Staying Relevant in a Changing World



This morning I talked with a CEO about organizations and vision. We discussed that different leadership skills are needed at different times in the organization’s cycle. A visionary is needed at the beginning to create the story that draws people in. Then a great operations person is needed to make sure that the ideas are put into place.

Once the processes and systems are running smoothly, we need another visionary to keep the energy going forward, to rally the troops to move together and keep the organization fresh and evolving. And the process continues...

It is difficult for any one leader to be both a visionary who can create the picture of the future that compels investors and staff to buy in, and the person who ensure plans, processes and systems are in place to effectively achieve that vision.

If you aren’t a person with both sets of skills (and few of us are!), what do you do in your organization? This is why you need to form a leadership team with a variety of skills. This diversity of abilities, backgrounds and experiences will help the organization stay relevant in a changing world.

A leadership team thrives not just on experience or titles, but also on the diversity of skills each member brings to the table. When a team consisted of individuals with varied strengths - strategic thinking, communication, technical expertise, emotional intelligence, collaboration - it becomes more resilient, more innovative and better equipped to make strategic decisions.

Diverse skills creates a dynamic tension that fuels better decision-making, because different perspectives challenge assumptions and uncover blind spots. It's not about everyone being good at everything, it's about building a collective skills set that greater than the sum of its parts. (Remember this from Systems Thinking?)

Ultimately, diversity of skills on a leadership team is a strategic advantage. It allows the team to think in layers - seeing the big picture, as well as, granular. It creates space for healthy debate, shared ownership and collective growth. And most importantly, it models the kind of collaboration that organizations need at every level. Because when leadership is diverse in skill, it becomes more than a group of individuals, it becomes a strong system that leads to clarity, agility and purpose.

Do you have a strong leadership team? Do you want them to be even stronger? Let’s talk!