Strategy and Commitment (and even Charisma) are Not Enouggh

We all know of inspirational leaders.  We might not know them personally; we might not have worked with them or under them.  But we have seen them on the TV, read about them in newspapers and online.

Some of these inspirational leaders have emerged as truly successful businessmen - successful over a lengthy time period. Others may end up as failures or bankrupts.

What makes the difference between the successful ones and the rest?

Well, firstly the successful ones have managed to turn their vision into a workable and successful strategy.  They have worked out what they needed to do to realise their vision and fulfil their mission.   However, some of the failures will also have managed to do this. What these also-rans have failed to do is to operationalise their strategy - to create and execute action plans to bring about the new reality.  They probably had help from good managers who marshalled the resources, motivated the workforce, installed effective quality management processes - and so on…. You get the picture.

Strategy and planning need the blanket of operational excellence to ensure long-term success.Strategy and Commitment (and even Charisma) are Not Enough

AI success depends on human intelligence

 Being introduced to one of the new AI services (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) is like meeting a genie who offers you three wishes.

What should you ask for?

The power of AI seems so immense that it is difficult to think of the prompts to give your AI or the questions to ask it.

So, think of the things that keep you awake at night; the directions in which you have occasionally thought your business might move  ,the problems you currently have, the threats you face - and construct prompts that might give you intelligence on which to base future decisions - or suggestions you might use to tackle your problems.  Make sure you give your AI the context in which any decision has to be made or any strategy created.

It’s ironic, isn't it! The chances of using artificial intelligence effectively depend on how well humans think about the situations they want to address and the context in which their business exists.

Productivity is a long=term issue

 Long-term planning can be difficult for CEOs.  A company is only as good as its latest quarterly report (according to many investors), so today's results are crucial.  Yet, real change— especially culture change— can take years to bring about.

Workforce planning needs to be undertaken alongside strategic change, technology change, and process change—all of which are long-term issues.  And that planned workforce has to be developed and improved slowly but surely to ensure available skills match those identified as essential within the other change projects.

Each of these changes can result in a temporary productivity drop— and this has to be carefully communicated to the Board of Directors— and perhaps to a small number of key investors— especially if there are any activist investors trying to stir up Board changes.

The CEO has to be brave and strong— and has to champion any major change, driving it through opposition and resistance— from the Board, from the management team, and from employees. This requires a clear vision of the future which can be shared with these stakeholders to bring them on board, willing to accept any blips and temporary faults for the sake of the long-term position.

The alternative is to make short, sharp, sub-optimal changes which might improve this quarter's figures but might actually mitigate against long-term success.

Improving Work/Life Balance

Physical and mental stress are all too common as more people seem to find the pressures of completing expected work tasks and expected in-office time too much to bear.  As firms shed labour to cut costs, the problems become worse.

Work-life balance is not merely about cutting working hours or simply  dividing hours between WORK and HOME  life' it is about creating harmony between the two. 

Many people think that they should be available for work for as close to 24/7 as possible. However long snd hard work does not always mean effective work - and ineffective work results in more delays, errors and time wasted. What is needed - as often cited - is to work smarter -  to manage tasks intelligently and make each minute of work contribute to overall goals.This, of course, can be helped by working aids - computers, AI, etc - but using these does not always lead to efficiency. They, too, must be used in a smart way.

To achieve a better work-life balance, individuals must set realistic goals (or have them set for them), manage their time effectively and (especially) eliminate or delegate non-essential tasks. Additionally, understanding when one is most productive and structuring the day accordingly can improve  efficiency, leaving more time for relaxation, for personal interests and for the family.

A well-balanced life creates a positive mindset, enhances relationships and improves overall well-being and mental health   This leads to improved productivity.

If are an employer, you should encourage and support your employees in managing their work-life balance. It benefits both them  and your organisation.