Is disruption here to stay? If yes, how does this change the skills that leaders need to have in order to not only survive, but thrive? Are these skills practical? Soft? Or are they part of a completely new category? Finally, how can we lead under circumstances of rapid growth, constant change and high uncertainty?
These are very BIG questions. So, with this first blog post of the month, we will begin to unpack them.
McKinsey & Co recently shared a webinar on their website called ‘The Mindsets and Practices of Great CEOs’. And they offer significant insights! They start by saying: “It is not about the things that great leaders do, it’s more about the great way great leaders think that makes the difference”. To explain this point, they shared the six most important mindsets that they identified through research. Here it goes:
- Great Leaders start with the WHY.
Each action taken by the CEO in the company can be directly linked to the Purpose of their company. - They treat the ‘Soft Stuff’ – like Engagement and Talent – as the hard stuff.
According to McKinsey, great CEOs go beyond finding ‘Superstars’ to identifying individuals whose mindset, skills and personality match these of the company culture. - They treat Teams as a SYSTEM.
For great CEOs, hiring a selection of talented individuals is not enough. They evaluate people in relation to the team the would work in. In short, they see teams as a SYSTEM: each individual must be responsible, hardworking, and accountable, but above all, they need to have strengths that would add value to the team and weaknesses that another team member can address! - They Train their Directors/Managers.
They build a foundation of trust with directors and go out of their way to invest in increasing their knowledge and capabilities. - They are Bold.
They start by defining their success, their vision and they are bold and flexible with their methods. - They focus on Leading.
Great leaders design business structures that enable them to only focus on the stuff that (only) a CEO should do!
Watch the full webinar using the link below AND let us know: what do you think are the skills that great leaders should have today?
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