Leading a company today is exceptionally demanding. Industries that were stable for decades face daily chaos. Famous companies are vanishing; new firms dominate their sectors. Inspired leadership is critical, but many leaders aren’t up to the challenge. Their firms have weak leadership cultures and no known values. One survey says 75% of workers see their leaders as the worst part of their job. Half of US managers don’t engage, including 14% who deliberately disengage. This costs firms $319 to $398 billon. Leadership expert Vince Molinaro tackles this crisis and proposes workable solutions.
Today’s business leaders operate in a chaotic situation.
Corporate leaders today aren’t exactly having a picnic. Cisco chairman John Chambers describes the current situation for commercial firms as “brutal disruption,” adding that companies must make themselves over to survive. As part of its reinvention, Cisco replaced 40% of its senior leaders. Chambers believes that most companies will fail to meet today’s harsh new challenges or those waiting ahead.
Leaders face numerous serious pressures.
Leadership in the early 21st century is a more baffling challenge than ever before. Modern leaders face many serious pressures, including:
- Standing out from your competitors – Commerce and the public sector are both dog-eat-dog worlds where organizations copy one another. Competitive advantage through differentiation has become nearly impossible to achieve.
- Bringing strategy to life – Only 10% to 30% of organizations successfully execute their strategies. This is due to the current lack of quality leaders.
Vince Molinaro, PhD, is the global managing director of the Lee Hecht Harrison Leadership Transformation Practice. His writing appears in The Harvard Business Review, Forbes and Inc.
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