Strategy, whether in war, sport or commerce is all about ease and speed.
The secret weapon that enhances ease and speed, is too often hidden by focus on results, outcomes.
The secret weapon is culture.
Culture of the team, the organisation, the club.
We can easily see that weapon at play in organisations and teams that are consistent performers, such New Zealand’s rugby team, the All Blacks, and the Australian tech company Atlassian.
We can also see the weapon at play in the opposite – organisations, teams and even nations where the culture is dysfunctional, such as Australia’s national men’s cricket team and, dare I say it, national politics pretty much everywhere.
Then we look at the primary cause of the state of a culture and realise where the work needs to start: the senior leadership.
The senior leadership creates the culture by what they model, accept and tolerate or don’t know about.
Punishing the team members won’t change the culture.
Spending money on the leadership development of the middle managers won’t change the culture.
Allowing senior leaders to delude themselves that they no longer need development won’t change the culture.
The most important leadership skill at all levels, including senior leadership, is people skill, not strategic thinking.
People skill builds culture, not products, systems or money.
Why do too many senior leaders abandon their people skill and focus only on strategy, politics and personal agendas?
Why don’t their people call them out on it?
Fear, habits and ignorance amongst all.
We need courage, better practice and constant learning for all, by all.
Too many senior leaders are egotistical and scared – have a look around.
And they lack people skill.
