Leaders need others to achieve a vision, accomplish organizational objectives, or deliver results. london No leader can do everything by themselves. Leaders’ success depends on the actions and decisions made by others who are empowered to carry out their respective responsibilities.
These are the three keys every executive, business owner, and organizational director should follow to make it happen.
1. Clarity in goals
I worked for a small regional telephone company. It was known for its customer service but had a lack of innovation. In the middle of the 1990s, the company had a new CEO.
Although the Internet was only beginning, his goal for that company was to bring it into the 21st century. He wanted to transform the enterprise from “dial tone” to “data.” He was clear in his determination to invest in infrastructure, technology, and training so that the company could meet our customers’ needs. After many years of acquisitions and strategic divestitures, the company transformed into a next-generation telecommunications company with a national fiber-optic network, leading-edge data centers, and a demonstrated commitment to ongoing employee training.
The CEO’s vision of transforming the organization from “dial tone into data” was a clear and understandable rallying point. It was crucial for the organization’s survival. Without this clear goal, organizational transformations implemented by employees would have stagnated.
2. Consistent communication.
The same CEO believed that there was too much communication within the company. I was responsible for both internal and external communication for the company. keyposting He constantly challenged me with new ways to communicate our collective goals and company progress.
My team developed a strong communications plan that allowed the CEO and his direct report to travel across the country to share the vision and reinforce it among the employees and union leaders. We printed weekly newsletters to notify field technicians when they arrived at remote locations for their daily repair or installation tasks.
We also launched an Intranet, weekly conference calls, and voicemail recordings. Videoconferencing also use to communicate with the executive teams. It was a first for the corporation. This constant commitment to communication enabled alignment with organizational goals, and it helped every individual understand their role towards achieving the desired results.
3. Trust.
Trust is the key to leadership. It is the most difficult part of our particular transformation from “dial tone into data.” There had been years of conflict between the unions, senior executives, and mistrust over the CEO’s appointment. The animosity reached boiling point during one contract negotiation cycle.
Several executives received dead animals and were routinely awakened in the middle of the nights by bullhorn sirens in their yards. With one gesture, the new CEO made all this possible. Although the union leader was tough as nails, he had cancer. Soon after the CEO joined, the union boss suffered an incapacitating relapse.
The CEO used his company jet to fly the union boss from the workplace to the Mayo Clinic to receive emergency care. The CEO specifically instructed me and the communication staff not to promote this action either internally or externally. After receiving care and treatment for a few weeks, the union leader was able to return to work and shared the kindness of the CEO. The years of distrust between them erase.
For years, the CEO and union boss were close friends. This friendship continued even after the CEO retired from our company. He attended the funeral of the union boss when cancer progressed. twitter Without the trust shown by our union leader, the organizational transformation could not have happened. People are what matter when it comes down to delivering results. That is the secret to great leadership.
