The new executive was in the first 100 days on the job, and he was failing.
He was invisible to his people.
He took over and they barely saw him. He didn’t walk around and get to know his team.
He didn’t know where their offices were. His office door was open, but he was never there when his managers stopped by. He made a cursory showing at a few official events, but he did not speak with anyone who worked for him. He was too busy chatting with the other vice presidents and the CEO.
On the surface, becoming a great leader appears relatively simple.
After all, we’ve all been told anyone can be a leader, that everyone is, in fact, a leader and that true leadership has nothing to do with authoritative title. Simple, right?
Wrong!
In “WHY LEADERS FAIL: And the 7 Prescriptions for Success” authors Peter B. Stark and Mary C. Kelly argue that the defining factor of a strong leader is rooted in the relationships he or she builds with followers and how effectively he or she propels the organization toward great achievement.
Stark and Kelly say, “If you’re willing to invest the time to read, learn, take a self-assessment, and practice these skills on the job, you will be proud of the results. You and your employees will accomplish more, and everyone will gain more enjoyment from working together.”
Source: Peter B. Stark: Why Leaders Fail and the 7 Prescriptions for Success