Seeing the wood for the trees
Reflecting on the last quarter, it was a delight to reconnect with colleagues and clients and hear about their activities, progress and insights. They have been thoughtful through the Autumn, watching global challenges and listening to diverse opinions. At a time when strident voices dictate ‘their’ certainty, it is prudent to avoid simplistic or universal solutions and collaborate to form a more holistic picture of the context in which we operate.
In 2006 we shared our thinking on Principled Leadership “A relationship based on recognising who you are and how you interact with your environment”. Co-authored and published with my wise colleague Dr Laurence Lyons, our thinking is based on four beliefs:
- Effective leaders are inspirational
- Leadership is a way of thinking
- Everyone can be a leader
- Leadership is based on reciprocity
During the Autumn, recognition and awards have been made to well deserving individuals who demonstrate leadership in action. Their track record shows them consistently and often quietly building the confidence and capability of those they lead. That pipeline of talent provides resilience to organisations in challenging times.
In the same quarter, two surveys have highlighted a Board issue which is frequently avoided. One of the greatest risks to any organisation is being led by the wrong people making the wrong decisions. It follows that having the right people around the boardroom table is critical.
As trading platforms and consultancies review best practice in board recruitment, development and succession planning and publish their findings, they are worth considering for your own portfolio:
PwC’s 2024 annual corporate directors survey ‘highlights a desire for change: 49% of directors want at least one peer replaced, and one-quarter now say multiple colleagues should be replaced, a record high.’
NASDAQ Governance Pulse 2024 highlighted board recruitment, development and succession planning. While they identified excellent practices at some organisations, there was continued evidence of blind process in others.
https://www.nasdaq.com/solutions/governance/resources/global-governance-pulse-report/2024
Personal audit questions:
Q: When we lead and when we choose to follow and why?
Q: When we join and when we choose not to and why?
Cutting Through the Grey 