‘Directors direct the work’ and other senseless proclamations from a CEO (me) who didn’t provide proper leadership guidance.
When I became ScribeConcepts’s President/CEO, the business had thrived for 20 years, providing Chris with a comfortable income and us with a comfortable life. Before his illness, we’d often talk in the evenings about our respective workdays, and when I’d ask how ScribeConcepts was doing, he was eager to share the accomplishments of his team of “strategists.”
That was then …
At that time, ScribeConcepts was a small but mighty team. Everyone interacted with one another often, sometimes crossing over into other areas outside their expertise out of necessity. (We still use this flexible model among departments when needed.) Things were running smoothly, it seemed, and Chris “project managed” his strategists daily out of his desire to keep his finger on the pulse of the business—or so I thought.
In June 2023, a few months after my induction to ScribeConcepts, I decided to re-title the staff. As an HR professional, I knew ‘strategist’ wasn’t a good descriptive title for what these folks did, so I promoted them to directors. In doing so, I began my own set of quotes: “Directors direct the work.” “Run your department as if it is your own business.” “Make strategic decisions that affect our direction.” “Follow our North Star.”
After the promotions, it became clear that Chris’s strategists had been following a model he created naturally, considering his role as founder. He was the center of every transaction—whether meeting with a client, solving a project management issue, checking in on production, or assisting with editorial. He was the hub and directed everything, a model that only works with a plan. I did not have this plan.
This is now …
Sports teams seem to make good business analogies, and though I’m not a “sportsball” fan in general, I pay attention when a favorite team starts to win. Vince Lombardi scored the extra point with one of his most famous quotes, “Leaders aren’t born; they’re made.”
The truth is, I had an entirely different plan. My model intended for the new directors to administer the work and make decisions for their departments to help us grow the business. When I saw that the former strategists were grappling with what I expected of them as directors, I was surprised but began paying attention. This team was winning, but individually, they were struggling. As the new coach, I didn’t have Chris's game plan; yet, I expected them to know what to do.
That is why Lombardi’s phrase hits home. I knew these new leaders wanted to do their best, and they were trying. But I had not provided the leadership or guidance on how to get them there. I needed to rely on my experience to transform this hardworking, loyal staff into one cohesive team working toward the same goal.
Steps I took for better leadership guidance
Meet one on one.
Whether you are new to the business or you’ve been doing it for 20 years, one-on-one meetings with your leaders will provide you with all the information you need to be successful. Encourage them to share what’s going on regularly. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. They’re out there every day, and they understand the business. Trust them. It’s why you hired them.
Put money in the budget.
One of the first things I did when creating the budget for 2024 was to add Professional Development as a line item for staff and leadership. It’s not that Chris didn’t believe in developing his staff. It was more of a “Come ask me, and I’ll probably say yes if it’s important to you” policy. And, the chances are, the small staff was usually too busy to develop themselves. HR people don’t like to hear that. Now, we prioritize the money, the time, and the policies for staff to grow professionally.
Employ outside expert guidance.
I don’t have all the answers. I get advice and wisdom from many sources. I’ve enlisted colleagues to brainstorm, present at summits, listen to me on lengthy phone or Zoom conversations, and even encourage me to write this blog. My staff needs to hear other voices to develop professionally. I continue to use outside professional organizations for their development; one group we especially like is conducting the company’s first engagement survey in September.
Set goals and expectations
During our 2024–25 performance reviews, I heard from my staff that they wanted goals. During that same time, I wanted department mission statements. The plan we collaboratively put together is shaping up superbly as we set our initiatives for next year. We’re moving into a new phase of growth, one where ScribeConcepts has never been, and we know where we’re going. And I’m sure we’ll hit the ball out of the park. (Yes, I know this is a different sport than Lombardi’s.)
Gather the team.
Refer to my first blog—admittedly, now that I've reread it, it’s all over the place. The gist is that creating opportunities for remote teams to come together in person is invaluable for building relationships, especially for our leadership team. We continue to learn from each other and eagerly await our next professional development opportunity: the Fall 2024 Leadership Summit, to be held in Charlottesville, VA, in early October.
There is so much more to share! Your feedback and experiences with your leadership team and its professional development are valuable. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
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