Strategic Leadership: Navigating Volatile Business Environments

When I woke up this morning, it occurred to me that never has leadership been more important than now: the business and political landscapes have never been more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Every time you turn on the news, there is more-and-more affirmation of this uncertainty. While uncertainty can make some of us act like a rabbit in the headlights, now is the time to act and ensure that your organization is fully equipped and ready for the future. With the complexity of the business and political landscape, it is easy to forget the importance of building leadership skills. Now is the time to develop leaders to ensure that your organization can survive and thrive in these times of massive uncertainty.

I also realized this morning that I have been fortunate enough to work with some good leaders over the years. I have summarized their key attributes in the Leadership VISION model below:

Leadership VISION Model

V: Vivid Vision

Good leaders create a vivid vision of a desired future state that is congruent with their values. This seems to be the primary role of a leader: to imagine a future state that does not yet exist.

Implementation Steps:

1. Define the Vision: Conduct vision workshops with your leadership team to articulate a clear and inspiring vision for the future.
2. Align with Values: Ensure that the vision is aligned with the core values of the organization. Hold discussions to clarify these values.
3. Communicate Passionately: Share the vision with passion and enthusiasm across the organization. Use multiple channels (meetings, emails, town halls) to ensure it resonates with everyone.

I: Inspire

Good leaders inspire their teams to realize the vision by understanding their intrinsic motivations and aligning roles and responsibilities with these personal internal motivations.

Implementation Steps:

1. Understand Motivations: Conduct one-on-one meetings to understand the personal and professional motivations of your team members.
2. Align Roles: Assign roles and responsibilities that match these motivations to ensure high engagement and peak performance.
3. Recognize Efforts: Regularly acknowledge and celebrate individual and team achievements to maintain enthusiasm and motivation.

S: Serve and Support

Good leaders serve and support their teams. They ask, "How can I serve and support you, so that you can perform at your best?"

Implementation Steps:

1. Ask for Feedback: Regularly ask your team how you can better support them in their roles.
2. Provide Resources: Ensure your team has the necessary tools, training, and resources to perform effectively.
3. Promote Well-being: Prioritize the well-being of your team by encouraging work-life balance and providing mental health resources.

I: Inquire

Good leaders inquire and take on a coaching role rather than problem-solving for their teams, empowering them to find their own solutions.

Implementation Steps:

1. Adopt a Coaching Mindset: Shift from directive to coaching conversations. Ask open-ended questions to guide your team to solutions.
2. Provide Training: Offer coaching and problem-solving training for leaders within the organization.
3. Encourage Leadership: Foster an environment where team members feel empowered to take initiative and make decisions.

O: Operate in a Whole-Brain Manner

Good leaders use the combined power of their left and right brain, being logical, objective, creative, and calculated-risk-takers.

Implementation Steps:

1. Balance Thinking Styles: Encourage leaders to develop both analytical and creative thinking skills through workshops and training programs.
2. Lead by Example: Demonstrate whole-brain thinking in your decision-making and problem-solving processes.
3. Foster Creativity: Create opportunities for brainstorming and innovative thinking within your team.

N: Now-Focused

Good leaders are now-focused, taking action today to realize their vision. They make mindful, conscious decisions and understand that their decisions have consequences.

Implementation Steps:

1. Set Short-Term Goals: Break down the vision into actionable, short-term goals and priorities.
2. Be Present: Encourage a culture of mindfulness and presence. Conduct regular check-ins to ensure focus on current tasks.
3. Decisive Actions: Promote decisive yet thoughtful decision-making. Ensure that accuracy and responsibility are prioritized over speed.

Conclusion

What has this article awoken in you? Is the sleeping leadership giant inside of you and your organization ready to step up and serve? I hope so. The world needs your leadership. Now.

By implementing these steps, leaders and managers can effectively overcome resistance to change, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and guide their organizations through uncertainty towards a successful future.