Obviously, leaders must be very effective in getting people to follow them in the pursuit of objectives.

The most effective leaders:

Acknowledge and examine the driving forces in the environments in which they operate and understand the impact of these forces on current strategies.
Develop the best strategies based on reliable competitive assessments, understanding customer-behaviors, building fundamental competencies and deciding on the right areas to compete that will fulfill the desires of their shareholders.
Implement those strategies deftly by engaging people in their creation and execution.
Assess the implementation and results thoroughly, making strategic modifications where needed. Effective leaders push for results right now while at the same time building for the future.

It is just unacceptable to view these as trade-offs, as perhaps employed by managers of continually under-performing teams. Expectations should be continually raised and to be more than the previous year. With today’s anxiety compelled by the coronavirus, we expect our leaders to exact high performance through caring, patience and raised expectations. We expect them to build enthusiasm for front-line workers and managers to develop a compelling future where people are energized and empowered to be examples of the values of the organization. Look for innovative ways to constantly build for the future by expanding the capabilities of their organization, teams and themselves. Be mindful that doing so requires character and skill. Steel and velvet. Jim Woods

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Jim is President of Woods Kovalova Group located in Denver, CO. He is an author of children's books as well as leadership books. Working globally on every continent, Jim and his team have advised and trained Fortune 1000 companies, U.S. Military, Government, small businesses and individuals seeking performance improvement. Jim is a former U.S. Navy Seabee and earned a master’s degree in organizational development and human resources. He has taught leadership and human resources at Villanova, Colorado Technical University and Dickinson University. To have Jim work with your organization schedule an appointment here.