| PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be | | | | that stimulates them to advance as leaders. |
| republished in newsletters and on web sites | | | | |
| provided attribution is provided to the | | | | The Marine Corps, an organization with a |
| author, and it appears with the included | | | | robust tradition of small-unit leadership, |
| copyright, resource box and live web site | | | | has institutionalized high-level commitment |
| link. Email notice of intent to publish is | | | | to small-unit leaders. For instance, in chow |
| appreciated but not required: mail to: Word | | | | lines in the field, the lowest ranking troops |
| count: 828 | | | | eat first, the highest ranking last. |
| | | | |
| A New Age Of Small-Unit Leadership | | | | (How might the cultures of some organizations |
| | | | start to be changed for the better if, for |
| By Brent Filson | | | | instance, its executives gave small-unit |
| | | | leaders parking perks, while they, the |
| Recent mergers in many industries remind me | | | | executives, took their chances in the main |
| of a point that | | | | lot?) |
| | | | |
| Gen. Dwight Eisenhower often made, "Generals | | | | Top leaders who demonstrate commitment to |
| move the pins on a map," he would say, "but | | | | their small-unit leaders will have committed |
| the front-line troops have to get the job | | | | small-unit leaders. |
| done." | | | | |
| | | | Without top-down commitment, effective |
| And the key to the job is leadership, | | | | small-unit leadership will not flourish |
| small-unit leadership, leadership of the most | | | | through the whole business but instead in |
| basic units or teams of an organization. | | | | relatively ineffective, scattered islands. |
| | | | |
| Without good leadership in front-line units | | | | But top-level commitment, though necessary, |
| Â the squad leaders and platoon commanders | | | | is not sufficient. A passion for small-unit |
| or their business counterparts, the | | | | leadership should soak the entire culture of |
| supervisors and first-level managers  | | | | the organization. Everybody must catch the |
| organizations stumble, no matter how | | | | spirit of and contribute to maintaining a |
| skillfully the pins are moved on the map. | | | | culture of small-unit leadership excellence. |
| | | | |
| Yet in bringing leadership programs to many | | | | The word culture comes from the Latin root |
| businesses in a variety of industries during | | | | meaning "to cultivate." To grow small-unit |
| the past 20 plus years, I've seen many | | | | leaders, everybody in the organization must |
| companies neglecting small-unit leadership. | | | | cultivate them. Spot them early. Bring |
| | | | mentors into their lives. Set their |
| Time and again, I have seen technologists | | | | expectations high, not only for themselves |
| promoted right off the lab bench to become | | | | but for their colleagues and leaders above |
| team leaders; I've seen assembly workers | | | | them. Encourage them to develop leadership |
| promoted off the line to be supervisors; and | | | | in others. |
| salespeople made local managers and yet | | | | |
| they were not helped in substantive ways with | | | | A successful executive told me that his |
| their leadership skills. | | | | career was changed by a small-unit leader. |
| | | | At one time, the executive was a high school |
| Instead, their employers were focusing on the | | | | dropout working on the assembly line. |
| pins and maps, the re-engineering, | | | | |
| acquisitions and divestitures. | | | | "During breaks," he said, "I always had |
| | | | people gathered around me. I had this knack |
| Sure, the stocks of those businesses got | | | | of getting them interested in what I had to |
| quick boosts, but I wonder how | | | | say. One day, my supervisor told me |
| well-positioned the businesses are to achieve | | | | something that changed my life. He said, |
| consistent earnings growth over the long haul | | | | 'I've been watching you with people, and |
| without skilled, small-unit leadership. | | | | you're a natural leader. With more |
| | | | education, you could go far.'" |
| Consistent earnings' growth is linked to | | | | |
| consistent top-line growth. Such growth | | | | The executive said, "Until then, I had never |
| rests on a tripod. One leg is strategy, the | | | | looked at myself as a leader. Suddenly, I |
| pins on the map; the other leg is resources; | | | | had a vision in life. I was something I |
| and the third leg is execution. Small-unit | | | | didn't know I was: a leader. I finished high |
| leadership is the execution leg. | | | | school, went to college, and came back here. |
| | | | |
| So I submit that in the coming years, | | | | "That supervisor 's passion for leadership |
| businesses will come to realize the | | | | defined my career.. He was always spotting |
| importance of small-unit leadership to | | | | potential leaders and helping them become |
| top-line growth and earnings' growth. | | | | leaders. His teams consistently racked up |
| | | | the numbers because of his leadership. He |
| In fact, the coming years will reveal an | | | | had me understand that his level of |
| exciting new age in small-unit leadership. | | | | leadership is tremendously important in our |
| Businesses that champion such leadership will | | | | company." |
| be tremendously competitive. | | | | |
| | | | Finally, the business that is serious about |
| Here are a few ideas on how to make it | | | | small-unit leadership must systematically |
| happen. | | | | develop them through well-thought-out, |
| | | | comprehensive training programs. |
| First, the CEO and senior executives must | | | | |
| recognize the vital importance of small-unit | | | | In the coming New Age of Small-Unit |
| leadership. I'm not talking about their | | | | Leadership, leadership development people |
| simply paying lip service but having instead | | | | will have extremely important roles to play. |
| a passionate conviction that small-unit | | | | They will be seen as some of the most |
| leadership is indispensable to growth. | | | | important leaders in the organization, since |
| | | | their interaction with small-unit leaders |
| Senior executives must encourage small-unit | | | | will be contributing directly to top-line |
| leaders. Celebrate their achievements. Help | | | | growth, to having people get the job done |
| them overcome their failures. Measure their | | | | where ever the generals place their pins in |
| leadership performance. Develop compensation | | | | the map. |