Hone

Chapter 2The Problem with Drift

 

The capability to combine a learning mindset with hands‐on precision is the hallmark of great leaders who have accomplished extraordinary things with their organizations. Looking beyond all the tech founders‐turned‐billionaires who display these qualities, consider visionaries like Howard Schultz, who turned a local coffee wholesaler with a handful of retail locations into the global coffee juggernaut Starbucks; Sara Blakely, who spent years perfecting the design of Spanx before launching her company; or Henry Ford, who innovated as much around production methods and work schedules as he did around engineering of the automobile. Their ability to dream big while mastering the details has been key to their success.

Yet somewhere along the way we seem to have collectively decided that our most senior leaders should be grand visionaries, not detail people. Their job is to see the opportunity, declare a bold vision, rally the troops, and designate responsibility for execution. They should keep their eyes firmly fixed on the horizon and not dirty themselves with any concerns about the details or mechanics of the ship propelling them forward. They should be confident and inspirational, not dissuaded by day‐to‐day setbacks. Right? No, not at all.

A leader who focuses only on the big picture won't necessarily lead her organization to catastrophe, at least not right away. But she can set in motion the foundation for a more common and insidious cause of ...