Straight Talk on Leadership E-Book

R. Douglas Williamson

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 447

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

An urgent wake-up call--and radical action plan--for business leaders everywhere While it focuses primarily on Canadian business, this important book shares valuable insights of benefit to transformational business leaders everywhere. Without sugar coating his message, author R. Douglas Williamson, head of the prestigious consultancy, The Beacon Group, points to complacency, lack of leadership sophistication, and an inward focus as the chief reasons why Canadian companies are at risk of falling behind the rest of the world. Issuing an urgent call to action, Williamson helps leaders understand the four principle challenges facing the modern leader and describes the eight essential leadership competencies required to navigate the future. He provides powerful strategies, tools and techniques for how to reframe thinking about leadership and reform leadership strategies. * Case Studies from The Beacon Group's wide and diversified client base include The Four Seasons, Scotiabank, Nortel Networks, Research in Motion, The Hudson's Bay Company, Export Development Canada, Holt Renfrew, and many others. * An impassioned call to action for leaders everywhere combined with practical advice and tools to help leaders take up the responsibility of transformational leadership during a period of unprecedented change and monumental global challenges. * One of the rare books to focus on Canadian business and business leadership, it explains why that country's competitiveness is in serious jeopardy and what can be done about it.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Praise for Straight Talk on Leadership

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

A Note to the Reader

Foreword

Introduction: Moving Backward at the Speed of Light

Part I: Leveraging Our National Brand through Bold Leadership

Chapter 1: Crimes of Leadership Malfeasance

Chapter 2: Lessons from the Recent Past

Chapter 3: Hidden Costs of the Current Crisis

Chapter 4: Confronting Our Complacency

Chapter 5: Mastering Transformational Tension

Chapter 6: The Canada Brand—An Inexhaustible Natural Resource

Chapter 7: Leveraging the Maple Leaf

Chapter 8: The Canadian Mosaic, Version 2.0

Chapter 9: Spirits of Our Past

Part II: Meeting the Future Today

Chapter 10: Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way

Four Leadership Challenges, Eight Leadership Competencies

Chapter 11: Challenge #1: Sense Making and Sense Shaping

Contextual Intelligence (CQ)

Strategic Intelligence (SQ)

Chapter 12: Challenge #2: Clarity and Credibility

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Decision-Making Intelligence (DMQ)

Chapter 13: Challenge #3: Understanding and Perspective

Innovative Intelligence (INQ)

Ambiguity Intelligence (AQ)

Chapter 14: Challenge #4: Creating Winning Conditions

Talent Intelligence (TQ)

Collaborative Intelligence (COQ)

Chapter 15: Mistaken Beliefs and Naïveté

Chapter 16: Raising the Flag

Part III: Preparing for Transformational Leadership

Chapter 17: Rebuilding the Franchise

Chapter 18: Winning Is an Attitude

Chapter 19: Playing the Canadian Game

Chapter 20: Benefits of Healthy Paranoia

Chapter 21: Thinking about Tomorrow

Chapter 22: Clear Vision and Sensitive Radar

Part IV: The Basis of a High-Performance Culture

Chapter 23: Teamwork vs. Team Performance

Chapter 24: Mistakes of Leadership

Chapter 25: Middle Management Malaise

Chapter 26: Coaching to the Bell Curve

Chapter 27: Culture of Grit and Determination

Chapter 28: Battling Stagnation

Chapter 29: The Team Is Not the Sum of Its Parts

Chapter 30: Facing Reality in the Mirror

Chapter 31: Stocking the Credibility Bank

Chapter 32: Discipline and Accountability

Chapter 33: Understanding Your Organizational DNA

Chapter 34: Modern Anthropology in the World of Business

Chapter 35: Superstars, Studs and Starlets

Chapter 36: Corporate Culture and Performance

Part V: Strategic Thinking vs. Strategic Planning

Chapter 37: Peripheral Vision as a Competitive Advantage

Chapter 38: Digging the Puck Out of the Corner

Chapter 39: The Importance of Total Candour

Chapter 40: Avoiding Conflict Is a Mistake

Chapter 41: Acting when Pivot Points Emerge

Chapter 42: Thinking in the Future Tense

Chapter 43: Opportunity Sensing

Chapter 44: The Narrative of Intentional Choice

Chapter 45: Focused Ambition

Part VI: The Importance of Human Capital Management

Chapter 46: Building Bench Strength for the Future

Chapter 47: Decline of the Dream

Chapter 48: Paradise Postponed

Chapter 49: OMG—They Are Back!

