Right Leader...for the right time
In 1993, I published my book: Risktaker, Caretaker, Surgeon, Undertaker- the four faces of strategic leadership, because it was clear to me, based on my corporate and consulting experience that there was "no leader for all seasons". The book describes how leaders and their teams must relate to the organizations position on the life cycle and with the "strategic differentiator and drivers of the business.
The book was moderately successful because this was the period of unique growth and everyone wanted to believe that it was going to continue. The glorified leader was the innovator, risktaker who created new businesses and everyone prospered.
But times have changed dramatically, and now we are in the period of the UNDERTAKER leader when it is fashionable to liquidate organizations, merge them with others or just ask to be saved. This is what is happening in all of the key industries, but most prevalent in financial services. Major organizations, like Lehman.. no longer exist... Merrill is now part of Bank of America, AIG is a ward of the Federal government and ONCE MIGHTY BIG THREE are eating humble pie.
The key is to step back and refocus and recognize that organizations are PORTFOLIOS of growing, maintaining and harvesting organizations and each requires a unique type of leader.
Some need RISKTAKERS...missionaries who will create new organizations... CARETAKERS who will be able to manage and selectively grow, SURGEONs who are able to carve up the organization and focus on the winners and discard the losers and UNDERTAKERS who know when to call to merge or liquidate...
If you want learn more ...purchase my book RISKTAKER, CARETAKER, SURGEON, UNDERTAKER- the four faces on strategic leadership...on www.strategyleader.com
I can assure it is worth reading and using the concepts...
Bill Rothschild, CEO of Rothschild Strategies Unlimited LLC.. the organization that helps to integrate people and strategy.
The book was moderately successful because this was the period of unique growth and everyone wanted to believe that it was going to continue. The glorified leader was the innovator, risktaker who created new businesses and everyone prospered.
But times have changed dramatically, and now we are in the period of the UNDERTAKER leader when it is fashionable to liquidate organizations, merge them with others or just ask to be saved. This is what is happening in all of the key industries, but most prevalent in financial services. Major organizations, like Lehman.. no longer exist... Merrill is now part of Bank of America, AIG is a ward of the Federal government and ONCE MIGHTY BIG THREE are eating humble pie.
The key is to step back and refocus and recognize that organizations are PORTFOLIOS of growing, maintaining and harvesting organizations and each requires a unique type of leader.
Some need RISKTAKERS...missionaries who will create new organizations... CARETAKERS who will be able to manage and selectively grow, SURGEONs who are able to carve up the organization and focus on the winners and discard the losers and UNDERTAKERS who know when to call to merge or liquidate...
If you want learn more ...purchase my book RISKTAKER, CARETAKER, SURGEON, UNDERTAKER- the four faces on strategic leadership...on www.strategyleader.com
I can assure it is worth reading and using the concepts...
Bill Rothschild, CEO of Rothschild Strategies Unlimited LLC.. the organization that helps to integrate people and strategy.
posted by TheStrategist @ 4:12 PM
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