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A leader for every season
An entrepreneur friend of mine was lamenting the resignation of his General Manager (GM) who has decided to take on new challenges.
My friend was telling me that he had no one in his management team who could step up and assume the role of his current GM. Those next in line were either too maverick, too by the book, or simply too junior to have the needed connections. Basically, they were not the same as the current GM.
I asked him why he felt that he needed to have an identical GM to the current one? His business has definitely grown in the past four years, and is no longer a “start-up.”
I shared that as businesses (and organizations) move through their lifecycles, different management skillsets are needed at the different stages. At the start-up stage, a GM who is entrepreneurial is essential to find and develop the business’ USP. Then as the business grows, a GM who is structure and organization focused is needed to set the company up right. Thereafter, when the business enters maturity, a visionary GM who understands the business, the business environment, and where it is heading, is then essential to help the business find its next S-Curve.
In short, picking the “right” leader is contextual. It depends on the stage a business is in, and thus it is important to consider (and appoint) the type of leader with the correct aptitude for the stage the business is in. The continued success of the business requires the right leader for each stage. The same might not be the right answer.
