After leading teams for over thirty years now, there are two truths that I see: leadership is situational and ‘how’ you do what you do, will ultimately carry more weight that ‘what’ you do. No wonder it’s hard to navigate how to be an effective leader. The expectations are always shifting as the situation we find ourselves leading in constantly changes.
Was your business winning in 2023 but losing in 2024? Was your team filled with high performers last year but turned over this year? Did your CEO change and shift the direction and mandate of your business? Did your biggest competitor make huge gains? Did consumers start moving away from your products?
Every change requires a change in approach. And let’s face it: the shifts are endless and never ending. Leadership can be exhausting. Reinventing and recalibrating as a leader is an ongoing process.
At The Roundtable, we’re big fans of removing complexity and helping leaders focus on small but high impact shifts that can make a big difference. We call our goal setting process the ‘Get Surgical ProcessTM’. We help leaders choose one Big Bang for the Buck BehaviourTM that will be a game changer for them as they navigate shifts in the leadership landscape.
Recently, I had a chat with Andrew (Drew) Rand, PhD from our research partner, Management Research Group. I was curious if there were any big behaviours that every leader should double down on in 2025.
Drew called out initiative. Senior leaders are looking for those below them to ‘seize the nettle’ and come forward with solutions and ideas, not problems.
I agree with Drew. I’d also go one layer deeper. To be able to take initiative, you need to have a broad-gauged view of the issues. The challenge for today’s leaders is the necessity to have depth of knowledge of your area of expertise to make strong and informed decisions, and breadth of knowledge of other parts of the business to know how those decisions will impact the broader system.
As I have listened to senior executives talk over the past year about their want for those below them to ‘take accountability’ and be ‘more strategic’, the root issue has often been that leaders operating at the VP level and below are far too siloed and narrow in their views and understanding. Functional expertise will only get you so far.
If you want to double down on a game changing leadership behaviour in 2025, start learning how your team can add more value to the organization beyond your function.
Leadership is shifting rapidly from the reliance of talented individuals to the need to tap into the power of the collective. By increasing your breadth of understanding, you will be better equipped to offer solutions that are strategically sound and will provide higher impact with a broader network of support.
If you’re interested in strengthening the breadth of your leadership teams, The Roundtable can help. 86% of participants in our signature program, The Roundtable for Leaders, gained a broader perspective on their business and 100% strengthened their internal networks. Reach out to book your complimentary discover call today.
