People are often promoted to leadership positions based on individual performance demonstrated on the job. Success for high performers often requires a shift in mindset. Many times, these individuals are ill-equipped to lead because their mindset is centered around “doing” vice looking ahead. Today, we’ll look at why vision and building relationships are critical to successful strategic leadership.
Identifying and Establishing Vision
Is there a vision and, if so, is it still relevant? Establishing a relevant vision is critical to success. It simply isn’t enough to execute. If your team is off “doing good things” but not aligned with your organization, senior leadership will undervalue your accomplishments even if they recognize the quality and performance your group delivers.
In interviews, we often ask about ninety or one hundred day plans. Responses are almost exclusively based around tactics to address shortcomings and those who prepare can typically provide a coherent, if not predictable, response. We seldom hear about the need for a new or updated strategic direction that optimizes performance and increases relevance. Even less do we hear leadership candidates discuss a need for an updated organizational vision to keep pace with a changing world.
New leaders sometimes dismiss vision as touchy-feely…something not tangible or connected enough to drive performance in their team. Establishing a team vision that embodies your team’s role and relevance to the overall organization is critical to establishing purpose and direction for your personnel.
Vision is also nothing if you simply write it down and email it out. You must communicate it, champion it, and draw a tie to the work your people perform, rallying their minds around it. Your ability to assess your team and establish and communicate a vision is key to your success.
Relationships
Relationships are equally vital to leadership success though distinct, in this case, from networking. The relationships you build as a leader influence the success you will have. Not from who you know but because of what you know as a result of learning from others in your organization and how their areas impact yours.
For example, many technical teams couldn’t care less about other technical teams, let alone business teams in an organization. Yet, the simple act of building a relationship with someone from another area leads to a changed human response. When there is no relationship (or, worse, a bad one), other perspectives are easier to dismiss. When relationships are formed, individuals tend to listen more and show a willingness to entertain other points of view even if those individuals went into a meeting with a preconceived notion.
This is important since removing barriers to execution is, arguably, the main purpose of leadership. It is specifically important to the leader since having relationships across all areas of your organization determines the success and influence you have.
The ability to establish a relevant vision and build relationships at all levels are foundational pillars of successful leadership. You cannot lead well when you are unable to articulate where you are going or if you try to go it alone.