Principle 3: Leadership is about direction. Management is about speed, coordination and logistics in moving in that direction.
There’s no question that in today’s business world everything is constantly changing. Each day there is something new on the horizon especially when it comes to technological advances and innovative strategies, all of which can help a company stay ahead of the competition.
Ultimately these advances can make it easier for employees to work better and be more productive, particularly when a company wants to get ahead or noticed. And although there may be feelings of uneasiness when it comes to applying urgency, it inspires results which can mean growth for the organization.
Remember, misplaced or misunderstood urgency can be extremely damaging when misaligned. But when a strategy and the underlying culture is understood and the outcome is clear, a sense of urgency is required if companies want to get noticed and stay out in front.
Regardless of the size of a business, no firm in today’s economy has the luxury of deciding whether it wants to get on board with a new idea that offers the potential for growth, unless they want to go the way of the dinosaurs.
To achieve, there must first be a clear vision about a company’s mission so that everyone on the team understands what is being asked of them and why it’s needed.
Next the company and its employees need to embrace the changes today and not tomorrow or they will be left behind. Emphasis must be placed on action, not perfection; on results, not just activity. In other words, a sense of urgency inspires and motivates employees and gets things moving so that growth can occur.
It’s imperative for a leader to communicate to their team that change is an absolute necessity. This requires strong leadership and can only occur with open and honest dialogue about what’s happening in the industry, in the company and with the competition.
When a strategy is understood and the outcome is clear, a sense of urgency can mean the difference between growing versus stagnating. But, keep in mind that a company can’t move fast if its people move slow. To survive in any business arena, the prize will always go to those who are nimble and quick on their feet. Leaders must find ways to cut the time it takes to get things done, eliminate excess baggage and resort to change whenever necessary. This means having the ability to make timely decisions, delegating faster and gaining the support required from everyone on the team.
Sustainable growth, not just survival is an absolute requirement for a company to make it into the next decade. To make this happen; leaders must talk to employees about what could potentially occur in the future if new strategies and changes are not implemented quickly.
Ensure having authentic conversations that get people thinking and always be sure to ask employees for their support in strengthening an idea. As a leader, a sense of urgency must be developed around the need for change, which requires leading by example and keeping the vision of the company front and centre.
Becoming selective about how you use your time allows you to focus. This enables you to allocate more minutes to the things that really matter… learning to effectively say ‘no’ more often means that you can say ‘yes’ where it matters… now we’re moving.
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© Ben Benson
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