Page 159 - Fearless Leadership

146 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

aligning and mobilizing the very faction that determines what the orga-
nization can achieve: people.
Without committed partnerships throughout your organization, you
cannot achieve the interconnection and synergy needed between people,
strategy, and operations. But when you provide people with a disciplined
methodology for working together, they will successfully navigate any chal-
lenges and achieve the objectives of the company.

Committed Partnerships
Standing for the success of each other both privately and publicly.

Because relationships are in a constant state of flux, often vacillating
between breakdown and recovery, leaders must have the ability to talk
about concerns and fully resolve them so they are not carried into the
future. Decision making and alignment must be effective and swift so flaw-
less execution is ensured.
This chapter explores how to transform traditional business relationships
into committed partnerships. Two factors are required: (1) a leadership
stand to build a constructive and empowering environment, and (2) a way
for people to learn how to be committed partners and stand for the suc-
cess of each other.

BUSINESS SUCCESS HINGES ON COMMITTED
PARTNERSHIPS
Business success hinges on people working together in committed part-
nerships. Unfortunately, automatic behaviors eclipse productive behaviors,
and people tolerate relationships of convenience. Because of the unstruc-
tured and temporary alliances between people and groups, the organiza-
tion or business unit experiences breakdowns the instant there is
misalignment.
The lack of a disciplined way of working together became evident in a
global information organization we encountered. As a result of constant
breakdowns in client proposals, leaders did not trust business units in other
countries to deliver consistent high-quality presentations to the client.
Each business unit defended its approach and directed its anger and frus-
tration at each other instead of resolving the problem.