Strong People-Leadership Is Vital Now More Than Ever

 

 

 

 

 

Recent surveys and forecasts have underscored a concerning trend in the business world: a significant leadership deficit. A Zippia survey revealed that a staggering 77% of businesses report a lack of leadership, with only 33% of employees feeling engaged.

Alarmingly, less than half of these companies (49%) are investing in cross-skilling and upskilling their leaders. Furthermore, a mere 31% are engaging in leadership development programs to identify potential leaders within their ranks.

The 2023 Global Leadership Forecast further accentuates this issue, with only 11% of organizations confident in their leadership bench strength. The root of this crisis lies in many organizations’ failure to provide leadership development and transition training for their employees.

This trend is particularly unfortunate as organizations grapple with significant workforce changes, high turnover rates, marketplace disruptions and declining engagement levels. With numerous changes impacting organizations simultaneously, the demand for effective leadership is at an all-time high.

Indeed, effective leadership is the pivotal element that determines whether an organization will flourish in the face of adversity or fade into the shadows of irrelevance.

Consider the case of Microsoft under the leadership of Satya Nadella. When Nadella took the helm in 2014, Microsoft was struggling to maintain its relevance. However, Nadella saw potential and initiated a cultural shift within the company.

He introduced a new mission statement and promoted a growth mindset, encouraging employees to learn and take risks. This led to a wave of innovation at Microsoft, resulting in the development of successful products and a significant increase in the company’s stock price.

Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft regained its position as a leading tech company. This story underscores the transformative power of effective leadership and makes a great case for leadership development.

Here are four reasons why leadership development is crucial now and should be treated as a top priority if we are to achieve future success:

1. The Key to Future Success

Leadership development is not just about creating leaders; it’s about shaping the future of organizations. It equips leaders with the skills necessary to motivate teams, unlock potential, and navigate change.

In an era marked by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics, the ability to adapt and innovate has become crucial. Leaders who have undergone comprehensive development programs are better equipped to steer their organizations toward success in this volatile environment.

2. Motivating Teams and Unlocking Potential

A well-developed leader can inspire their team to achieve their best work. They foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, where every team member feels valued and motivated. Moreover, they can identify and nurture the potential in their team members, guiding them towards personal and professional growth.

This not only enhances the performance of the individual but also contributes to the overall success of the organization.

Check out a related post: How good are your motivation skills? (5 min)

3. Navigating Change

Change is a constant in the business world. Market trends shift, new technologies emerge, and consumer preferences evolve. Leaders play a pivotal role in guiding their organizations through these changes.

With the right development, leaders can become adept at anticipating market shifts and making strategic decisions that keep their organizations ahead of the curve.

Check out a related post: Six Tips for Leading During Uncertainty  (5 min)

4. Improving Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention

Leadership development also significantly impacts recruitment, engagement, and retention. It signals to prospective employees that the organization values growth and development, making it an attractive place to work.

For existing employees, the opportunity to develop their leadership skills can lead to higher engagement levels. It provides them with a clear pathway for career progression, which in turn, increases retention rates.

Check out a related post: 8 Great Ways Leaders Can Immediately Boost Employee Retention (5 min read)

In today’s dynamic business climate, leadership development is not just significant, it’s paramount. It forms the foundation for future success, hinging on leaders’ abilities to inspire teams, unlock hidden potential, and navigate the VUCA (Volatile. Uncertain. Complex. Ambiguous.) business landscape. This is why it is vital for companies to invest in robust leadership development that includes training, coaching, mastermind groups and other learning activities.

To your greater success and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, energy storage and facilities management, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.
 

 

 

Moving the Needle When Participating In a Learning Event

 

 

 

 

 

What is your goal when you attend a conference, seminar, workshop, webinar or this week's OPG-LA Tier 3 Leadership Academy session # 1?

Is it a life-changing idea or insight, or something else?

I have experienced the big aha-moments in all those settings, and that is wonderful. But that is a high bar.

I’ve also heard people be a bit cynical after and even before a session saying things like “I knew most of that material,” or “there wasn’t much new here.”