Chapter 50: Generations X, Y and Z?

Chapter 51: Shifting Values, New Challenges

Chapter 52: The Experience Economy

Chapter 53: Redefining Work

Chapter 54: The War for Talent, Version 3.0

Chapter 55: Role of Academia

Chapter 56: Role of Governments

Part VII: The Critical Role of Talent Management

Chapter 57: Owning the Podium

Chapter 58: Striving for Mediocrity

Chapter 59: Intellectual Capital

Chapter 60: Human Capital Planning

Chapter 61: Tears and Disappointment

Chapter 62: People, Practice and Perspiration

Chapter 63: Cost of Benign Neglect

Chapter 64: Investing in Development

Chapter 65: Societal Change in High Gear

Chapter 66: The Cost of Incompetence

Chapter 67: Knowledge Architecture

Chapter 68: Playing the Modern Game

Part VIII: Building the Collaborative Organization of the Future

Chapter 69: Compromise: The Enemy of Success

Chapter 70: Carpe Diem

Chapter 71: Collaboration Recast

Chapter 72: Reputation Management

Chapter 73: Misguided Focus and Human Nature

Chapter 74: Truth, Lies and Mediocrity

Chapter 75: Fresh Air and Brilliant Sunlight

Chapter 76: Shared Pain, Shared Gain

Part IX: Unleashing Innovation and Driving Creativity

Chapter 77: Reimagination

Chapter 78: Abandoning Certainty

Chapter 79: Prisoners of Our Mindsets

Chapter 80: Games We Play

Chapter 81: Human Nature Revealed

Chapter 82: Diversity, Imagination and Originality

Chapter 83: Creating Value by Creating Opportunity

Chapter 84: Brain over Brawn

Chapter 85: Rebels on Mahogany Row

Chapter 86: Expanding the Experience Repertoire

Chapter 87: Mindset for the Future

Chapter 88: Intuitive Genius Unleashed

Chapter 89: Competing for Relevance

Chapter 90: Overcoming Our National Hangover

Part X: The Art and Science of Effective Decision Making

Chapter 91: Decision Risk

Chapter 92: The Fog of Business

Chapter 93: Learning from Failure

Chapter 94: Upside of the Downside

Chapter 95: Understanding Human Frailty

Chapter 96: The Bias Trap

Chapter 97: Covering Our Asses

Chapter 98: Broadening Our Portfolio of Choices

Chapter 99: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Part XI: Straight Talk Conclusion

Chapter 100: Defining Canada's Future

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Bibliography

Index

Praise for Straight Talk on Leadership

“It is clearly time for Canadian business leaders to confront our national leadership dilemma. Williamson lays out a compelling agenda for leaders to act on to prepare us for a successful tomorrow.”

—Warren Bell, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System)

“Williamson's approach is effective and real-world: confront truths, wear them, and move forward quickly with accountable action. This book is an invaluable recipe as to the how and why leadership is critical to Canada's economic future.”

—Rupert Duchesne, Group Chief Executive, Aimia Inc. (Formerly Group Aeroplan Inc.)

“This book is for leaders who aspire to make a difference by transforming their organizations for global competitiveness. It is for those who approach leadership as a privilege to be re-earned each and every day, rather than a reward for past successes. Doug covers the landscape of issues facing leaders today in a compelling, insightful manner, and always with the frankness for which he is respected in the business community.”

—Eric Siegel, President & Chief Executive Officer (Retired), Export Development Canada

“The turbulent fast changing times we live in pose great leadership challenges. There are no easy leadership recipes. Doug Williamson's unvarnished straight talk puts the environment in global perspective and provides leaders with a competency framework suited to the times we live in. A must read.”

—Naseem Somani, President & C.E.O., Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories

“Succeeding in global markets requires an aggressive and competitive style. Doug has created a must-read blueprint for Canadian companies to succeed in domestically and internationally. Open communications and high transparency are the hallmarks of the best-run companies, and Straight Talk on Leadership makes a no-nonsense, patriotic plea for pragmatic leadership in the boardroom.”

