Executive Leadership Teams:
Leadership and Management
Leadership and management are two very different things. Elite executive teams know the difference and give each one their proper attention, space, and discipline.
Leadership makes sure there are clarified and presented plans for tomorrow. It also deliberately builds the environment in which the organization’s operations get conducted today and tomorrow.
Management makes certain today’s operational activities get conducted efficiently and effectively. The first priority and most attention is the present day. There is always concern about the days ahead, but first things first.
The terms leadership and management are often used interchangeably in the everyday activities of most companies. As an example, individuals in executive roles in SMEs get designated as leaders, but they spend most of their time in management activities, as it should be. Depending on the size of their organization, they should spend 80% to 95% of their time managing.
The error occurs when they spend little if any, time in the required leadership activities. Growing organizations need the executive team to devote 5% to 20% of their time in leadership activities. As the organization gets larger, even more leadership time is required. At a minimum, the primary leadership activities should include connecting and aligning, strategic initiatives, stakeholder focus, and measurements as follows:
(1) connecting and aligning at the thinking level with others on the executive team, so the parts all work together
(2) creating, prioritizing, and implementing strategic initiatives to imbue innovation and continuous improvement in all parts of the organization
(3) clarify, document, and guide how the organization attracts, engages, and builds relationships with all categories of stakeholders
(4) review and assess, regularly, what and how reporting is created and used
Elite executive teams give the above four leadership activities their proper attention. The appropriate care builds an environment in which operations get conducted with all participants understanding their shared concepts and principles.
Every leadership and management topic will fit within one of the above four categories. For example, the organization’s why and vision occur in the first one. All new things fit in the second one. Stakeholder focus on employees, customers, and vendors happen in the third one. Goals and measurements occur in the fourth one. Each category gets structured with concepts and principles to ensure a shared understanding across all parts of the organization.
The elite journey relies on structure, discipline, and guidance. The result is a solid foundation within which growth, performance, and value increase continuously.
We are passionate about helping executive teams get to their exceptional level.
To help this movement, I have devoted years to building the system presented in the Exceptional Executive Teams book. I wish I had known this earlier in my life. I would have contributed to others’ lives even more positively.
For a PDF copy of the book Exceptional Executive Teams, click here
© Copyright 2019 to present by Dwaine Canova All Rights Reserved Dwaine is the author of the book Exceptional Executive Teams.