Light-bulb moments are wonderful. But attending learning events focused only on the big, new ideas will keep you from getting the most from those opportunities.

Focus on moving the needle. Learning and growing by 1%.

Going from 0-60 is great but moving the needle from 40 to 45 and creating a new average or base line is more realistic and can have a huge impact on your long-term performance and success.

The big insight is a bonus, but moving the needle to a new level – even if the change is small – can change everything.

Look for the little gains. When you look for them, you are more likely to find them – and added together, they will change everything for the better.  Small differences accumulate into significant competitive advantages.

Whether during this week's OPG-LA class or just going through your workday – look for ways to move the needle today.

Check out a related post: Experimentation is Vital for Leadership Excellence. ( 5 min read)

Stay curious, stay hungry,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, facilities and energy management,  real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

 

Google's Discovery About the Secret to Success at Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wrote this title because people will likely read it – we love secrets to success, and if they are surprising, all the better. Depending on your beliefs and experience, this post may be neither. Either way, what I am about to share will make a difference for you professionally and for the organization you serve.

A Washington Post article I read got me thinking about this topic. The article was about what Google  learned about the most important skills they need to succeed as a company. The surprise, at least to Google, was that technical skills weren’t at the top of the list. 

To quote from the article:

"In 2022, Google decided to test its hiring hypothesis by crunching every bit and byte of hiring, firing, and promotion data accumulated since the company’s incorporation in 1998. Project Oxygen shocked everyone by concluding that, among the eight most important qualities of Google’s top employees, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) expertise comes in dead last. The seven top characteristics of success at Google are all soft skills: being a good coach; communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others (including others different values and points of view); having empathy toward and being supportive of one’s colleagues; being a good critical thinker and problem solver; and being able to make connections across complex ideas."

This is significant; one of the organizations that most relies on and had until that point focused hiring on the very best technical ability says that those abilities are the 8th most important to their organizations success.

To put it in another way, technical skills are the admission to the game, but winning takes far more than that.

Look at the rest of that list…

• Coaching skills
• Communicating and listening well.
• Possessing insights into others.
• Empathy.
• Critical thinking and problem solving.
• Making connections across complex ideas.

The first four of those are 100% interpersonal and people skills; what the article calls the soft skills. And since businesses (even Google, the technical giant) are made up of people, it makes sense.

The Forest and the Trees
You’ve heard the metaphor of not being able to see the forest for the trees – this situation is informed perfectly by this metaphor. Our organizations want the technical skills, whatever they are: finance, engineering, marketing, sales, operations – name the technical expertise that is important to your organization.  These are the trees.  We must have trees in order to have a forest, but the forest is more than individual trees, it is a living system with all of the trees working together symbiotically for mutual success.

Hiring only for technical competence focuses you on the trees; but your organization is a forest.

It is easier to hire for technical skill – many of these skills are testable, tangible and resumes are filled with testaments to these skills. Easier – but not more effective.

It is harder to seek, suss out and select for the softer skills, like but not inclusive of those on the list above.  But if you want a successful resilient organization you must do the hard work of hiring for soft skills.

[Check out my blog post about how to hire for coachability--one of the most important soft skills. How to Hire People Who Repeatedly Succeed. 5 min read.]

The Message For You Personally
I’ve taken an organization focus so far, but let me make the point personally now.  Organizational success is about people skills, so your personal success must rest on that foundation.  You need to be focused on building your technical or job skills – and while those are important (you need to stay abreast of changes in your field of expertise), they aren't enough – again they simply buy you entrance to the game.

Technical skills get you in the door. Soft skills take you where you want to do. 

I think "soft" skills should be called "essential" skills. They're the deepest human skills. And the hardest to learn.

If you want to play the game at a higher level you must build your essential skills with the level of dedication and focus they deserve.

The Secret?
By now you know the secret.  The secret to success is being able to communicate with, interact with, collaborate with, and influence people.  Time spent investing in learning, improving and practicing the "essential skills" is the best investment you can make in your future success at work and in life.

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping energy and facilities management providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, food distribution companies, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.