A Leadership Truth: It's OK Not to Know It All
By Mark E. Green
Executives and other business leaders who “make it to the top” typically have invested many years in education, hard work, and self-sacrifice. They are seasoned veterans whohave the potential to lead their organizations to new heights of competitiveness, profitability, and success.
But truthfully, most business leaders don’t know everything they need to know. It’s not their fault -- it’s simply a fact that’s helpful to admit. Running an organization of any size is a complicated undertaking. Organizations are living, breathing entities in a constantly changing environment and the folks at the top have one of the toughest jobs around. How could they possibly know everything?
Successfully getting everyone on the same page, developing vision, planning, and then executing to maximize profits and attain other objectives requires a delicate balance of cooperation, coordination, and communication. In the present business climate, executives are expected to accomplish increasingly ambitious goals with a decreasing pool of resources.
To compound this problem, many capable executives heap added pressure on themselves by thinking and expecting that they should know everything. Some may even feel embarrassed if they don’t have all the answers all the time.
In fact, people don’t expect those who are leading them to be self-sufficient. They simply want them to be willing to ask for help when it’s needed, and to know where to go to get the answers. In other words, there’s no place for superheroes or “know-it-alls” in organizational leadership.
An interesting story about Henry Ford will illuminate this point. After World War I, Mr. Ford – relatively uneducated, but one of the most economically powerful men on the planet - filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Tribune for calling him “ignorant.” During the trial, the newspaper’s lawyer repeatedly tried to embarrass Mr. Ford with trivial, needling questions designed to prove how much he didn't know.
Finally, when his patience was fully exhausted, Ford told the court that he had a series of buttons on his desk. He said that whenever he desired information or needed help to accomplish a task, he could immediately summon the right person to fulfill his need. Henry Ford had deliberately surrounded himself with experts.
There was silence in the courtroom. The Chicago Tribune’s attorney dropped his jaw in surprise. Up until that moment the lawyer had been enjoying considerable fun at what he believed to be Ford’s expense. But Ford’s remark spoiled the lawyer’s fun and changed the course of the trial.
When Henry Ford needed help, he knew exactly where to turn. In fact, he planned for it. Business leaders don’t need to be experts in everything. But they do need to be willing and able to ask for help in the areas where they lack knowledge and experience.
So where is it that you may need some help? And what are you planning to do about it?
Since founding Performance Dynamics Group in 2003, Mark Green has spoken to and consulted with thousands of business leaders to predictably convert the promise of strategic change into a reality of performance and results. His clients absolutely do not want yet another "flavor of the year" initiative -- they want measurable and sustainable results.
If you feel the same and would like to understand how his speaking and consulting might be just the right fit for your business, give him a call at 732-537-0381.
To learn more and to subscribe to Mark's free monthly enewsletter, visit us on the web at http://www.performance-dynamics.net
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