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As the national narrative starts to tweak, finally, towards a hopeful future, I’ve noticed a few interesting displays of leadership which I want to share with you.
They have made me realise yet another nuance that exists for stand-out leaders: the difference between being certain – having a clear, firm vision for the business – and being predictable.
Certainty, in the context of the disruption we find ourselves in, is a good thing. Leaders need to take hold of the reins and drive their business through the noise, keeping their people focused on a clear mission.
Predictability, on the other hand, can be perceived as being a good thing, but isn’t necessarily. Let me use my first example to explain this.
“Working from home is an aberration”
Within just a few days of the Prime Minister announcing his roadmap out of lockdown, Goldman Sachs CEO, David Solomon, announced his intention for the business to return to a pre-lockdown office-based culture.
Certainty was in abundance as he labelled the flexibility seen during the last year ‘an aberration’. Predictability? Not so much. The press and pretty much anyone who has a voice currently, have been telling us that this new way of working is here to stay. A new flexible future that will see office culture die and people redesigning their homes as multi-purpose living and working environments.
So what does this statement, against the odds and definitely unpredictable, say about his style of leadership? There’s no doubting his vision for the future, but how might this be received by the public and by team members within the organisation?
“HR and IT add no value”
A concurrent business theme over the past year has been that of supporting and empowering our people to work remotely. So, how should we interpret the boss of Octopus Energy when he announces that he simply doesn’t have support functions within his business?
Greg Jackson, a successful serial entrepreneur has grown Octopus Energy to the value of over £1.4bn and employs over 1,200 people. He explains that he expects his managers to deal with the sort of issues that would traditionally sit within these departments.
Stating bureaucracy and the risk of large companies ‘infantilising’ their employees, he makes it clear that the right training is available. In his opinion and experience, HR and IT departments don’t make employees happier or more productive. Another very clear vision.
Again, this announcement shows a huge degree of certainty. We are completely clear about his opinion and he stands by his decision, even as his business grows and becomes more complex.
Predictable? Not in my book.
These two leaders have chosen to set out their stall clearly and decisively. Whether they chose the right time or the right communication channels is another discussion entirely. There is no doubt their people have a very clear view of where the organisation they work for is heading.
Setting out your leadership stall
And that’s one way to ensure you attract – and retain – the right tribe for you. As leaders, they’re not afraid to put themselves out there. They aren’t following the party line; but did any successful business leader ever do so?
To stand out from the crowd, you have to stand apart from the crowd. Whether we agree with their sentiments or not, this is exactly what they are doing.
Watch out for my next blog, where I’ll revisit some of the issues raised in this post and explore what they mean for leadership and teams.
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