Curt Fowler | Fowler & Company
I had the privilege of leading a strategic planning retreat recently and had a great conversation with some leaders about how you can be a “transformational” leader and still drive the results you need.
It’s a great question. To be transformational, you must care more about the success of your people than your success as a leader. But, if you are not successful as a leader you will probably be out of a job and so will those you lead.
So, how can a leader get the results the organization needs while focusing on the success of those they lead?
The Right People in the Right Seats
Each seat in your organization should have measurable outcomes or key performance indicators tied to the position. These KPIs define success for the position.
Share this information with everyone you interview for the position. You should be interviewing them for the skills and character traits required to excel at the position. You should also determine how this position will fit into the applicants’ greater career goals.
Is this the end all, be all position for them or a step in their greater career path? If it is a step, how will this position help them reach the next rung on their career path? That is how you sell a job to an A player, by showing them how this position will further
their greater career goals.
As your new recruit accomplishes your goals for this position, they will be accomplishing key milestones on their career journey.
By hiring well, success for the firm is also success for the individual. It’s a win-win. When the team member and the organization are both winning, you have the alignment required to move fast and get great results.
Be, Do, Have, Help as the Catalyst
Ask everyone on your team and everyone you interview to tell you what are the top five things they want to Be, Do, Have and Help in their lifetime.
If they work on your team already, make it your mission to help them accomplish their goals while they help you accomplish yours. You will still focus on the results needed for your organization. If you hired well and have the right people in the right seats, achieving their work goals will help your people achieve their career goals.
Don’t forget to look back at their Be, Do, Have, Help list for goals that have nothing to do with work. To really serve your people, you must serve them when there is absolutely nothing in it for you.
Caring for your people with no expectation of return is how you build real trust and loyalty in your organization.
I know. You don’t have the time to do all of this. Good news. You don’t have to do this for everyone, just the people who report directly to you. Teach your direct reports to do it for their people.
Besides, think about all of the time you’ll save by keeping your best people! Curt Fowler is an organizational growth expert and President of Fowler & Company, a business advisory firm dedicated to helping leaders create and achieve a compelling vision for their organization. He has an MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School, is a CPA, and a pretty good guy as defined by his wife and four
children.
Have a business growth topic you’d like me to cover? Send suggestions to cfowler@valuesdrivenresults.com
