What are the most important “to-dos” for us to practice as leaders in 2016? This year will require us to both execute and deliver.
The first act, execution, recognizes that crafting sound and thoughtful business strategies is essential…but insufficient. William Blake, the 18th Century British philosopher-poet, has one of the finest quotes for leaders: “Execution is the chariot of genius.” This means that all our strategic planning is for naught if we do not execute properly and deliver results mapped out within the strategy.
As we continue to watch, learn and lead, markets continue to change at a rapid-fire rate and the challenges we face in a tough economy, such as staff cutbacks and direction to do more with less, are going to continue to accelerate. Simultaneously, new business leadership models are also emerging and creating incentives to engage us as leaders to care for ourselves, our families, our organizations and our communities. These new leadership models are aimed at enabling us to execute and deliver better results simultaneously.
One such model we have adopted is called “DELIVER,” which represents these leadership actions and attributes:
D = Dedicated
Being totally dedicated to clear, measurable goals—both short- and long-term—will improve the probability and the profitability of delivering results throughout well-executed plans. Being dedicated to each team member validates your authenticity, which then demonstrates both external and internal delivery.
E = Engage
Engaging those who have talents surrounding you in order to let those talents shine as they are deployed and engaged to execute and deliver. Execution of any strategy is both a team sport and a contact sport. Leaders must literally be ready for anything and everything to happen, and then adapt and adjust their plans.
L = Love
Loving what you do, which may be surprising for those unused to seeing this word in a leadership model. The “L” word represents the love and passion required to successfully execute plans that deliver results. Love and passion are the emotional engagement leaders need to sustain them through troughs and challenges.
I = Insightful
Being tuned in to and insightful on business trends and the talents of his or her team will increase the probability a leader can successfully execute and deliver. The rationale supporting leaders being insightful stems from literature that shows effective leaders anticipate and consider multiple, often parallel, paths for the execution of their strategy. Leadership insight into trends and talents also improves the probability of buy-in from other members of the leader’s team.
V = Vulnerable
Being vulnerable requires being open to the feedback, ideas and even constructive criticism of others on your team. Even though the feedback may not be valid, the ideas may not be good and the criticism may be untrue, simply being open to listening creates a tone and sense of a leader being willing to listen and to improve personal performance. And when there’s a willingness to listen, that act increases the likelihood for a leader’s humility to be revealed, which opens a great opportunity for valid feedback and necessary critiques to be received.
Leaders need to recall the phrase: “There is no I in team.” A leader’s display of his or her own vulnerability demonstrates that we all must lead together, shoulder-to-shoulder.
E = Excellence
Striving for excellence with yourself and all that you do requires an inside-out mentality. Inside-out, in turn, requires us to be reflective and have an interior life. The famous sports psychologist Dr. Jim Loehr asks leaders “to start acknowledging that what you think about has a significant impact on how you feel.” This head-heart connection makes our thinking-feeling a valuable path to excellence…in execution and in delivering results.
R = Recognize
Recognize those around you who compliment who you are, who they are and what they do. Slow down and notice who and what is around you. Show your gratitude for the contributions and talents of others. Take time for appreciating how others make a difference instead of simply how fast you can get to the next thing on your list. The appreciation and gratitude we show others evokes powerful sentiments and reactions within them and within us. These sentiments and reactions can power us to better execute and deliver for the results we need. n
-Patricia Lenius is the president of Pewaukee-based PJL & Associates. She can be reached at (414) 852-9887. Bob DeVita recently retired after a 42-year career in health care leadership spanning three states. He teaches an MBA seminar at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.He can be reached at devita@uwm.edu.
