I’m not one to publish my thoughts on social media. In fact, this is my first time writing a blog. It’s more my style to listen to and read stories I find interesting, relevant, and applicable. From heartfelt to humorous, I’m often moved by and/or entertained by stories that today’s creators share.
However, I recently felt compelled to share a few of my own thoughts on leadership. This idea came to me as my daughter Catherine wrote an essay on leadership for her sophomore Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) class and used me as an example. I could write on and on about how proud I am of her and the young woman she is growing into. She is wonderful, well-rounded, insightful, and mature beyond her years.
She is truly a leader in the making, so I wanted to give her a set of practical tips on leadership and on my role as CFO of Harmony Healthcare:
Tips for future (and current leaders)
- The smartest people in the room will not inherently be the best leaders. Instead, you’ll find the best leaders to be the ones who can effectively communicate vision, collaborate/obtain buy-in, and organize people to execute that vision.
- They identify strengths and weaknesses. Only then do they assign responsibilities to their teams.
- They can learn from their teams by understanding issues and roadblocks. Then they take the next step: collaborating and working together to develop new strategies that ultimately strengthen an organization.
- They encourage others and guide them to success. They also take the opportunity to provide feedback in meaningful ways so that their teams can further develop their skills.
- They remain open to self-reflection. They improve themselves based on what they learn. Those lessons then benefit their teams as a whole.
- They see the bigger picture. They recognize the need to focus on the long-term vision as well as the short-term tasks.
- They lead through integrity. They don’t always do the popular thing; instead, they strive to do the right thing.
- Leadership has nothing to do with titles, seniority, or even compensation. Instead, it comes from knowledge, experience, and a sheer desire to achieve success.
Elevating your leadership level
With each word I spoke about what I do and how I lead, it made me assess myself. Am I a good leader? Am I leading my company to the changes needed to achieve success?
I decided to layer my concerns against a standard. While there are many great books and articles on the subject, I went back to a classic: Jim Collins’ book Good to Great. Yes, even 19 years later these concepts are still relevant. Collins found that a common characteristic of great companies was great leadership. Level 5 leadership, according to Collins, is key to moving a company from good to great. Let’s look at each level:
Level 1
Leaders at this level are highly capable. They contribute to their teams through “talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.”
Level 2
At this level, leaders are contributing team members. They not only contribute to group objectives but also collaborate “effectively with others in a group setting.”
Level 3
Here, leaders are competent managers. They can organize “toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.”
Level 4
Leaders at this level are effective leaders. They are committed to a “vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision” and can galvanize their teams to high standards.
Level 5
Finally, executive leaders at this level build greatness through an inner passion to succeed while serving their teams with personal humility.
My career spans diverse industries as well as organization sizes. From multi-billion-dollar revenue companies to small divisions, from large publicly traded and international companies to the local newspaper, I’ve had opportunities to learn from many leaders who cared about building something great. But I’ve also worked with bad leaders: those who were focused solely on individual successes and monetary prizes.
Currently, as CFO for Harmony Healthcare, I’m grateful to work with a team dedicated to building a great company. Our executive leadership team is committed to developing collaborative leaders focused on accountability and teamwork. That teamwork is what allows us to provide excellent service to our clients through a best-in-class platform for our consultants. My goal each day is find new ways to serve at level 5 so we can continue to drive Harmony to new heights.
Reflection is key
After comparing what I told my daughter to the leadership concepts outlined in Good to Great, I was grateful to see the parallels in my own career. Yet after reflecting on my current role, the question remained: am I a good leader? For now, I’m happy to let those I work with in the present and have worked with in the past answer that question. Perhaps they can more accurately assess what level leader I might be.
While an interesting exercise, the greater question to all in leadership positions is this: are you leading the change you want to see in your organization and in life? We all want our companies to succeed, make more money, break new markets, and crush the competition, but what are we doing to affect that success?
It’s incumbent on us to lead the change we want to see in our companies and at home as well. Strive to move your company from good to great through your actions, your humility, and your sheer desire to win. But most importantly, develop leaders behind you at home (like me working with my daughter) and within your organization. It’s not just about blazing your own trail; it’s also about helping others blaze theirs as well.
