A company is a sum of its products, its services and its leadership and employees. Each component is equally important and relevant for a corporate business to be successful. Much like life, in the corporate world as well, nothing works in isolation – a business is successful and sustainable when it follows best practices at all levels.
There are various schools of thought on what exactly comes under the best practices framework. Today, I would like to share with you my thoughts on leadership and the best practices involved in that sphere of corporate management.
Indecisiveness or lack of experience?
Famous American author and speaker, John C Maxwell said, the “inability to make decisions is one of the principal reasons executives fail. Deficiency in decision-making ranks much higher than lack of specific knowledge or technical know-how as an indicator of leadership failure.” I could not have phrased it any better. Here, however, I would like to add that this decision making is effective only when the decision maker is aware of the workings of his business inside out. And is loyal and committed to it in its entirety. What better way to ensure this than the rise of the leader to the top only after he or she has worked through the ranks of the company!
It is critical for all leaders to be aware of the different components, departments and verticals of their company to be able to make the right decisions. One needs to be embedded in each process of the organisation for a certain duration to fully comprehend the specific requirements and deliverables of that process, which in itself is only a component of the larger business. Every business is like a watch with different components like hands, face, crystal, dial, bezel, screws, lugs, nuts and bolts, strap, clasp, spring, barrel and wheels – each part has to fit into the next perfectly for the watch to be able to do its job – which is to tell time. Similarly, a leader can only take mindful decisions when they’re aware of the know-how of each function after being on-ground and involved with its regular activities.
Working on-ground
I spent more than two years across various departments of Sigachi and believe those years were crucial for me to have been able to achieve the success that I have with this company over the last decade and a half. Not only has those initial years shaped my understanding of various functions, but it has also helped me problem-solve more effectively technical challenges that arise. The exposure and the relationships nurtured with employees and managerial heads have only bolstered my ability to scale the company from a manufacturer to a solutions provider.
While the purpose of each business is different, the leaders’ job is simple enough – to make the company an “Assured Sustainable” business, which only comes in by way of focusing on People, Planet and Profits. This purpose is defined by the leadership and owners. It requires vision to ensure that the business is tenable, equitable and viable. Some of the most visionary businesses are those who are able to think inside and outside the box, and those who are able to overcome bumps on the company’s growth path before they cause any great damage. Although the credit or flaw for a business’s success or failure may lie in some other department, vertical or process – the responsibility is often laid on the doorstep of the company’s leadership.
The lack of field experience is apparent in most leadership decisions; decisions that can make or break the company. So tell me, as a leader, are you thoroughly aware of all the cogs in your machine – business?
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