What distinguishes strong from weak leaders?

Having all the knowledge means nothing without the right types of people. One person can make a big difference. They can be someone who somehow gets it altogether and changes the fabric of an organization’s culture not through mandating change but by engaging and motivating others.

[But] for some leaders irritating people is not only a sport but it is their personal entertainment.

At the 2011 conference of The Association for Operations Management (APICS) where I was a presenter I attended a provocative talk by Alan G. Dunn, President and founder of GDI Consulting and Training Company. He questioned if leaders are born or can be grown. It is the classic “nature versus nurture” debate. It got me to thinking about whether business analysts within an organization can be more than a support to others. Can they be leaders? I share some of Alan’s thoughts.

What distinguishes strong from weak leaders?

#1 in How do we create a High Performance Culture?

 If we are agreed that the main characteristics of High Performing Cultures are: 

* The company has a vision which is articulated in the strategy, understood from top to bottom of the organisation and reflected in the values of the company

* Responsibility and accountability is clear from top to bottom and across the company – each team and each team member knows what is expected of them day to day, week to week, month to month and so on.

* People feel valued as a team member, but also as an individual

* Problem solving and providing solutions is from the bottom up. Problems are seen as an opportunity not failure.

* The organisation recognises that its employs are the route to success and change is through people, not in spite of them

How do we arrive at this position? What can an organisation do to develop and importantly, sustain a High Performance Culture?

Kpi’s are not targets, targets are not kpi’s

If you read my last rant you will know how the wrong use of words gets me going (well, I’ve lived long enough to have earned the right to be grumpy)! Having clarified the difference between equal and the same I now move on to explain why not understanding the difference between targets and kpi’s is downright dangerous.

We live in a target-driven society. Government ministers love targets; they don’t understand them but they love to invent them, move them and change them. They symbolise assertiveness; it is a very useful ploy, setting ill-conceived targets creates so much confusion and waste that they can distract attention from what really matters until it is time to blame someone else for the mess. (Oh dear, there goes Mr Grumpy again). Seriously though, it is a real pity when organisations don’t get it right; it gives the whole subject of setting targets and kpi’s a negative image, it makes setting out to do it right so much more difficult.

So, what is the difference between a target and a kpi, and what does it take to make them valid and useful? The answer is simple, I’ll explain with a simple analogy.

Do you belong to a High Performance Culture?

Do you think you are part of and belong to a High Performance Culture at work? In fact, what is a High Performance Culture?

A few hints:

1. You enjoy going to work each day!

2. You feel valued as a team member, but also as an individual

3. The company has a vision which is articulated in the strategy, understood from top to bottom of the organisation and reflected in the values of the company. If you were to stop someone in the corridor and ask them what the vision and values are they would be able to tell you. (Try it sometime!)