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| Don't Go It Alone by Mike Wagner |
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Do you feel like you are the only one working on your business?
The primary indicator of your corporate vision being fully installed hinges on whether the entire organization is working on the business. All employees must be focused on the Sweet-Spot Customer and the promises you make to them. If everyone isn't making a contribution bigger than simply doing the immediate job before them, the vision has not been installed.
As the leader of your organization, here’s what to look for if your vision isn’t fully installed:
Look at yourself. As CEO/President/Business Owner, are you still trying to single-handedly hold your organization together? It is a matter of personal growth to evolve into a new leadership style involving a team of leaders.
When the company was young/small it didn't require a true leadership team so you became accustomed to the solo leadership role. You made all the decisions while simultaneously wondering why no one else in your organization would make a decision. You found yourself telling employees to do something “…because I said so!” These are all signs that you were stuck in the middle of your organization – trying to do it all yourself.
Time has passed, the company has grown, but has your leadership style?
Work on your meeting facilitation skills. Maybe even have someone else lead the management team meetings while you become simply a contributor. Assemble your team, communicate that you expect them to lead, and then let them do just that - with your support being obvious to all.
Look at your managers. Are they struggling with your leadership expectations? These are gifted individuals with expertise and abilities in getting certain aspects of the work done inside a business. To date they have managed processes.
In making the shift to a team-driven organization, these individuals will feel expectations have changed - and they have. They’re asked to do something they have never had to do before: grow the human capacity of the business by leading.
Realize your mangers (now leaders) feel like you’ve changed the rules on them. Support and coach them while they deal directly with the employees in their department. Be prepared to invest in these working-managers. Leadership training and outside assistance will be required as you reset the expectation of what it means to be a leader in your organization.
Look at your employees. Are they more than a little “gun shy” about your customer-centered vision for the organization? Employees, over the years, have been exposed to a lot of initiatives and programs which didn’t last. Veteran employees have taken on the attitude, “Just give it time and this too shall pass."
The only cure to this cynicism is a united and determined leadership team backing up their words of a customer-centered vision with action. Month after month. There is no shortcut. Over time employees will realize this latest initiative isn’t going to “go away” and begin to contribute to the organization's vision - but it will take time.
Many of our clients report their surprise at (previously considered marginal) employees who are suddenly "getting it" and making uniquely valuable contributions to the success of the business.
Growing your business is not a solo endeavor. Your customer-centered vision is for sharing. Don't block others from contributing to the vision. Help your managers embrace a new set of leadership expectations. Commit to acting on the vision so employees can shed their skepticism.
As one leader with a 110 employees said, "I hired a 110 brains, it doesn't make sense to use just mine." There is no need to go it alone.