Business is increasingly complex. Results are harder to predict because intricate systems interact in unexpected ways.
Staying on track is much easier with a guide or a checklist. Michael Useem, a professor at my alma mater, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and best-selling author of The Leadership Moment, has published The Leader’s Checklist to create a clear roadmap to navigate in any situation. It is presented here in condensed form, with sample questions accompanying each principle:
1. Articulate a vision: Formulate a clear and persuasive vision and communicate why it is important to everyone in the company.
to. Do my direct reports see the forest as well as the trees?
B. Does everyone in the company know not only where we are going, but, more importantly, why?
vs. Is the destination attractive and attractive?
2. Think and act strategically: Make a practical plan to achieve this vision, including both short-term and long-term strategies. Anticipate reactions and resistance before they happen by considering the perspectives of all stakeholders.
to. Do we have a realistic plan to generate short-term results, as well as to project the future?
B. Have we considered all interested parties and anticipated objections?
vs. Has everyone accepted, and does everyone understand, the company’s competitive strategy and value drivers? Can you explain it to others?
3. Express confidence: Please provide frequent comments to express your appreciation for the support of those who work with and for you.
to. Do the people you work with know that you respect and value their talents and efforts?
B. Have you made it clear that your upward orientation is welcome and sought after?
vs. Is there a sense of commitment on the front line, with a minimum of “us” vs. “them” mentality?
4. Take charge and act decisively: Take an action bias by taking responsibility, even if it is not formally delegated. Make wise and timely decisions and make sure they are executed.
to. Are you ready to take charge, even when you’re not in charge?
B. If so, do you have the ability and position to take responsibility?
vs. For technical decisions, are you ready to delegate, but not abdicate?
D. Are most of your decisions good and timely?
me. Do you convey your strategic intent and then let others make their own decisions?
5. Communicate persuasively: Communicate in a way that people don’t forget, using personal stories and examples to support ideas. Simplicity and clarity are essential.
to. Are the messages about vision, strategy and character clear and indelible?
B. Have you mobilized all communication channels, from the purely personal to the social networks?
vs. Can you deliver a convincing speech before the elevator passes the 10th floor?
6. Motivate the troops and honor the front lines: Appreciate the distinctive intentions that people bring to their work; take advantage of diversity to bring out the best in people. Delegate authority except for strategic decisions. Stay close to those who are most directly involved with the work of the company.
to. Have you identified each person’s “hot button” and focused on it?
B. Does personal pride and shared purpose work in most communications?
vs. Do you keep some dry ammo for those urgent times when you need it?
D. Have you made your intention clear and empowered those around you to take action?
me. Do you meet regularly with people who are in direct contact with customers?
F. Can your people share their ideas and concerns with you?
7. Develop leadership in others and plan for succession: Develop leadership throughout the organization, giving people opportunities to make decisions, manage others, and get coaching.
to. Are all managers expected to develop leadership among their subordinates?
B. Does the company culture encourage effective leadership?
vs. Are leadership development opportunities available to most, if not all, managers?
8. Manage relationships and identify personal implications: Build lasting personal ties with those who work with you and engage the feelings and passions of the workplace. Help people appreciate the impact the vision and strategy are likely to have on their own work and the future of the company.
to. The hierarchy is kept to a minimum and the bad news travels up?
B. Are managers self-aware and empathetic?
vs. Are autocratic, self-centered, and irritable behaviors censored?
D. Do employees appreciate how the company’s vision and strategy affect them individually?
me. What private sacrifices will be necessary to achieve the common cause?
F. How will the plan affect people’s personal livelihood and the quality of their working life?
9. Convey your character: Through storytelling, gestures, and genuine sharing, make sure others appreciate that you are a person of integrity.
to. Have you communicated your commitment to performance with integrity?
B. Do others know you as a person? Do they know your hopes and aspirations?
10. Dampen excess optimism: To balance the arrogance of success, focus on latent threats and unsolved problems. Guard against managers’ tendency to take unwarranted risks.
to. Have you prepared your organization for unlikely but extremely important events?
B. Do you celebrate success, but also guard against the by-product of overconfidence?
vs. Have you paved the way for not just quarterly results, but long-term performance as well?
11. Build a Diverse Top Team: Although leaders take ultimate responsibility, leadership is most effective when there is a team of capable people who can work together to solve key challenges. Diversity of thought ensures better decisions.
to. Have you attracted quality artists to your inner circle?
B. Are they diverse in experience, but united in purpose?
vs. Are they as committed and energetic as you are?
12. Put the common interest first: When setting strategy, communicating vision, and making decisions, common purpose comes first and personal interest last.
to. In all decisions, have you put shared purpose before private gain?
B. Does the vision and strategy of the company incorporate the mission of the organization?
vs. Are you thinking like president or CEO, even if you aren’t?
Not all of these questions apply to every situation, but what counts is the questioning.
Whether you are facing a typical day at the office or entering a crisis, ask yourself and others these questions to inspire the right actions. Only then can you make sense of the complexities you encounter.