Jason Jennings is one of the most in-demand business speakers on the circuit, according to USA Today. His manifesto at Change This -- "Hit the Ground Running" -- led me to reflect on how the organizations I've worked with captured, recorded and shared best management and leadership practices.
Like Jennings, my reflection came up a bit empty.
The most effective methods of communicating best practices -- mentoring and storytelling -- don't lend themselves to large organizations, or to moving large groups of people through a consistent experience that teaches succinct lessons on leading and managing change.
Which is why Jennings got himself a front row seat, sitting down with ten of America's best new CEOs. They shared three mistakes and three lessons geared toward helping new managers and executives jump in with both feet during a business cycle that is not especially forgiving.
Lesson 1: Don't study the competition. Focus on your products, your teams, your customers. Spend your energy ensuring that the things you influence are operating at their best, not studying those things that live far beyond your span of control.
Lesson 2: Don't keep your strategy secret. Secrets are hard to share, hard to cheer and particularly hard platforms from which to motivate and engage employees. Leading with as much openness, transparency and enthusiasm as you can muster will drive performance to new levels.
Lesson 3: Don't fire your existing leadership team. They have the knowledge and the cultural experience you need as a leader, so spend time and energy connecting with them, not bringing your own team on board. In fact, if you're effective, you'll spend less time getting the old team aligned around your new vision than you will getting your new team integrated into the existing organization.
The three essentials of effective leadership in tough times are good nuggets of advice at any time. Read Jennings' manifesto at Change This, or check out some of Jennings' best-selling business books below:
