Execution wins: how small cracks in leadership create deep craters in the organisation

Execution wins: how small cracks in leadership create deep craters in the organisation

The paths of two managing directors crossed in a medium-sized company. Although they got on well personally, after two years of #Collaboration they realised that almost no collaboration was happening. How could that be?

THE TWO POLES OF MANAGEMENT

One director had decades of experience in the company and a strong operational focus. He knew every product detail, drawing number and bill-of-materials item, and knew the business inside out. His expertise was respected. The other director was young, well educated and full of ideas for modern management, a talented rough diamond. He recognised that the company had been successful but was now falling behind in sales, inventory management and production processes. A new strategy was urgently needed. With good intentions, the experienced director left the strategic field to his younger colleague and concentrated on daily challenges. Initially, this seemed a perfect division of responsibilities.

THE STRATEGY PRESENTATION

Once the strategy had been developed, the experienced director also gave his younger colleague the stage to present the company’s direction for the coming years. Employees listened in astonishment to the explanations of market developments and their implications. They had never experienced anything like it. Actions and projects were defined to make the strategy real step by step. So far, so good.

THE EXECUTION CHALLENGE

It soon became apparent, however, that #StrategyExecution was not progressing as expected. Leaders and employees showed little motivation to engage. The young director reached his first plateau of frustration and increasingly found himself pursuing the strategic goals alone.

THE CRACK IN MANAGEMENT

This was not conscious or even covert resistance. But employees could clearly see a crack in management. Through passivity and leaving the strategic field to the younger colleague, the older director inadvertently signalled that strategy and its implementation were not really important.

THE CONCLUSION

Once again, this shows that #Leadership in strategy execution requires unity and determination. As Michal Lang and Reinhard Wagner emphasise in “Das Change Management Workbook”: “Every small crack at the top results in a crater deep within the organisation.” It also recalls Dieter Lange’s words: “You can recognise winners at the start, and losers too!”

Management should pull together to ensure effective #Leadership and execution. This is how companies can move successfully into the future. For more success factors and practical recommendations, see the GCP playbook “Execution Wins – Successful Strategy Execution”.

What experience have you had with leadership unity and determination? Share it in the comments.

You can also leave the word Playbook there, and I will send a direct message when the free GCP content playbook “Execution Wins – Making Strategy Execution Effective” is published.

Please contact me if you would like to make your strategies even more effective. I look forward to hearing from you.

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