What Leadership Characteristics Help a Business Grow Strategically?
Through my years of
interaction with business owners I have seen organizations have lots of success while others, let's just say are no longer with us. When thinking about those that have not just survived, but thrived, it has been my observation that there is a formula of key characteristics in leadership that drive the success of the organization. I have found that formula to be:
D+E+H=S
Desire + Ego +
Humility = Success
Desire
Desire is that intangible ingredient that we
witness every day that drives business leaders to take their businesses to the
next level. Desire is often personified in the "productive discontent"
that pushes us beyond being happy making a "nice" profit from "pretty
good" sales to instead wanting to "dominate a category." There are
lots of successful businesses who are making "nice profits" without having that
strong yearning to dominate or rise above the competition, and that's
okay. However, highly successful businesses typically have an owner who
wakes up every day with a desire to dominate!
Ego
Ego is often defined in negative
terms. However, for many business owners a healthy ego and a good idea
were necessary essentials to get the business off the ground. Ego goes hand
in hand with desire. From a strategic perspective a healthy sense of who
you are, what you've built (or are building) and your ability to deliver on
your promise is the definition of your "business ego." It's part
of what helps the successful business owner make hard calls and tough decisions
to keep a business thriving. Ego, matched with a strong desire to
succeed, represent the first two traits we see in business owners with winning
strategies. That said, the third ingredient may seem paradoxical at first
glance.
Humility
Humility gets a bum rap when juxtaposed to ego in
the world of business. Yet it's been my experience that those who possess
that humble swagger are the leaders who are big enough to let someone call
their baby ugly. They realize that they don't have all the answers and by
seeking experts who can help them, they can actually be stronger in the long
run. Their strong desire to dominate, driven by ego, is balanced by the
secret ingredient of humility (in the smart ones). They don't have to be
the smartest one in the room (in fact if they're the smartest in the room they probably need new people) because by tapping into other smart people they'll
unlock more success. That resulting success will help feed the ego and
satisfy the desire.
Success
Success happens when we bring all three of these
elements together. The reality is that a successful strategy is as
much about the owner of the problem as it is about the solution. So what
about your strategic plan? Do you have the desire? Do you have a healthy
sense of business ego? Do you have the humble swagger that says you don't
have to be the smartest one in the room on every subject? Say yes to all
three and you're on your way.
D + E + H = S
The Joy Of This Blog
The Joy of this blog is that there is a formula that sets successful leaders apart from the rest. If you are driven to succeed, it may be as simple as possesing the desire, ego, and humble swagger to drive your business forward. Remember this formula: D+E+H=S. Desire + Ego + Humility = Success.