Page 153 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

134 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

Dress, walk, and talk like a leader, again, to set the example. Know in
deep detail the job you do; construct a profile. Be good at the job yourself.
Have a list of requirements for the job—competencies, values, expe-
riences, and skills. Update the job specifications as the job changes over
time; validate your list against human resources. Understand how your
job fits in the entire organization. Teach your people to be generalists too.
See how the job can, will, or should change in the next three to
five years. Have a vision for the future, and help your people to have a
vision too.
Be clear as to where this job adds value to the company. Keep in
mind the culture—actual and aspired to—and what it takes to succeed in
it. Point out the downside of the job too.
Encourage your people to see themselves in the job, to strive for
it. Show them how to be visible for this and other jobs. Foster healthy
competition.
Use appropriate assessment tools. Assess internal candidates; write
up your findings. Coach, mentor, and sponsor individuals. Use your
global network to become aware of external candidates.
Keep up the feedback. Determine the next step for each individual
to get him or her visible. Make your recommendations.
Give each candidate an opportunity to present to senior manage-
ment. Push them to do things they thought they couldn’t. Invite them
into meetings they normally would not be invited to. Then implement
your plan to ensure a smooth transition.
Change your recommendations when additional knowledge, expo-
sure, and experience are apparent.

My predecessor totally gave me his sincere trust and let me go for-
ward. If I had a problem, I knew it wasn’t a career killer to get it fixed.
He gave me the reins, and I took them. He made me his full partner.

ƒ

He put my hand on the spigot. I turned it on and off, though.

Don’t just develop someone to follow in your footsteps, build on
what you’ve done, or be in your own likeness. You want to help a person
know (and you need to know yourself ) what the company needs in your