Do they have ability or just talent?

 

Some years ago, I worked with a gentleman who had superb selling skills. He simply had a talent for selling. The nature of our jobs was to sell alarm systems that generated a monthly recurring revenue for the company. Because systems tended to have a lifetime of about 20 years, it was more important and much more profitable to close as many sales as possible because that one sale replicated itself year after year. My associate though was much more interested in ‘shooting elephants’. That is, he wanted to make the big sale because it had more intrigue.  

The problem was that selling large systems was much more difficult and generally generated a comparatively smaller recurring revenue component. The selling cycle was longer, the close rate was poorer, and ultimately, they were less beneficial to the company.  

It wasn’t long before he was fired. He had an abundance of talent but he lacked the ability to be successful in that environment. Some time later I found out that he had found success as a public speaker. It was a career that afforded him the opportunity to do his big game hunting and to use his talents to the best of his ability. 

How many people on your staff are mismatched in a similar manner? Who is really a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? Who is collecting a pay cheque from you who would be better suited in another role, either inside or outside your company? Who has talent that is not matched with the ability to deploy it to the best of everyone’s advantage? 

As a leader, this is one of your most important responsibilities. Resources are critical and human resources are at the top of that list. Can you identify the weak links in your company...those who are ‘dis-abled’? How long will you allow those situations to continue? What is the harm that their continued employment is costing you and, equally important, preventing them from realizing real satisfaction in the workplace. 

On several occasions I have seen these disconnects and stepped in to change the situation. Most often it has meant terminating an employee. But in some instances, in has been an internal redeployment. 

But every decision has resulted in the individual coming back to me with a resounding ‘THANK YOU’. They recognized their incompatibility in their current function but inertia prevented them from taking the bold step to move to something for which they were better suited. They all had talent but lacked the forum to display their abilities.  

If you have similar situations in your scope of responsibility, it is not just your job to do something about it...it is your DUTY! Stop procrastinating, don’t feel like you are a bad person. Do the right thing...lead! 

There's no tomorrow without today...

 

 

One thing that occupies the corner office obsessively is planning and forecasting. For many executives it’s all about what they want to accomplish in the next quarter or the next year or their 3–5-year plan. Anticipating your future and what you need to do to get there is certainly important for the ongoing success of any enterprise. 

But in my experience the visionary aspects of their role, too often, overlook the need to ensure that you accomplish something important today. The reality is that unless you are building on a strong foundation that supports today’s efforts, the plans that you are making are being built on sand.  

We know from recent experience the difficulties of long-range planning. Who anticipated the Ukraine conflict and disruptions that followed? In the fall of 2019, there were no executives anticipating the pandemic and the economic consequences of the next 3 years. In 2008, few foresaw the meltdown in the banking sector and its’ fallout. The reality is that no one has a crystal ball and 3 to 5 years is now a very long time.

 

No executive can ignore the future and clearly there must be a certain amount of forward-looking thought involved in their daily activities. But I submit that ensuring that the results of today deserve equal focus and ultimately will be more important in the long-term success of your business. 

What is the quality of your customer service? How have you personally tested it, or do you simply rely on internal reports?

What is the level of your employee satisfaction? How have you personally gauged it? 

When was the last time you thanked your key suppliers? How confident are you that they will continue to support you tomorrow? 

Do your key clients know how much you appreciate them and their contributions to your success? Or are they vulnerable to being poached by a competitor because you take them for granted? 

Answering these questions should not be something that you delegate. If they are as important as they ought to be to your current success, why aren’t they part of your daily activities? Clearly these questions are generic, and you will have others that are more pertinent to your business. But you get the point... 

If your focus is more on the future than on today, you are gambling against ‘the house’. And we know that over time ‘the house’ never loses! 

You need to keep your finger on the pulse every day without sticking your nose in the business. It’s a delicate balance to be certain, but it’s your responsibility. There was a time when being proactive was among the highest valued qualities in a leader. I am persuaded now that the quality of your reactive skills is more critical. 

Most can drive at high-speed knowing what the road ahead looks like. How well you react to the unforeseen is what avoids disasters. 

This is active, empathetic leadership and it is what business demands today! 

Your North Star

 

 

Do you have a “North Star”?  It defines that personal boundary of our ethical, moral and legal standards to which we will hold ourselves, and by which we will judge others.  For some it will be a formal and clear definition.  For others it will be a bit more nebulous.  But regardless of how you establish your borders you will consciously and even subconsciously know when your behavior or that of others has gone outside of your comfort zone. It is where you draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable conduct. 

Almost all of us have such a star.  It has been built from a variety of sources: our personal faith beliefs; our experiences; our hopes and dreams; the model of others. Especially when it has been thoughtfully considered, it becomes our touchstone. It is our truth in the storm of misinformation; in the halls of public opinion; and in the pit of social media. All the pressures of society that stand against our principles will seek to influence our thoughts and undermine our conduct.  

The reality is that standing for that which is noble, for that which is just and for that which is true is not easy.  When some propose ‘alternate facts’, those who have grounded themselves in truth can only shake their heads in disbelief.

 

Too often integrity is viewed as old-fashioned. Situational ethics are considered as justification when conduct does not align with the standards to which we aspire. Anonymous attacks assault us through cowards in social media too weak to engage in civil discussions. 

It begs the question ‘...why has the high road become the road less traveled...’ 

Leaders must be the champions of truth, the upholders of moral and ethical conduct, the ones who lead by force of character. This is why it is so critical to have a well-defined and tested North Star. In times when you are being challenged to compromise your behavior or to condone that shortcoming in others, you must have something to grasp which has been refined under fire. You must be able to draw strength from it without questioning its’ resilience. Your North Star gives you the ability to chart the road ahead regardless of the turbulence that you encounter. It is your rock and your anchor.

I encourage you to take time to define what you stand for, before it is challenged. Knowing where your boundaries are allows you to defend your principles with certainty and confidence.