Reinvent Yourself for a New Context

Often companies contact me to coach leaders who are transitioning from one role to another.  Whilst this makes good sense, it does play to a paradigm that our role as leaders change when our job changes.  My experience is that leadership roles are evolving and changing all the time.

A better way of thinking is that the environment is always changing, and as a result leaders needs to constantly reinvent themselves otherwise like the ‘boiling frog’ the needs of our role, our team and our stakeholders’ expectations will have changed, but we will be stuck in old thinking not understanding why our well-worn way of things doing is no longer as effective.

More often, subtle changes in business context or shareholder expectations require an adaptation of the leadership response.

I have met many very experienced and senior leaders who love to typecast themselves and keep on using the same skills.  When I work with leaders who have been asked to leave a role, it is rarely because they are incompetent, it is generally because they have failed to recognise the need to adapt and found that they are playing a different game to the one that is required.

It is easy to think that a seismic event will require a shift in leadership focus and approach.  This may be a response to a merger, a major safety or regulatory incident or a significant performance shock.  More often, subtle changes in business context or shareholder expectations require an adaptation of the leadership response.  In one moment a leader may have to be a great team builder or a great stakeholder manager, in another moment demonstrate a strength in leading change or developing talent.  The key point is to recognise what the role needs at that time and adapt focus, skills and approach to respond.

To reinvent yourself (or just adapt) to a new context starts with recognising that the context has changed or is changing. Although a change of context can require more technical skills, it is generally a shift in mindset and the introduction of new or adapted habits that will allow you are your team to respond.  Working with a coach can help to both spot the need for change, to work out what changes are required and to provide support when adopted new habits.

I have mentioned in previous articles my belief that all C Suite Leaders would benefit from working with a coach. Surely it makes more sense to proactively scan for changes in context and work on adapting leadership to respond, as opposed to the traditional approach of looking for a coach to support remedial work when performance dips?