Lead Big, Manage Small

Leaders today are under the spotlight, not in traditional terms of leadership quality, but in terms of delegation of power and transparency of decision making. Delegating power means passing on responsibility and accountability. So just how does a leader gain confidence in their team to be responsibility for every day decisions. And how do they motivate their employees to want to be accountable for decisions, especially in such turbulent times.

Studies have proven the fallibility of linking performance to pay in terms of motivating individuals. These studies have also shown the most effective way of inducing higher performance is providing visibility of progress, of contribution to a worthy goal.

This is exactly what SPI methodology provides. It provides a framework through which information is shared, decisions made and performance measured and managed.

It is a single portal of intelligence that aggregates data and insight across multiple parties, and makes this insight available in the appropriate form for each key decision. With the agility to be applicable to any situation, by diverse functional groups

This provides direct benefits, including:

Delegation of power - Checklists have proven the most reliable tool to ensure the fulfilment of responsibilities that accompany power. As an ex airline pilot, I am well versed in the practice of using checklists for even the most mundane tasks.

Reduce Stress - When things go wrong, one might easily think that using a checklist is too much to expect, that in the midst of chaos, one doesn’t have time to indulge in such practices. On the contrary, having a checklist lowers the stress levels and provides a higher probability that the situation will be resolved.

Efficiency & Productivity - This applies even in the midst of chaos. On the ground in Atlanta City, following hurricane Katrina, those organizations using checklists proved both more efficient and more effective than those who deemed to rely on their so-called expertise. Communication is critical in such situations, and checklists ensure that collaborative expertise and proven methods are employed across disparate groups.

Collaboration - Rapidly changing environments require tools that are capable of keeping up with that change, and to quickly share information and connect people through a single system so that the impact of one activity or group can be immediately recognized right across the organization.

To learn more about how to lead big and manage small