by Suzanne Bates and David Casullo
As every CEO knows, there is an X factor in leadership that is hard to nail down but essential to successful management.
We’ll start with a case example. Steve, the CEO of a company we’ll call ICON, wondered whether the leader of one of ICON’s businesses had that X factor necessary to lead a key strategic initiative for her business, Logistical Systems Advisors (LSA).
The board of directors and executive team had set a new course for LSA to grow by acquisition, and though Jane, the business president, was delivering results, her style chafed some members of the company. Smart, focused and results-driven, Jane’s style had improved product performance and client responsiveness. However, Steve also thought her style might not be collaborative and inclusive enough to ensure successful integrations.
A significant body of management research has demonstrated that one of the biggest risks to a business is the failure to find the right leaders with the right stuff and put them in the right roles. As a result, over 40 percent of executive hires fail within the first 18 months, and their failure is often due to interpersonal style issues and insensitivities that strain relationships and alienate support.
In addition, failure rates for mergers and acquisitions are reported to exceed 50 percent, and these failures are frequently traced to a lack of cultural compatibility and breakdowns in communication and cooperation, which can undermine efforts to achieve the goals of the merger.
The “X Factor” in Leadership
Through a year of extensive research of management, psychology, leadership, communication and social action theory, we’ve been able to identify this X factor as executive presence. We now know that these are the qualities of leadership that enable executives to inspire commitment, mobilize above-and-beyond effort and elevate organizational performance.
Steve was not alone in his struggle to determine whether Jane was capability of rising to a new challenge, successful as she was in her current role. What he was unable to do was name precisely what these qualities of leadership were because it isn’t easy to define it—let alone measure it. CEOs and leadership development experts have been left to speculate, evidenced by the phrase we so often hear: “I know it when I see it.”
So, what is “it,” really?
Bates has defined executive presence in three dimensions – Character, Substance, and Style. Because leadership happens in the context of a social organization, we now know that it is not just important for these qualities to exist—rather, they must be seen and felt by others, and therefore, amplified by the leader.
We know that there are inflection points or triggers that prompt leaders and organizations to consider executive presence and influence. Typically, these triggers occur when a leader moves into a new role or faces a new challenge that is daunting.
While most executives recognize intuitively that these soft factors are important, they are uncertain how to measure their own capabilities, let alone create a path for their own development. As these factors are the difference makers, we know that when leaders pay attention to the aspects of presence and influence and take action on them, they are far more likely to adapt successfully as the level of challenge increases.
Most leaders have personally observed these kinds of failures, and can recall and recount examples of avoidable failures due to a deficiency of so-called soft skills.
The Case of Jane
This proved to be the case with Jane. Steve believed that Jane had the capability to meet the challenge. He felt pretty clear about the requirements of the new role and also aware of some of Jane’s “flat sides.” However, he didn’t understand the dynamics of how they worked—or how they might be able to change.
Steve talked to Jane and found that she acknowledged areas where she could develop as a leader. She liked the idea of cultivating the kind of executive presence that she had seen Steve demonstrate time and again. When she underwent assessment, she learned a great deal about how her current stakeholders perceive her. It provided her with a “snapshot in time,” as well as a roadmap to developing in new areas.
The assessment found that no one questioned Jane’s authenticity or integrity, but she wasn’t perceived as being humble or concerned about the welfare of others. Jane favored those who responded to her “take no prisoners” style, while leaving others feelings less appreciated, involved and engaged.
Jane was deemed confident, practical and visionary, but her intensity and task focus were also reflected in low ratings for resonance. Resonance is all about connecting with others—becoming attuned to their thoughts, feelings, concerns and motivations. Jane also received lower ratings in inclusiveness, which reflected her tendency to rely on and empower some but not others.
Through Jane’s feedback session and subsequent coaching, we were able to make her developmental themes actionable. Working with her coach, Jane proceeded to adopt a more active listening style. Within three months, Jane began receiving positive feedback from her stakeholders that testified to her progress in becoming a leader who was now perceived as stronger in those areas she wanted—and needed—to develop. In the end, Steve was pleased to see that his gut feeling about Jane had been vindicated—she could be so much more, and now she’s well on her way.
Final Thoughts
Every leader can strengthen facets of executive presence through coaching, mentoring, action learning, team development and leadership programs. It is possible to get the right leaders with the right stuff in the right roles, especially when you have a way to define and measure the factors of executive presence that will accelerate your success in the context of your business. The leader’s ability to mobilize widespread and purposeful action will drive change, elevate engagement, and transform your company. When you’re looking to unlock the X factor in leadership, the key is in understanding the science behind solving for X.
Source: CEO