—Robert Corteau, Chief Executive Officer, Altus Group Limited

“Doug Williamson's book recognizes the unique position occupied by Canada in a changing global economy. He reinforces the need for Canadians to take advantage of that perspective by demonstrating a new type of leadership better suited to building not only highly profitable but also sustainable business organizations in this changing world. Rightfully, he sounds a warning in the event we do not heed the call to action.”

—Mark Young, Managing Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

“If you are currently a leader in Canada, or aspire to be a successful one someday, this is a must-read book. From the title of the Introduction—‘ Moving Backward at the Speed of Light'—Doug's book has forced me to stop, think and plan action to change.”

—Johanne R. Bélanger, President, AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions

“Doug Williamson understands the fabric of Canada. Strategy has been his forte and his book brings this to life. He sees the need for new leadership in business so that Canada itself can become a truly global leader. This is lofty, but necessary, thinking. I would hope that not only business leaders, but that many of our political leaders would read and follow Doug's teachings. He has hit the nail on the head!”

—John Martin, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Maxxam Analytics Inc.

“This book takes us out of our comfort zone. Doug challenges us to not accept the established norms and lets us know the consequences if we do. A mandatory read for all those who realize that businesses and institutions lacking in visionary leadership won't reach their potential and often will actually fail.”

—Judson Whiteside, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Miller Thomson LLP

“Motivating employees is the key to successful growth, both in Canada and elsewhere. The challenge for managers of international growth is the tailoring of management and incentive tools to reflect the cultural differences of employees in different countries. Doug's years of experience in assisting managers to identify and resolve these business issues are now available for all to read.”

—Nick Orlando, President & Chief Executive Officer, Martinrea International Inc.

“The world is now, more than ever, a changing landscape. Straight Talk on Leadership is an excellent and thoughtful read that extends the knowledge base of leadership and provides valuable insights. It clearly defines the challenges facing the modern business leader. This book rises like Everest, above all other leadership books.”

—Mary Ellen Carlyle, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Dome Productions

“It is refreshing to find a uniquely Canadian perspective on leadership, the business challenges we face and the opportunities afforded us. This is what Doug delivers best—straight talk—without pulling any punches.”

—David Harris, President & Chief Executive Officer, Kinectrics Inc.

“This book is a must read for all current and future Canadian leaders. As a country, Doug's call for greater leadership and transformational leadership is timely and well warranted.”

Douglas Harrison, President & Chief Executive Officer, VersaCold Logistics Services

Copyright © 2013 R. Douglas Williamson

Published by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data:

Williamson, R. Douglas, 1952-, author

Straight talk on leadership : solving Canada's business crisis/ R. Douglas Williamson.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-118-58168-1 (bound).—ISBN 978-1-118-858293-0 (pdf).—ISBN 978-1-118-858301-2 (epub).—ISBN 978-1-118-858300-5(mobi)

1. Leadership. 2. Industrial management—Canada. I. Title.

HD57.7.W54 2013658.4'092C2013-903371-8C2013-903372-6

Production Credits

Managing Editor: Alison Maclean

Executive Editor: Don Loney

Production Editor: Pauline Ricablanca

Cover Design: Adrian So

Composition: Thomson Digital

This book is dedicated to all of the proud, hard-working men and women of Canada, including my grandfathers, Cyril Edward Williamson (1906–1988) and Maxwell Harvey Gifford (1900–1969). They represent the everyday people from small towns, farms and fishing villages across this country who, with nothing other than their dreams, big hearts and calloused hands, built this country one brick at a time. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude, not only for their efforts and commitment to building Canada, but also for promoting Canadian values and for their unwavering faith in the basic good and positive intentions of people everywhere in the world.

This book is my humble effort to honour our past by providing fresh ideas and constructive solutions that can assist Canada in realizing its full potential in a rapidly changing, more complex and far more competitive global environment.

