Leadership Insights by Jay-Ann Gilfoy
If you read about organizational transformation in today’s literature, it typically focuses on adopting new processes like agile, introducing new digital technologies, or completing mergers and acquisitions to accelerate momentum.
In my experience, organizational transformation can never be ultimately successful without consideration and attention to securing in place the right team with a plan to engage and orchestrate top performance.
Who is the right team and how do you find them?
As a leader, it starts with looking in the mirror and understanding what you are great at, and then looking for people who both complement you and are different from you. I have found that the greatest success comes with leading people you know you are going to have to slow down because they really want to make change happen. You also need to find those individuals who have had successful team experiences from which to build on. Problem solvers who are thirsty to learn.
Then, you have to do the very difficult thing: Get out of their way!
How do you encourage your team to full engagement?
Once you find them, the next step is to come together to define a plan of attack that engages everyone. With the right people and plan, a feedback mechanism that ensures everyone has accountability in delivering pieces of the plan is essential. Simple things like understanding work styles, team dynamics and fostering open dialogue is critical.
I subscribe to the leadership concept that if you can find people’s strengths and put them to great use with a development plan that helps them get to where they want to go in their careers, people will rise well beyond what they originally thought was possible.
A leader’s job is to help create confidence. Confidence in someone’s skills and capabilities; confidence in a future that is better than today; and, confidence in getting to the finish line. Unless you are demonstrating confidence in times of transformation with people, you will not be able to leverage the digital technology or new workplace process or practice effectively.
People first.
Jay-Ann Gilfoy, a visionary senior leader who develops high-performing teams with a future-oriented focus on people, purpose + profits all operating at their highest potential. Learn more about Jay-Ann here.
