Cultivating A Company Of Leaders
by Jonathan Jones
Leadership is the first step in the growth of any company. A CEO is the most visible and most accountable individual for the execution of a strategy. CEOs lead other leaders throughout the company. For the most part, managers in the center of the pack are ignored, overlooked and unappreciated. The middle must be a priority for CEOs. The strength of the center must be examined, measured and evaluated. The middle of an organization must be robust and resilient to thrive and flourish.
The middle wants to satisfy their superiors, see good results from those below them, and have a competitive spirit with those around them. Internal competition is not a productive focus. The CEO must demonstrate leadership, investment and purpose to disrupt this loop.
We tend to promote the most outstanding individual contributors and expect them to obtain the same level of performance from others as they do from themselves. However, managing is different from doing. Anyone has the potential to demonstrate leadership abilities. To go from a follower to a leader, their leadership traits must be cultivated and nourished. As a result, workers will feel more invested in their work and take on greater responsibilities and delegate more effectively.
Assess your present structure. Are you delivering on your promises? Is there a system in place to cultivate the next generation of leaders? Does your business have a set method for training new managers? Is the company producing leaders in all areas, particularly during rapid growth? Is the leader looking for development outside of the company? If forward movement exists in these areas, progress is being made to create a culture of leaders and prepare for a brighter future.
Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.