CEO Leadership

The corporate scene is much changed from what is was even a decade ago. Dispersed management structures are the flavor of the month. Business schools teach tomorrows managers to drive decision-making down through the organization. Yet flattened corporate structures, for all their agility and responsiveness, can actually pose a serious challenge to the implementation of a single strategic vision. Information flow naturally follows decision-making. Who owns the information often decides the direction of the corporation or business unit.

Before long, local managers in distant markets are making crucial decisions based on information to which they alone have access. At corporate headquarters we may be totally unaware of what information is being acted on. Business unit managers become possessive of clients , contacts and information. Information and communication technologies are used to create cumbersome and expensive data silos , instead of being the basis of smart systemsbroad-based, integrated, single-truth decision systems.

Information capital is being used against our strategy, not in support of it. Individuals hoard data, supposedly in pursuit of their right to autonomous decision-making and unhampered creativity. And while it is true that individual creativity is the source of much richness in the arts and sciences of our society, companies are not primarily creative endeavors. To realize its vision, a company must synchronize the efforts of all its moving parts . Only then can it execute its strategy with consistent success. Creating a system that works is the most important act of the CEO.

An unpleasant surprise faced by some of us is that our companys technologyoriginally intended to enhance the system and increase efficiency and productivitycan actually become an obstacle to overall business success. When we ask a question there are no answers, or worse , there are five different answers because information systems are not linked. Widespread decision-making authority without a clear, consistent, unified view of the entire business enterprise poses serious risks for bottom-line results.

Leveraging our information capital means unhitching management structure from information ownership. How? Have a strong controlling vision. Reward collaboration. Enable decision-making.

As the senior leadership we know that vision is one thing that cannot be delegated, but implementation of the vision, ensuring that it penetrates to every level of the company, can and should be. Leaders set the goals, but everyone else must be in synch if the company has any hope of meeting them. Like any good team, everyone needs to be working toward the same goal. Strong leadership is the first ingredient for a strong team, and together they are a powerful combination.