So,
where do I start? I ask: What’s the difference between a manager
and a leader? Managers become
managers because
they were great at solving problems. Those that make the transformation become senior
managers. Senior leaders transform
from problem solvers to problem creators.
If a President or CEO spends more than 5%-10% of their time solving
problems, they need to devise a plan to change that.
What
do I mean by creating problems?
When Jack Welch became the CEO of GE, he declared that every business
unit had to be ranked #1 or #2 in their respective industries. If not, they would be sold. If you were ranked number 6, you had a
problem.
If
you are ranked number 6, you have to look at your unit from another
perspective. Simply reducing costs and cutting jobs and expenses will not grow
the business from #6 to #2. You need new relationships with your staff and
management, customers, vendors as well as the media. You need innovation to create new products and services. Ultimately,
as the unit leader, you need to create problems for your people to solve.
If
you look at any extraordinary accomplishment, you find that it always followed
a problem. However, creating
problems is counterintuitive. We
are taught to solve them, get rid of them or find out who created it and get
rid of them.
To
create problems on purpose requires some training as well as a new
mindset. So, I have 4 do’s to
support leadership’s commitment to use problem creation strategies:
1. Constantly
develop yourself. Books are
great. However, quantum leaps
require you to get out of your comfort zone. It is much easier to do that if you see yourself as a high
performing athlete who wants to significantly improve his or her
performance. Therefore, I suggest
you hire a coach or an advisor.
2. Develop
an intimate understanding of your customers. Understand what their development
needs are and what they anticipate in the future. Oftentimes, customers need things they don’t know how to
describe. That’s an opportunity to
create something that has not existed, and your problem lies therein.
3. Delegate! If you try to do it all yourself, the growth of your company
will be limited to what you can do.
You can’t do everything.
Besides, if you are doing everything, you are an employee, instead of
the President of the company. As
you delegate, you create a learning organization. Your people will learn new skills and competencies. More importantly, it frees you up to
learn new skills and competencies.
4. Always
create new products, services and productivity processes. If you are not doing it, your
competitors will. And then it is
difficult to make up for lost momentum.
As a side note, when disruptive technology is created, someone from
outside the industry usually creates it.
They look at your industry from another perspective. This is why it is important to develop
yourself and constantly pull yourself out of your comfort zone.
Creating
problems intentionally gives you a much better chance to be the master of your
destiny. Additionally, when
unexpected problems arise, you will have skills that empower you to handle them
much more effectively.
To
sum it all up, leaders are responsible for creating and changing the direction
of the enterprise. Managers
maintain the course leadership has chosen. However, if you want to elevate your career growth from
manager to leader, get comfortable with change and exploring new
territory. While that may lead to
temporary uncertainty, he or she who masters change and uncertainty has a
better chance to lead their industry.
What do you think? I would love to hear what you think. Or if you
want to write me on a specific topic, connect through my blog www.turnaroundip.blogspot.com.
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