Most of the CEOs that I have worked and interacted with over the years have always set clear goals for themselves and also for their reportees, an aspect that set them apart from their peers even during their move up the corporate ladder. Any observer of goal-setting behavior will vouch for the importance of clarity at the top. The fuzziness though sets in the moment the goals are communicated down the ranks.
My coffee shop discussions have often veered toward a panacea for this malady – how to bring the organization on the same page as the CEO? Prescience will allow you to create a business strategy, but it's diligence and perseverance that wins the day in the deployment & execution of the strategy.
An effective team not only thinks alike, but also acts alike. A thought is to have everyone think and act like a CEO, in their own individual spheres of competence and authority.
And to make this happen is the biggest challenge for the corporate leadership.
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A reason for this Gap might be the difference in benchmarks CEO sets for himself/ herself and others around. One example being: C level executives at an Indian IT company last year (2008-09) took home hefty payhikes while giving peanut hikes to employees. Another example was where a Chairman used the Company Guest House as transit accomodation for his relatives...
ReplyDeleteIf senior executives themselves are not able to display their commitment to goals and values, then the only way is downhill...
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ReplyDeleteIt is indeed very nice to think & act like the CEO & employees (in fact everybody) will be greatly benefited by forming this habit.
ReplyDeleteHowever this may not be in the best interests of the organizations. We have to appreciate that CEOs prioritize their goals to suit their interests, some of which may be contradictory to the interests of employees or groups of employees & in many cases, contradictory with the long term interests of the organization itself.
In such cases it is the individuality of a few employees which is often able to lead the company to a new path. If all the employees start thinking & acting like the CEO in totality, there may be Chaos around.
You have stuck the nail in his head.Capablity without focus is indeed meaningless.As you rightly said, setting goal and acting on them is the differenciator between those who rise to top and once envy them.
ReplyDeleteVineet Kumar