Leadership Endangered by Presenting Only the One Side of Skills

Is it about people or about performance and metrics?

It’s both!

Leadership is people and above all is about hiring the right people to begin with.

It’s metrics because it’s the only true north around which people are focused. It’s important to say that meaningful metrics are designed around a sound and compelling mission, vision and set of values and of course around strategies. 

It’s also metrics because if a company does not achieve goals performance-based remuneration is jeopardized.

It’s empathy or accountability? It’s both!

Is it passion or grit. It’s both. Actually, grit includes passion but it also includes resilience and stamina

So, when I read that leadership is people, empathy , passion, trust all these stand alone, I know it comes from people who most probably had no real exposure in leadership in business or they only say half of the truth.

They also neglect the findings of global surveys who stipulated that the top 3 motivators for people are financial, growth and development and wellbeing.

Now here is the 1 million question. How can you lead people in a way that allows an organization to enhance those 3 motivators?

Well in my opinion based on real business implementation consulting in 4 continents the formula is this:

• Hire the right people.
  You don’t hire any people and train and develop them afrerward. The right people are the ones who aspire the company’s purpose, mission, vision and values. If an organization doesn’t have these ingredients is hard as hell to hire the right people simply because you don’t know what the right people look like. And qualifications or past experience alone as criteria will not do the job.
• Agree performance criteria and goals with people right up front.
  The performance criteria are well deployed from top level strategic goals and corporate objectives otherwise are often irrelevant. Having said that the company needs to work on an inspiring and compelling strategy.
• Performance reviews are no longer transactional annual activities.
  They are ongoing weekly and monthly reviews. Developmental reviews are put in place quarterly.
• Remuneration is designed to be performance based not flat.
• Training and developmental activities are then targeted based on above and training and development is measured as well.
• To apply the above in an aligned way a management system needs to be put in place including online and offline communication and feedback.
• Whenever people do not perform seek the reasoning in any of the 3 components of skill. Knowledge, Practice or Passion (Self or organizational motivation)

Leadership is endangered when only one side of the equation, whether it’s about people or performance metrics, is prioritized. After all, in today’s uncertain, fast paced terrain, companies require more than ever managers who can balance leadership with management skills.

Focusing solely on metrics neglects the essence of leadership, which revolves around hiring the right people who align with the company’s mission, vision, and values. However, metrics are crucial as they provide a guiding light for the team and ensure alignment with the organization’s goals.

Similarly, leadership encompasses both empathy and accountability. Passion and grit are intertwined; while passion drives enthusiasm, grit encompasses resilience and stamina essential for success.

When leadership is reduced to buzzwords like people, empathy, and passion, it overlooks crucial aspects. Global surveys highlight that financial incentives, growth opportunities, and wellbeing are primary motivators for employees.

To effectively lead, organizations must prioritize hiring individuals who resonate with the company’s purpose, set clear performance criteria, conduct regular reviews, implement performance-based remuneration, provide targeted training, and establish a robust management system for alignment and feedback.

Yiannakis Mouzouris
Strategy and Performance Management
Expert / Business Consultant / Trainer
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering
M.Sc.Engineering Management, US