Tip #24: Bridging the Strategy-Execution Gap
One of the five exemplary leadership practices, from the work of Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge, is to Inspire a Shared Vision. This practice is about creating a clear vision of “where we are going” and “enlisting your team to willingly come with you.”
Consider this scenario:
You are the leader of the team and begin your weekly meeting by saying this, “It’s five years from now, and we have been named Team of the Year. What have we done to receive this recognition?” As you ask the following L.I.F.E. questions, you listen for what the team believes has helped them excel, as well as the strengths of the team.
• L (Lessons) – What lessons did they learn?
• I (Ideals) – What ideals did they exemplify?
• F (Feelings) – How do they feel?
• E (Evidence) – What is the evidence of their success?
The article “How Successful Teams Bridge the Strategy-Execution Gap” provides the following statement: “High-performing teams, compared to lower-performing teams, spend 54% more time setting direction. They do this by crafting a vision that serves as a guiding light for decisions regarding resources.”
Click on the article link to view this week’s Leadership Tip.
