Management Consultant Leslie Kossoff discusses her second management book, "Executive Thinking: The Dream, The Vision, The Mission Achieved", with Tom Brown (MG) of Management General and John Reh (MGT) About Management Guide.
LK Being an executive thinker is not limited by position or hierarchy. People at all levels of the organization are doing executive thinking - and succeeding at it, too. One of the things I always maintain is that organizations succeed in spite of themselves mostly because of the miracles that people are achieving internally every day - and about which few people ever know.
Hierarchical executives practice the skills more consistently because they have to lead their organizations and they know it. Managers and non-management do the same because there are things inside the enterprise that need attention and these people are committed to their and the organization's success. Executive Thinking, starting at the most senior level and continuing throughout the enterprise brings an alignment to all those disparate activities and gives everybody the chance to succeed and be rewarded.
MGT Can an organization do things to foster executive thinking? Should they?
LK They can and they should. It is preferable if it starts at the top of the organization, so we'll take it from that perspective.
First, the executive has to become very clear about what it is that is included in his or her dream. That's harder than it sounds because it forces executives out of the box they have created for themselves. Once the dream is defined, then it must be communicated throughout the organization and a process of alignment begun. Granted this sounds the same as every program ever invented but the make or break is, initially, the executive's dream and then the alignment of the organization with that dream and ultimately accessing and realizing the dreams of the employees within.
MGT Can it start from within the organization?
LK Yes, it can start from within the organization. A manager or employee will not only begin working to their dream but will garner the support of those around or reporting to them. It is a conscious effort to move away from the complaining behaviors and to creating the excellence that THEY want - and that's the difference.
When it comes from within it eventually gains attention because suddenly a particular area is working so much better than before or is now a justifiable separate business unit . . . and it is because someone stepped up, communicated their dream for that particular part of the enterprise and made it happen. Not only does that create a great deal of attention (and sometimes jealousy) but it starts a questioning process that ultimately and informally moves and expands the executive thinking process.
MG Leslie, how many (in %) companies have the "right" supply of executive thinking (YOUR kind of). And, of the percent that don't have it -- how much are they missing, in terms of sales, performance, etc. (How's that for a tough question!)
LK I can't give you numbers - because I don't really know, but the lack of executive thinking in an organization creates immeasurable losses in sales and profits and even more in wasted time effort and the loss of the best contributors to the enterprise.
MGT Can there be too much executive thinking in an organization? What if dreams clash?
LK John, you have struck at the heart of why executive thinking - and the dream in particular - must come from the top.
It is the dream that creates the alignment for the organization - that simple and elegant line about which I speak. Alignment with the dream also identifies the complexities that keep the organization from achieving its goals.
Even more, for those people whose dreams are not in alignment with the senior executive and they can be at any level - a thorough executive thinking process based on the dream of the executive will identify for the executive and the people themselves who really fits with the direction and intent of the enterprise.
MGT Dream the executive's dream or hit the street?
LK Frankly, yes. I think too little of that is happening and we have created too many passive-aggressive organizations that have to work even harder to succeed in spite of themselves than they have in the past.
And executives shouldn't use the law as an excuse. People who are actively working against the goals and direction of the organization can be identified and, if need be, terminated. The preferred route is that those people identify themselves and leave before it reaches that point.
MG Leslie, what about execs who dream "too low," execs you've met who (you've thought) aren't pushing the envelope as far as they should.
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