Everyone who studies or teaches or practices leadership knows that leaders make a profound difference in moments of crisis; in periods of intense change; in the early stages of an effort; and in reinvigorating an initiative that has stalled. These are moments that call for extraordinary leadership—under what we would call extraordinary circumstances. There is a lot of attention paid to leaders who step into extraordinary challenges. Less attention is paid to the day-to-day leadership moments which, simply because of their frequency, can have an enormous impact on whether a leader or an organization is successful.
The majority of business leaders apply their skills in more routine interactions. These are the situations and challenges that appear daily: when leaders have to balance complex people dynamics and business dynamics; where leaders need to have perspective beyond their task or function; and where leaders have to take a risk because there is limited information about the path forward. These are “leadership leverage” moments, the situations in which effective leadership skills will dramatically impact business results and where leaders need to consciously focus on leading effectively.
Leadership leverage is important in complex organization structures. The more networked and interdependent the business model of an organization is, the more leaders and their behaviors will drive business results. Employees have to work across boundaries to deliver value to customers. The same boundaries that help organize the work require leaders who can influence others, align stakeholders, and resolve conflict.
Leadership leverage is important in general management roles. Everyone starts as a specialist and builds their foundation with a strong suite of specialty skills, but at a critical juncture every young leader has to expand their perspective to lead and champion a breadth of activities far beyond their technical skills. General Managers have to see far beyond today and far beyond their silo.
Leadership leverage is evident in frontline leaders. As the leaders who manage the employees who deliver value to customers, frontline leaders set the tone and are the gatekeepers for critical information flows. All strategic direction ultimately gets executed at the frontline; all customer and market information first shows up in front-line interactions.
These are the “leadership leverage” situations that Insight Experience focuses on in our leadership development programs. We believe developing your leadership capability in these situations will build skills that leaders can use again and again.
Leadership is a relentless, everyday skill. Done well, leadership can create great opportunity in even the most routine circumstances.
