Number 2- Second in command. The most challenging position.

Sardar Patel is imbibed in the minds of Indians and the ethos of India as the ultimate No. 2 in the Indian Government that Pt. Nehru could ever have. His identity in the political spectrum of our Nation was unique.

Both the No. 1 and No. 2 differed in their outlook and approach on many matters but seen together they add up to more than the sum of their parts for the overall benefit of the Nation. As requirement dictates, the No. 2 will switch roles from one to another.

An effective Number 1 recognises that it’s not their job to get involved in the delivery side of the business.?Micromanagement for instance. They identify the strategy and it’s the No.2’s job to implement and translate that into action. To make things happen.

During a major time of change while Number 1 maintains a stable and outward facing perspective that gives stakeholders confidence; it is the role of Number 2 to transform the feature of the business.

No man or woman is an island. Number 1, for all their brilliance, would benefit from having someone as their Number 2 who they could turn to for advice and counsel.

Over-reliance on one of their key assets is often a leader’s ‘weakness’. For example, some leaders are exceptionally creative but approach every problem from the point of view that a new idea or creative process will provide the solution. Counter Balancing Number 2 will often have a different set of leadership assets that provide a complementary perspective that enables even better decisions to be made.

Some executive leadership pairings between the Number 1 and 2 resemble the best features of a marriage or civil partnership. The other person completes the individual through their presence.

They ‘get’ the other person in a way that others don’t.

Such leaders work best when working in a deep partnership with another person and see their leadership role as being something that they do ‘together’ – as opposed to any idea of hierarchy.

The idea of Number 2 as the natural successor to Number 1 is not an unusual occurrence. On occasions the Board or employing organisation will seek to appoint a Number 2 in order to make that future transition as smooth and trouble free as possible. Not that such an appointment can ever be a guarantee but certainly many Number 2s are seen as the person ‘most likely to’. Organisations who set great store in retaining or sustaining the organisational culture will often see the appointment of the Number 2 as a deliberate part of their succession strategy.

Some organisations realise that the only way they can retain the services of an outstanding individual is to promote them to the role of Number 2.

Some Number 1s have a tendency to wreak havoc as a consequence of their mercurial behaviour and dynamic attributes.

Also, it is not unusual that the Number 1 is a lazy, laid back and uninvolved happy-go-lucky individual. This breed would rather have endless review meetings within the organization instead of stepping out and spending time with their customers, network with industry partners, and the eco system in which the business exists.

Such leaders definitely need a Number 2 who has the necessary diplomatic skills to smooth things out and peacefully resolve difficult situations that might have been caused by the leader, so that the overall organisational strategy is not compromised.

Number 2, who fulfils the role of the Mechanic, is someone who understands the nuts and bolts of the business and how these interact as working parts. The mechanic can assist Number 1 to fix the machine if it’s not functioning in an optimal manner, or, more importantly, knows which levers to pull in order to make it work even better.

All too often the Number 1 can be so focused upon achieving their strategic goal by a given date that they ignore the need to achieve things in a logical, sequential and compliant manner that does not put the achievement of that strategy, or the long-term survival of the organisation at risk. In such circumstances there is a strong need for a Number 2 who fulfils the role of the Planner.

Of course, the appointment of the most suitable Number 2 is only 50% of the challenge, for such a relationship to really add value to Number 1 and organisation the relationship must be characterised by what we refer to as a ‘Licence to Operate’.

It is best to think of a ‘Licence to Operate’ as a negotiated bond between two people that sets out how each of them will behave.

There are five elements that must be resolved if such a bond between a Number 1 and their Number 2 is to be effective:-

1.???Clear and explicit expectations from the CEO about what they require from their Number 2

2.???The establishment of a clear and regular line of communication between the two individuals

3.???The delegation to the Number 2 of real and visible authority across the entire business and regular exposure to Governing Body/Board

4.???Agreed permission to speak with candour and honesty – especially from the Number 2 to the Number 1;

5.???Always backing up the Number 1 in public.

These might seem to be a simplistic set of guidelines but you would be amazed how often the relationship between a Number 1 and their Number 2 is not characterised by any of the above.

Yet where the two individuals set out to live by the above – regardless of the nature of the type of relationship between the two, then great things can happen.