Ron Popeil, an Infomercial Inventor, remains my favorite pitchman. The guy was a legend.
“Set it and forget it,” might have been great for working parents and the Showtime Rotisserie.
But, it doesn’t work in leadership.
Leadership and strategy are iterative.
I’ve been watching Executive Leadership Teams (ELTs) struggle recently at crucial inflection points. Three common needs:
1️⃣ Talent density – need more intellectual horsepower
✌️ Upgrade communication structures – yelling across the room doesn’t work anymore
3️⃣ Resourcing – too many coaches still “doing the doing.”
I’m giving this topic a lot of mindshare because what got us here won’t get us there. From a practical perspective, I think the job of the ELT is to drive “5 A’s” for the company:
- ALIGN on the strategic direction. This means everyone is clear on the written strategy and their role with clear objectives. The plan should live in a Project Management tool. Specifically ask:
🫵 What problem needs to be solved? Align on the kink in the hose stopping throughput
🧐 What do we expect to happen, and by when? Algin on the result
🤔 What are the alternatives? Align on options and priorities
☑️ What must be true for this to be successful? Align on the order of operations.
- ACT boldly and decisively within your functional area of responsibility. This means your team is aligned on the objectives and has the Tools, Time, Training, Talent and Tenacity to achieve them.
- Cultivate an ACCOUNTABLE performance-driven culture where your team executes and achieves the company’s goals, metrics and KPIs.
- ASSESS the individual, departmental, and executive performance. Ruthlessly determine what is working, what isn’t, and, most importantly, why.
- ADJUST the strategic plan every 90 days. Re-create alignment and communicate the strategy and objectives. Go again.
Love to know what subject is keeping you off the Dean’s List? 🎓 (Seriously – it’ll help upgrade my thinking on this topic)
PS – This process is true even if you’re a company or department of one. 🚀
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