A trusted advisor emailed me in response to my last post “Waking Up”, saying, “The GM of a division is lost and really needs some ongoing guidance from a Peer Group. If he is receptive, would you like me to introduce you?”
You might feel his language is strong so please remain open while I explain.
During our recent CEO Peer Group meeting, an exceptionally bright “first company CEO” member shared with his peers how he was solving a critical business problem. I could tell from observing the body language that several members thought he was missing the mark.
I felt completely lost once on a 12 hour off-trail, 120-mile, snowmobile trip across several mountains. Since I was in the company of men who had traveled this wilderness and who knew that I had not, I depended on them to help me get through this exhausting adventure – and they did!
Being in the wilderness and having a map, without the coordinates that pinpoint my present location, is similar to being a “first company CEO” and arduously working through trial and error to solve unfamiliar problems.
Let’s face it; you became a CEO because you made the right stuff happen in a previous role. However, you have probably discovered by now that what got you into the CEO seat is very different from what will make you a good CEO.
Understanding this lesson early is important because the authentic CEO journey is full of not knowing. It can be like trekking through the wilderness with a map and no coordinates – grueling!
Why is this so grueling? By relying solely on gut level trial and error to solve critical problems, we essentially signal our people that we know the way forward and this can set unintended consequences in motion.
First, you cut yourself off from peers that have already traveled a similar trail. Second, your senior team will largely be composed of people who support your unproductive patterns and ultimately, your formation as a leader stagnates making your adventure exhausting, especially for everyone around you.
Admitting that you don’t know is a potent move because this allows you to connect with peers who have a different portfolio of experiences.
Leadership requires both chutzpa and humility. If we model humility and not chutzpa, we can create a stagnant company. If we model chutzpa without humility, our company will be littered with poor decisions and false starts. Finding the right balance is the key.
During the Vistage CEO Peer Group meeting that I mentioned above, several members patiently helped this CEO find his location and shared with him a problem solving map that he didn’t know existed. Afterwards he said, “I didn’t know what I didn’t know.” This move is transformational.
Dr. Paul T. Holmer of Yale University said, “If we know ourselves at all, it is with the greatest of difficulty.” What trail are you on? Send me an email with your thoughts! Jim@peer-place.com
Jim
Jim Moats Blog 