It is said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. I have spent the last couple of weeks discussing succession planning in the context of consciously populating your talent pool to provide quality options of personnel cover. The whole essence is to build the capability that supports the future you desire. Many CEOs of successful companies have failed because they dwelt on their successful past so much they didn’t realise that what brought them the success wasn’t sufficient to keep them there. I saw the manager of Manchester United FC, Jose Mourinho, on TV, raise three fingers after losing a football match recently. The commentator explained that as Jose indicating he had won three premier league titles, and deserved the fans’ respect – despite that his current woes, with the team huffing and puffing to put together a string of good results. I saw him do it again a couple of weeks after at Chelsea. Of what use is that for goodness sake?
Was he thinking he could gloss over his poor run of results on account of a stellar past? What deceit? It was John F. Kennedy that said “time and the world do not stand still, change is the law of life; and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.“
God endorsing, your future has to be caused – it will not create itself nor happen by accident. There must be tangible interventions on your part. But importantly, only business leaders who realise that the future is already here and begin to create and walk the path to its actualisation will be around in another decade or so. Bringing the future to life for me throws up some questions:
(1)What’s the dream?: If you don’t know where you are headed, why embark on the journey in the first place? No one is better placed to articulate what your desired future is than yourself. I dislike people with no ambition – and by the way, such people exist, and we must respect their persons; even if we disagree with their principle. I have told the story before of a marketing director working with me in a multinational company, and who I had offered to coach and support for a potential promotion to MD level; as I was impressed with her quality of work. However, she was clear to me she didn’t have the “liver” to be MD. She believed it wouldn’t enable her enjoy the work-life balance she so cherished. Fair enough, but if you want to experience big achievements, you must dream big. As it is said, aim for the sky – so you may (at least) hit the moon. To create a legacy, you must be able to articulate what that legacy is.
(2)Where are the structure and capability? Orchestrating transformation must be a conscious effort. You need to have in place the people, the structure, the process and the interventions required for transformation to take place. You must put in the shift. Remember the only reason your effort would qualify as legacy is if it adds something substantial and unique to the world. Therefore, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
(3)What’s the sacrifice?: Let’s not lie, there would be storms and thorns on the way to creating a transformational future. You would stumble and fumble, but if you stay the course, focusing on your transformation agenda, your staying power should ultimately count. Learn to see the positive side of things. There is a proverb: “instead of complaining that the rose bush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.”You can’t allow your fears or challenges affect your desire to be a legacy creator. Being different is a conscious choice and would sometimes require that a sacrifice be made. I have shared in this column before, how in the sojourn of my career, I chose at some point to change my job to a less paying, less enjoyable one, with the intent to use the new job as stop gap to complete my MBA programme and then leverage it as platform for bigger roles. Making sacrifices comes with the terrain.
(4) Are you consciously investing in your growth? On the journey to creating your future, you must be prepared to learn and grow. For your growth to be complete, you can’t limit yourself to reading text books, doing online training or even going for classroom training. You have to get involved. As Benjamin Franklyn put it “tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.” We all know the process of growing involves risk. If you can’t take the risk, you don’t deserve the reward. The world is fast becoming an equity-driven one, that is – what you sow is what you reap. If you choose to make hay while the sun shines, you’ll have an abode to protect you when the rains come.
When next you’re thinking you are a product of circumstances, please consider some of the choices you have made that led you to where you are because quite easily, you could be a product of your choice.
(5) How are you embracing technology to drive innovation and “ease of working”?: As this is a dynamic economic world, it goes without saying that the business leader must be super-dynamic. Where there is need to upgrade to automation, don’t hesitate to invest; don’t be “penny wise, pound foolish”. If you as a leader get snowed under, chances are you would drag the organisation along unfortunately. The ability to respond rapidly to external challenges and operational opportunities is massively important for creating your desired future. To do that, you must embrace technology.
(6) How are you embedding good governance?: Several companies and business leaders have failed on account of poor governance – in terms of controls, compliance and ethics. The discipline to “separate” self from company and ensure that accountability for company’s financial stability supersedes any individual motives or interests has always been the killer issue amongst Nigerian leaders. We blame our government for what’s not working, for all the unethical practices that have become part of our fabric, but wouldn’t the country be a much better place if the private sector chose to consistently manifest best-practices in governance. Considering that no one claps with one hand, if the “corrupt public sector” does not find a willing and hungry ally in the private side of the divide, would corruption not be phased out? Always remember – you don’t need an audience to do the right thing.
Enjoy your week.
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