The operator’s dilemma

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How connected are you with the day-to-day business rhythm of your organization??

It is the question I ask myself every morning, right after my daily meditation and as I sip my first cup of coffee.??

• Call a client?
• Attend a sales meeting?
• Walk the production floor???
• Review a spreadsheet formula?
• Check in on an employee or peer?

In fact, as I was writing this piece, I had to remind myself to look over a contract one last time to ensure all the terms were accurate.

Leaders, regardless of industry, geography, size, or role should command a deep understanding of how their organization operates to stay commercially competitive. The hallmark of a great leader is instilling this mindset within all employees and functions so that everyone is contributing to sustainable and profitable growth.?

Having led numerous business growth transformations, I have concluded that one of the greatest barriers comes down to a single question. I refer to it as “the operator’s dilemma.”

How do you balance execution speed with strategic comprehensiveness?

We are expected to make decisions quickly, often without complete information, but a CEO I once worked for advised me that “80% is often good enough to go!”

Once you are ready to go, operational excellence is the discipline that makes it all happen.? This starts with the CEO, whose cadence moves the energy of the entire organization. In his book, The Motive:? Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities, Patrick Lencioni advocates a change in the CEO acronym, arguing that it should stand for “chief execution officer” instead of the “chief executive officer.” Above all, it’s the CEO’s job to make things work. Just “being an executive” isn’t a job responsibility. CEOs execute processes.?

“You can’t see the forest for the trees” warns us that if we focus only on the details, we’ll miss the larger picture. However, many high-level executives have the opposite problem. Being at the top of the business hierarchy can lead to a lack of humility, and some leaders can let their egos get in the way of the process. Big-picture thinking is important, but “chief execution officers” need to be able to see the forest and the trees. Executives who focus too much on control actually make it more difficult to achieve their own desired outcomes. They get tunnel vision. Leaders who stay humble are more likely to recognize the value of input from their team, which allows them to widen their view and execute on ensuring profitable revenue growth with speed.

Organizational excellence starts with the CEO, the ultimate operator, but the whole executive team must also embrace their role as “operational ninjas.” This expectation must be a part of the broader organizational culture. Leaders need to not only be situationally aware, but astute at shifting their focus between spreadsheets and strategic planning.?

When weighing choices like this, leaders don’t have an option between going quickly and being thoughtful. They have to make both possible while still being in service of their vision. All decisions are not the same. Data collection and analysis are key for some, while others benefit from intuition and experience to take instant action. Most land somewhere in the middle.?

With so much pressure to move quickly, it’s easy to fall into the “quick fix” trap, putting a bandage on a situation that requires major surgery.? When ascertaining how to be both speedy and thoughtful, it helps to be clear on what success looks like within the framework of your organization’s purpose. You must know who you are, what you stand for, and where you want to go before you discern the best way to get there.?

Executives must develop the right strategy, but it’s also their job to translate it into measurable and meaningful actions. Remember, leaders are execution officers. When they take ownership of the execution instead of relegating it, they are better able to engage their workforce and achieve agreement and commitment across the leadership team. Executives? must demonstrate their own commitment to the strategy for it to be successful, which means active participation in its development and execution. While all leaders need to do this, research shows few are good at it.?

Everyone aspires to move beyond their organization’s constraints and build a legacy of growth, but they can’t just be big thinkers. They must get their hands dirty, too. If executives want to create an organizational culture of operational excellence, It’s not strategy vs. execution -? it’s strategy and execution.

What else is possible??

A single moment can change the course of our life or career. Looking closely,? we can see these moments of possibility as they emerge. I call these “What Else” moments, the moments that allow us to see a vision of what’s possible. When these What Else moments connect, tangible and sustainable growth is within reach. With that in mind, I want you to consider this question:?

What else is possible when we prioritize operational excellence??

New ideas and diverse outlooks inspire me, so let’s talk! Let me know what you think in the comments.?

Are you ready to discover what else is possible? Contact me here to start the conversation.

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