For a small business, leadership skills are more critical to daily operations than larger businesses. Why? Because there is much less leadership to be involved. So … you need to pay attention to the development of IBM executive leadership thinking abilities.
Check out our thoughts on team leverage.
IBM executive leadership traits … think like a leader
Here are some important leadership questions for your leadership thinking … do you, as a business leader:
Empower your staff to act on behalf of your business on most things?
Listen more than you talk?
Show interest.
Show interest in your staff’s wellbeing?
Treat your staff with respect … consistently?
Know your staff as individuals?
Give your staff adequate accessibility to you?
Create a growth environment where your staff can exercise and build on their strengths?
IBM executive leadership … show that you care?
I loved this post from Seth Godin’s blog:
IBM executive leadership … the problem with complaining about the system
…is that the system can’t hear you. Only people can.
And the problem is that people in the system are too often swayed to believe that they have no power over the system, that they are merely victims of it, pawns, cogs in a machine bigger than themselves.
Alas, when the system can’t hear you, and those who can believe they have no power, nothing improves.
Systems don’t mistreat us, misrepresent us, waste our resources, govern poorly, support an unfair status quo and screw things up–people do.
When Lou Gerstner took over at IBM in 1993, the century-old tech giant was in dire straits. Overtaken by nimbler upstarts, like Microsoft in software, Compaq in hardware, and Intel in microprocessors, it was hemorrhaging money. Many believed that it needed to be broken up into smaller, more focused units in order to compete.
Yet Gerstner saw it differently and kept the company intact, which led to one of the most dramatic turnarounds in corporate history. Today, more than a quarter-century later, while many of its formal rivals have long since disappeared IBM is still profitable and on the cutting edge of many of the most exciting technologies.
If we care enough, we can make it change.
IBM executive leadership … critical thinking
Continuing, here are two lessons to illustrate an unusual characteristic of leadership thinking.
The two stories, one about Tom Watson Jr. and the other about Thomas Edison, both illustrate how great leaders deal with costly mistakes.
https://digitalsparkmarketing.com/distinguishing-leadership-behavior/
The way both leaders responded to their situations demonstrated an essential characteristic of leadership – the ability to see things differently. An ability which illustrates the importance of vision over short-sightedness.
A Characteristic of Leadership – Seeing a Costly Mistake or a Learning Investment?
Tom Watson Jr., CEO of IBM between 1956 and 1971, was a key figure in the information revolution. Watson repeatedly demonstrated his abilities as a leader, never more so than in our first short story.
A young executive had made some bad decisions that cost the company several million dollars. He was summoned to Watson’s office, fully expecting to be dismissed. As he entered the office, the young executive said, “I suppose after that set of mistakes you will want to fire me.” Watson was said to have replied,
“Not at all, young man, we have just spent a couple of million dollars educating you.”
(Source: Edgar Schein in his book Organisational Culture and Leadership)
This story provides a strong message of support and a reminder that some of the most powerful lessons we can learn are from our so-called failures or difficult times.
Remember Edison’s famous saying: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison also demonstrated a great response to adversity which compliments Watson Jr’s actions.
When his factory was burned down, with much of his life’s work inside, Edison said: “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
A characteristic of leadership is to see things differently. Seeing mistakes as an investment in learning. Seeing that, even in disaster, you can start anew.
Now consider your situation:
What message does your organization give in the way it responds to mistakes?
What culture do you create with your team, by your attitude to mistakes made by your colleagues?
Just as important, what lessons can you learn from your mistakes and difficult times?
Do you have leadership questions to add to the list?
Need some help in capturing more improvements for your staff’s leadership, teamwork, and collaboration? Creative ideas in running or facilitating a team or leadership workshop?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
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Do you have a lesson about making your advertising better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he writes about topics that relate to improving the performance of a business. Go to Amazon to obtain a copy of his latest book, Exploring New Age Marketing. It focuses on using the best examples to teach new age marketing … lots to learn. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
More leadership material from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Build an Effective Team by Being a Talent Hound
Success Enablers of Highly Creative Leaders
Secrets to Becoming a Remarkably Mindful Leader
| Leadership Characteristics That Improve Influence |
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