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Do you see yourself in either of these two businesses?

By Anthony Zecca
Leading from the Edge

Let’s look at examples of managing versus leading from two actual clients.

Stuck in Managing – Center Leadership

I was retained by the owner/CEO of a $40 million manufacturer of a home products company. The current leader inherited the business from his dad, and over 20+ years grew the business on the top line, but always struggled with profitability. Over the last few years, however, there was no top-line growth and he was frustrated.

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His leadership view of the future was the next quarter, and the company had no strategy or vision beyond the current year. The most he thought about the future was when they were preparing their annual budget. This was an incremental process versus a real bottom-up process coupled with a growth strategy so as a management tool, the budget was relatively useless.
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Choose leadership over management.

By Anthony Zecca
Leading from the Edge

One of the biggest obstacles to a firm realizing its potential, its partners and staff realizing their potential, and a firm leader maximizing his impact on the trajectory of the firm is when the line between leading and managing gets blurred.

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Too often, center leaders believe their job is telling everyone what to do and how to do it (managing things) versus providing the tools, authority and clarity on the firm’s strategic objectives and then getting out of the way (Edge leadership). Leadership at its most basic level is about inspiring everyone toward a common shared vision and ensuring that the decision-making hierarchy is clear and consistent within the firm’s mission and core values. Edge leadership is not about tactics and how things are done, but about making sure everyone is doing the right things, with accountability for results.
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Not just once, either.

By Anthony Zecca
Leading from the Edge

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie, industrialist

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The above quote by Andrew Carnegie really puts a fence around the key responsibilities of your leadership team:

• Ability to lead their team to work together toward a common vision
• Ability to direct (drive) their individual team members’ efforts and accomplishments toward maintaining alignment with the firm’s objectives and
• Ability to inspire and motivate each team member to achieve more than they have and to reach top performance and top results as a team

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Your response must align with your vision.

By Anthony Zecca
Leading from the Edge

Within every firm, every leader (Edge or center) faces challenges every day. There is always a gap between the leader’s vision and what is actually taking place on the ground, day to day. There are always situations that develop that challenge a leader’s ability to remain steadfast in their leadership style and vision.

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When this happens, there is an opportunity for firm leaders to step up to the edge and to face the challenge with courage, conviction, transparency and confidence – never wavering on culture or their future vision for the firm. Edge leaders get out in front of the challenge, communicating and demonstrating that they are in control, whereas center leaders let the challenge take control. Edge leaders respond with clarity and focus surrounding the issues facing their workforce, their clients, their financial health and their future.
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What edge vs. center leadership looks like.

By Anthony Zecca
Leading from the Edge

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and think about the leaders you have had in the past.

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If you are like me, your experience reflects some really good leaders and some poor leaders, with most being in the middle, i.e., average center leaders. READ MORE →