1961
Charismatic leaders build personal
relationships with their people
“In a crisis top performers will stay
wherever their personal value rises at a rate
greater than that possible elsewhere”
Deiric McCann
“In these days of Talent Wars, the best
way to keep your stars is to know them
better than they know themselves…
…and then use that information to
customize the career of their dreams”
Timothy Butler & James Waldroop
“Job Sculpting” Harvard Business Review
September-October 1999
Make it your OBVIOUS mission to make
your top people all they can be
• Focus upon external value
• Develop personal USPs
• Provide greater high level contact &
mentoring / coaching
• Engage in long-term
programs with certified output
You Must Know Their…
•
•
•
•
•
Achievements to date
Failures to date
Strengths
Development needs
Career / life goals – inside & outside
the organisation
• Family situation – priorities
• Passionate interests
Charismatic leaders
are extraordinary
communicators
Communication I: Listen!
“The greatest compliment that was
ever paid me was when one asked me
what I thought, and attended to my
answer.”
Henry David Thoreau
Feedback
‘I’m not afraid of death. I just don’t
want to be there when it happens.’
We’re not afraid of feedback.
We just don’t want to be in the room
when it’s delivered.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett
Communication II: Feedback
• Identify why each top performer position
is vital, what it contributes – and tell them
– Over, and over, and over again (‘Rule of Seven’)
• Catch teams and individuals doing good –
and recognize it publicly (sincerely)
“Sometimes the fiercest thing we can say to
someone is,
“I want to tell you exactly what I
appreciate about you.”
And tell them.
With no ‘but’ or ‘however’ attached.
Susan Scott, Fierce Leadership
Communication III: Keep it Positive
• At every level the overriding atmosphere
must be one of optimism
– Find the good news and promote it
Communication III: Keep it Positive
• At every level the overriding atmosphere
must be one of optimism
– Find the good news and promote it
• Don’t assume it has penetrated – bad news
travels faster and more efficiently
Charismatic Leaders Create
a Shared Vision
“When there is no
vision the people perish”
-Book of Proverbs
“Obstacles are those frightful
things you see when you take
your eyes off your goals”
Henry Ford
They accomplish long term goals by
planning daily steps
Don’t be silly about goals!
• 2006, 2007 goals probably won’t fly
• Don’t manage for failure
• Adapt – make them realistic ‘at a stretch’
Charismatic leaders
know when to stop
planning & take action
– they don’t hesitate
“Don't spend your time waiting for the perfect situation, something
which is not very likely to come.
Go ahead with life as it is, with the bumps and the pitfalls,
and give your best to every moment.” - Ralph Marston
Charismatic leaders see obstacles as opportunities
for creative change in the organisation
– and instil that attitude in their people
Charismatic Leaders Motivate
K.I.T.A
Motivation ‘101’
Thanks!
Help!
Reputation
Take a bow!
Motivation II:
Reach out to your people
Get out among them – be visible
“80% of success is
just showing up”
Woody Allen
Pep talks and ‘team touches’ are at least
as important as strategy bashing
Profiles - Showing Up
• Monthly whole company ‘Town Hall’
– Distance worker teleconference or view/listen to
recordings
• Followed immediately by team level meetings –
‘keeping on message’: ‘what did you think?’
‘Questions?’ ‘anything need clarification?’
• 1-2-1s with ALL team members – keeping ‘on
message’: ‘Good job’ & YOUR situation
• At all the focus is upon listening, soliciting ideas &
suggestions
Charismatic Leaders display genuine self
confidence and keep a positive outlook
The Charismatic Leader
… your time has come
“Inspirational Leaders choose
to be Inspirational Leaders
– they make the choices that enable
them to become Inspirational Leaders”
"I'm rather like a mosquito in a nudist
camp; I know what I ought to do,
but I don't know where to begin."
Stephen Bayne
You must know how you’re
perceived to be by your people…
…inside out
Some of the 70 things you MUST know
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Listens to all points of view with an open mind
Is an effective articulate speaker
Is honest in dealings with others
Reacts constructively to setbacks
Shows consideration for the feelings of others
Is a patient, effective, helpful coach
Gives recognition to producers of high quality work
Shows appreciation when others give extra effort
15 minute to look inside
your leadership capabilities…
‘Self’
Anonymous
& Confidential
Direct
Reports
Anonymous
& Confidential
Each
Leader /
Manager
Peers
‘Boss’
“If it’s not written down,
or has no deadline –
it’s a hope…
...and hope is not a
Legitimate strategy”
The Leader as a
Key Factor in Success