Set Your Framework for Success

One Thing that Successful Business Owners and Leaders Do Well

Successful business owners and leaders do a lot of things well. The list of leadership attributes and traits is a long one. If you plug in “successful leadership traits or skills” or “what successful leaders do” into our web browsers, among other things you would likely get a list that looks similar to this:

• They set a compelling vision and are powerful communicators who inspire and motivate their teams to action towards that vision and goal
• They can “connect the dots” quickly and holistically
• They listen to their people, and they delegate and trust their teams to avoid micro-managing
• They are future focused, action focused, and solution focused
• They make the tough decisions and take calculated risks
• They are authentic and purpose driven

These lists are often intimidatingly long and cover multiple topics, but there is one thing that is usually missing:

Successful leaders effectively utilise a diverse set of support frameworks.

Leadership is a challenging job and those who are successful ensure that they have support structures. Some of the support structures that these leaders have identified as key to their own success include:

• Coaches, Mentors and Sponsors
• Professional and peer networks
• Consultants and advisors
• Boards
• Customer and dealer councils
• Investors and industry experts

What is important to note here is that successful leaders don’t try to “go it alone”, they understand the benefits of having a support structure that they can turn to and lean on to help them make the complex decisions and to use as thought partners in their journeys. What these leaders do well is to identify the right resource to help them based on the context.

What These Frameworks Bring

What these outside resources bring to the success of these leaders:

• Support in challenging times
• A differing perspective & new ideas
• Subject matter expertise led enhancement
• Accountability to elevate performance and results

For companies looking to ensure sustainable growth and performance, these are all key enablers that will enable leaders to get their businesses to the next level. We will look at these in a little more detail to define the benefits more clearly:

1. Support

While we tend to think of leaders as somewhat mythical creatures, they too need support when they are going through tough times. Having trusted networks who can provide support is integral in creating the resilience and focus required to navigate the challenges when times are tough.

2. Diversity

There is a lot that has been written about the benefits of diversity in all organisations. We know that diverse perspectives will challenge thinking and shine a light on alternative and additional options that may not have been initially evident. We can tend to stick with our own way of thinking and seeing the world and talking to someone with a different perspective can highlight unconsidered options and new ways of thinking that will deliver better solutions.

3. Subject Matter Expertise

As a leader navigates the complex world of business, especially in these times, it is almost impossible to have all the answers, especially for specialised issues. This is when it can be extremely useful to engage with external subject matter experts who will provide the busines with new tools that will enable the achievement of their goals and objectives. This is not to say that internal talent is not capable, but some situations really do require relevant specialist interventions to drive ultimate and rapid success.

4. Accountability

We all know that like a good coaching session, when we have talked to someone about the solutions and options we are looking at, there is some feeling of accountability for implementing these solutions. That is why coaching works after all. So, it stands to reason that, unless you can avoid that person for the rest of your life, when you speak to them again, there will be a feeling of accountability. This accountability will drive an increased focus on action that will increase the likelihood of successful implementation

One more benefit: Creating a culture that will drive a robust, future-ready businesses

An additional benefit that leaders who access external sources of support will see throughout their organisations, is the creation of an organisational culture that drives a future-ready business.

Why do we say this?

While these leaders embrace the opportunity to look outside themselves to find answers, they encourage a culture of outward focus that is not limited by internal dialogue and or beliefs from historical data and insights. This results in elevated solution focused, consumer driven solutions that enable these businesses to differentiate themselves and thrive in even the toughest of business conditions. This outward focus is what will drive a business into the future

So, as a business owner and leader, what have you done to create your scaffolding for success?