A Note to the Reader

This book has been written for all concerned Canadian citizens, business leaders in every sector, politicians and government officials at all levels as well as professors and their students. This book aspires to provide a voice of hope for every Canadian worker, future business leader or entrepreneur who believes:

Canadians can and should do more than we have, on both the domestic and international stages. This requires us to build businesses that can offer uniquely Canadian services, solutions and expertise to the rest of the world while creating the basis for a prosperous economy at home, offering quality jobs, training and promising career opportunities for everyone.Canadians must urgently improve the quality of our business leadership talent pool by developing new mindsets, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. This includes the development of a new set of transformational leadership competencies capable of helping us carve a bold new path to growth, sustainable success and an outward facing, global sense of purpose and commitment.

In this book, we will:

Profile eight transformational leadership competencies required for business success in the future. They will be presented as individual forms of leadership “intelligence” that must work together, in a complementary fashion, to provide a balanced set of capabilities.Highlight several successful Canadian organizations and their leaders, who have followed a transformational path and represent actual “Case Studies in Canadian Business” we can all learn from and apply.Review some of the less successful Canadian organizations and business leaders from the past to learn what we can from their failures in strategy development, leadership effectiveness, organizational performance and execution.Summarize a series of practical steps leaders can take to put their organizations on the road to transformation.

I hope this book will serve to create a vigorous national dialogue about Canada's economic future and the role business leaders should play in ensuring Canada remains relevant in the midst of a rapidly changing world order.

Foreword

Straight talk is Doug Williamson's speciality. I have worked with nobody better at the scarce skill of having courageous conversations with managers who need to hear the unvarnished truth about their performance. Sometimes that requires a combative spirit, sometimes a soft word that “turneth away wrath.” Doug can do both, which requires him to curb his natural desire to just get on with it.

It's that practical approach I have admired and valued in the 10 years that Doug and his Beacon Group consultancy have worked with TheGlobe and Mail management team. Early on he deduced that we were not fans of textbook solutions, or prone to endless patience, so he adjusted his style to military-march pace. That sense of urgency and willingness to challenge the status quo are ever more appropriate today, as the world of media goes through a period of startlingly fast change that is disrupting business models all over the world.

Doug's book, with its emphasis on taking ownership of difficult situations and not flinching from risk, is relevant to TheGlobe, as it is to much of corporate Canada, with its tendency to cautiously take the middle of the road.

Preaching resolute confidence stemming from a thorough understanding of the requisite competencies is what Doug Williamson does best. His message is not for the faint-hearted, who rapidly slip down his rigorous ratings ladder.

To follow the Beacon way implicitly assumes courage to confront the challenges and manage through them with gritty determination. Sometimes managers find that too hard to handle—the tendency to back off and revert to the status quo should never be underestimated. If this book doesn't deliver the stiffening of the backbone needed to make the difference, none will.

Transformational change begins with big ambition and courage. It's questionable if those qualities can be learned, but the tool kit to build conviction of purpose and commitment to team success is what Doug's book delivers. It's a step-by-step, methodical pursuit of big objectives and small wins that make it possible. This is how managers can create the self-belief that enables them to communicate a compelling story to staff, without whose support all else fails.

At TheGlobe, Doug has been the coach in our corner for the last decade, so we can vouch for his pragmatic wisdom. Now, sit up and pay attention!

Phillip Crawley

Publisher and CEO of TheGlobe and Mail

Introduction

Moving Backward at the Speed of Light

I have always had a fascination with the special, rugged and romantic role the lighthouse had in shaping Canada's national fabric. This is, no doubt, born out of the fact my grandfather Cyril Williamson was a lightkeeper for 25 years (1945–1970). While I was growing up, I had the good fortune to work as his “assistant” during the summers. Every day we watched giant ocean-going vessels from all corners of the world pass no more than 50 metres away from the house in which we lived. I remember how my eyes would strain to read the exotic names of their home ports written on the stern just below their national flag. It never ceased to amaze me how the crew on board, from countries all around the world, could look toward shore and see the red ensign, and later the maple leaf, flying proudly from the flagpole mounted just in front of the giant light tower.

Those summers taught me not just about the joy and dreams of adventure, but also a great deal about life, hard work, character and respect for working men and women everywhere. People like my grandfather, who have always relied on others to guide the ships of businesses, both large and small, to responsibly manage the companies for whom he worked in order to provide honourable employment and to lead on many different levels. In return, these everyday Canadians have been happy to toil in more routine work and less glamorous roles with the simple desire of earning a decent living for their families and hope for their communities.