by Cindy Wahler
Academic training provides abundant business case examples that allow students to see how and why organizations succeed or fail during turbulent times. We do know that companies with the best strategy can engender great success. The strategy, if implemented appropriately, can help turn the organization around by increasing market share and profitable growth.
The one caveat to brilliant strategy is talent. With the war on talent being ever so true there are many highly educated candidates in the marketplace. Those candidates who could not secure employment after completing an undergraduate degree went back to school. They chose further education in the form of postgraduate degrees and specialty certificate training programs. The intent is to enhance resumes, add additional qualifications and create greater marketability. The net result is that our potential employee population has never been brighter, smarter and steeped in theoretical business acumen. Those students who had an opportunity to participate in a co-op or internship placement do have an edge. This was a savvy choice on their part to seek out academic programs with a practical component. Employers will always hire a known quantity, and if fortunate, many of these students are indeed hired back upon graduation as full time employees.
Technical skills are table stakes meaning these skills can be taught either in school or on the job. A critical attribute though is urgency. What do we mean by this term and how does it translate into leadership behaviors? Employers often ask me to help coach leaders on becoming more urgent. When I ask these senior leaders what they mean they do define a number of behavioral attributes. Here’s what they say. “An ability to be a self-starter, demonstrating passion that exudes excitement, embracing change with a winning attitude, being first out of the gate, owning the need to win, showing initiative with the aim of keeping competitors at bay.”
These indeed are critical leadership attributes. Those leaders who do not exhibit these traits are often last to the finish line and have somehow missed the boat. A shame, as many are in fact authors of the next great big idea. I did have a client who had an uncanny ability to spot opportunities and identify consumer needs. How did I know he had this talent? It was recognizing that in almost every case, a competitor got their first. Why did this happen? Each and every time he sat on his idea and did not act with urgency. He made the fatal error of determining there was time and eventually he would execute.
When I help organizations with talent planning, whether it be for new recruits or succession planning, I often ask candidates as to their relative track record with regard to urgency. What examples can they provide with reference to leadership in a tight competitive market? Even how these leaders organized their lives in grade school, approached their exams, and various hobbies or personal pursuits tells us a lot. Did they “attack” the challenge or did they wade in as though the waters were too cold, sharks were lurking or it was just another balmy day with time for a roadside picnic.
Senior managers often reach out in frustration and ask me to help their direct reports and coach for urgency. After over two decades of coaching leaders it is my opinion that many leadership traits can be taught. Some though cannot, and a sense of urgency in my opinion cannot be coached. It is either part of your DNA or not. It is how people are wired. Urgent leaders don’t really have an off switch. Their resting state is disequilibrium.
An organization must be clear in understanding that within an interview setting, it is easy for a candidate to portray themselves as urgent. We can all create that impression as a time limited command performance. This is very different than sustaining a sense of urgency and messaging your team with energy to help propel them forward.
Not all positions need to be urgent. It depends upon the role and industry. For example, quality assurance for pharma or biotech requires meticulous, methodical and precise decision-making. Other industries do require urgency from the perspective of execution and being first to market.
If we can’t teach urgency then what is an organization to do? An organization must be clear on which roles do require tremendous initiative, focus and self-discipline, and which roles require a more measured pace. The qualities that combine to create urgency such as a need to win, being competitive with yourself rather than your team, a compelling resolve and being destined can all be measured through leadership assessments. It is not just a huge cost savings to hire right in the first place. If you as an organization want to cross the finish line first it is your urgent focused leaders who will get you there. It is important to know and understand that there is a science behind measuring and hiring for urgency. This can make all the difference between leading on the forefront versus lagging behind.
Source: Forbes