Leadership Unleashed: Thriving in Constant Change

Today, we face unprecedented problems and opportunities.

Our new reality is "constant change"—global or local. We are faced with unprecedented opportunities and obstacles.

Leadership today is living in this change not navigating through it.

Predictability, predicated on the "what got us here will get us there" mentality, short-circuits opportunities, shareholder value, and cultural growth.

While we see changes at the big end of town with likes of Google and Salesforce, don't limit your notions that non-technology or SME’s (less than $250m market cap) that "constant change" doesn't apply to you—it does.

Sustainable, inclusive growth drives constant change. Leaders no longer lead.

Imagine a #business org chart with collaborative teams instead of leaders. Where outcomes are based on the value journey, not an antiquated KPI year-on-year system that exclusively assesses silo performance.

Imagine a value-based business world where all actions had measurable results. Tangible actions aligned to business outcomes and personal aspirations. Imagine a value based system.

Such a system already exists in probably the most difficult sector – health care – where decisions are not financial but life and death. If accountability, leadership, and collaboration can improve here, why not your eco-system?

Humans must change, not degrees. Mindset and conscious actions cannot be learned. Habits, expectations, and language must be reprogrammed.

Future roles are not yet here. Businesses will never be ready for the future if they stick to today's mentality. These enterprises will always be the lost sheep at the back of the flock instead of the star the shepherd follows to lead the sheep to their destination.

Leaders must be catalysts, visionaries, brave beyond shareholder value, and imagine a future beyond today.

Mobile phones, key fobs, passwords, remote controls, credit cards, even highlighters will be obsolete in 10 years. Will you be obsolete in 3, 5 or 10 years?

Being different comes with its share of obstacles. Workplace attitudes have to shift away from a concentration on tasks performed towards an emphasis on value.

Do you have the ability and aptitude to show up as your complete, finest, most genuine self, rather than as a professional persona?

That's a tough one. Accepting and appreciating one another for who they truly are, down to their quirks and idiosyncrasies, and reciprocating that with openness and honesty, is what is required. The goal is to go beyond task-based and transactional relationships to develop genuine friendships in which people share their values, beliefs, dreams, and anxieties and therefore bring out the best in one another.

You need to shift your focus away from just survival and towards a place where you can access your greatest reserves of passion, insight, creativity, relationships, and expertise.

The biggest changes you can make

It may require a major adjustment of perspective on the part of most businesses.

1)    Get rid of your company strategies and your standard KPIs.

2)    Avoid failure by systematically testing, learning, and changing course quickly.

3)    Follow shorter decision-making timelines of 30, 60, and 90 days

4)    Regularly reprioritize – Review, Reset, React, Reward

5)    Engage people – help other understand and embrace change.

The impossible, or at least the unfathomable, has often been accomplished throughout history.

Don’t think outside the box, remove the box completely and tap into the deep well of imagination, ingenuity, and determination found in others, and unleash fresh dimensions of worth for customers, employees, investors, and all those involved.

It would be great to know your thoughts on this subject.

Make every day count

Gordon

[email protected]

Lets chat bit.ly/chatwithgordon