Leadership Essentials
By Adam
Radzik
Consultant to Professional Firms
The person who is in charge of a business needs to have enough time to do what a commanding general needs to do. I, therefore, discourage leaders from spending large amounts of time on specific tasks best performed by subordinates. “But what am I supposed to do now that I have given away so many of the tasks that I was doing before?” is a question I have heard many times in my career as a consultant. The answer is, “Plenty!” The list begins below:
- Identify and promote talent within the organization. Keep a constant and watchful eye on who does which task well. Once you identify an ability, create situations and opportunities to develop and grow that aptitude. Also, identify which talents your company needs; if you currently do not have anyone who possesses them , make sure that people are assigned to find individuals who have those skills.
- Monitor the competition. Virtually every business faces the fact that purchasers have many choices. How are your competitors presenting themselves? What words are they using to attract customers/clients away from you? The Web sites of competitors should be visited regularly. Every good general looks over the hill to study the opposing army.
- Ensure that the corporate culture promotes growth, initiative and commitment to the organization. Fear, micromanagement and intimidation will only make your organization weaker. The best organizations harness potential by promoting a positive environment in every cranny.
- Act to ensure the stability and survival of the company. Every decision acts either to strengthen or weaken the company. The strongest companies are long-term thinkers. They do not allow their judgment to be influenced by temporary gain.
- Regularly assess the satisfaction level of customers. The nature of business is to be dynamic, not static. Life keeps changing. Expectations change. The performance of our key performers could slip. The competition might improve. The pulse of key customers must be regularly monitored.
- Develop and promote a vision of the company’s goals and the means by which those goals can be met. Human beings like to be on an exciting journey. It is the ongoing job of the leader to chart, navigate and reach desirable destinations.
- Develop a competitive edge to ensure the company’s success in the marketplace. Every prospect has the following question on the tip of his/her tongue: “So why should I buy from you?” The answer(s) will ultimately determine company survival.
- Ensure the company’s financial stability and resilience to survive tough times. Every company— in every industry— goes through normal ebb and flow and supply and demand economic cycles. Even the best companies must expect and plan for such realities.
- Provide leadership on issues of quality, education and training. The company must strategically identify the level of quality it hopes to achieve. That level of quality will not magically appear. Conceptual education, specific skills training and, of course, monitoring of results must occur.
- Encourage effective problem solving and decision making. Wisdom and good judgment are the results of much practice and effective mentoring. Discussion and analysis will aid immeasurably in this endeavor.
- Promote an atmosphere in the firm that encourages dialogue, transparency and participative management. The firm that is rife with secrets and nondisclosures will become a den of gossip and rumor. Employees will constantly be wary, watchful and distrustful . The cost in productivity will be enormous.
- Provide clarity and perspective about what is important and what is less important. Human beings are constantly making decisions about where to invest their time and they appreciate guidance which assists them in making those choices.
- Behave in such a manner that engenders respect and confidence. The actions of the leader set the tone for the value system that ultimately characterizes the organization.
Rising Star Winner Rises Again!
 Andrew J. Stamelman, winner of the SIC 2006 Rising Star Award, has once again been recognized by being elected president of the Jewish Community Foundation of Metrowest. This foundation, with assets exceeding $250 million , is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the United States. It was listed in the Chronicle of Philanthropy as among the top charities for endowed investment performance. The foundation distributes more than $30 million in grants to more than 1, 400 local, national and international charities.
Mr. Stamelman has been very active in a variety of communal and philanthropic activities for more than twenty years. He sets an admirable and inspiring example for all of us to follow. The community is fortunate to have such an outstanding individual in our midst. Andy is a partner and member of the Executive Committee of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Peretti with offices in Morristown, Trenton, New York City and London. He heads the rapidly growing tax and corporate practice groups of his firm and expends much time and effort assisting individuals with tax trusts and estates.
We wish Andy, his wife Robin, and his four children a bountiful year of blessings in this upcoming Jewish New Year.
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