Steering an organisation on its unique journey is one of the biggest personal challenges facing all leaders.
Although the end goal, the destination may stay the same, the conditions experienced on the journey will be different within six months, and different again within a year.
Why? Because internal and external issues and events will constantly change the commercial landscape in which the organisation operates.
Like the Pharaohs in the past, leaders nowadays are faced with an array of human performance challenges on a daily basis on the journey – from recruitment to resignation, cynicism to sickness, complacency to commitment.
Challenges on the journey, if not addressed properly will over time dramatically or subtly affect the balance of behaviour and activity in the workplace.
Think about it for a moment – a new appointment or a change in procedure can and often does affect the behaviour of individuals throughout the organisation.
In the complex world of work, thousands of decisions are made each day in an organisation. You can understand how difficult it can be to lead effectively in a constantly changing environment.
It doesn’t need to be like this.
Challenges facing leaders on the journey can be grouped into six areas of strategic and operational focus. The areas are as follows:
1. The attraction and recruitment of talent
2. The alignment of strategy to operational performance
3. The engagement of others via the development of leadership capability
4. The creation of a strong workplace performance climate
5. The powerful use of knowledge, expertise and talent via learning
6. The demonstration of behaviours that are important to maximising the organisation’s potential
Focusing on these six areas enables leaders to manage their personal time and resources more effectively and also support the creation of a more agile, confident and high-performing workforce.
Success is achieved when awareness of the changing landscape is linked to the way in which leaders inspire others to overcome the challenges and obstacles on the journey.
Reaching the desired destination requires a nimble, empowering and more cohesive approach to delivering performance in the workplace.
Navigating the landscape has become the new core requirement of the 21st century leader.
To support this need and meet the challenges and deliver success, a more flexible, adaptable leadership approach is needed to keep everyone connected with the organisation on track – a framework which adapts to changing conditions on the journey and which supports the day-to-day focus of leaders in the workplace.
‘Navigation’ requires a detailed understanding of the commercial landscape facing the organisation and the effective management of the human performance challenges on a daily basis.
A joined-up approach to leadership is needed on the journey.
Linking vision, challenges, culture and objectives together to deliver performance is important to navigational success.
Pharaohs understood this.
Building the Pharaoh’s pyramid was a complex undertaking.
The high officials from ancient Egypt faced the same people challenges of modern-day leaders. Little has changed between the building of an Egyptian pyramid and that of an organisational pyramid.
Behaviour delivers performance and leadership focus on the right behaviours will always deliver growth, success and sustainability.
In the complex and fast-moving world of work, understanding how to navigate the landscape separates the great leaders from others.
Just ask any modern-day Pharaoh.
Best wishes on your journey, wherever it may take you.
John