It’s not enough to give someone a senior title. With that title comes a responsibility to lead within your organization. And the best way to ensure your leaders are aligned and being impactful is to have a plan in place for them.
Here are 5 ways to ensure your leadership team is poised for success:
- Assign Roles: Don’t let anything go to chance. Make sure each person knows their duties and responsibilities. You will get the best out of your people if you give them direction.
- Commitment: Direction is one thing, but are they able to commit to the cause? Leaders have a lot on their plate, so it will be imperative for them to slot time for the greater good. An accountability check-in will help.
- Culture: All team members should not just be committed, but should also share a same general belief and value system. You don’t simply want ‘Yes’ people on the team, but your vision for how people should be treated, and the company run is non-negotiable.
- Goal-minded: Your group of leaders should define goals and KPIs and be perpetually working to complete them. Being nimble and agile to pivot when needed is great, but don’t allow that openness to keep you from sticking to the basics of getting things done.
- Allocate funds: There will likely be an expense – or rather investment – in your leadership team. Be sure you are accounting for incentives, resources – like software – and anything else needed to make sure your endeavor is a success.
- Include your people: Solicit feedback and ideas from your staff. They are the ones on the front lines and will have some great thoughts on how to improve your business. Do online surveys, focus groups, or individual meetings, but make sure that they are not just talking, but that you are listening.
These strategies are the minimum. It doesn’t matter if you’re a start-up or a Fortune 500. Every leadership team needs a smart strategy. Spend some time with your tribe and see what other rules of engagement will get you headed in the right direction.