By Design or By Default? If You Don't Know Which You've Chosen, the Choice is Already Made.
January 24, 2020
By design or by default? I can't count the number of times I have posed this question to teams and organizations over the years. I have usually used it in reference to culture - the notion that every team, site or organization does indeed have a unique culture that exists within it. But it equally applies to leadership development as well.
When it comes to culture, the question I am most interested in and curious about is whether or not it was created by design or simply 'came about' by default? Was it cultivated with care and intention (and even obsession) or was it left to its own devices to become what may?
A team or organization’s culture is everything. It’s how we ‘feel’ about our workplace. It represents the unwritten rules of this space – how we do things and how we don’t do things. But most importantly, it is an articulation of what is important to us in the workplace – what we value. It most certainly should not be left to chance.
This question of intentional design applies to more than just an organization's culture. In fact, I believe it applies to virtually everything of importance.
Leadership: By Design or Default?
Take leadership development for instance. There are many companies out there that dedicate almost no resources whatsoever to the development of their leaders. Opportunities to attend outside conferences and courses are few and far between. Internal leadership courses or events don't exist. Nor is there a formal (or even informal) mentoring or coaching program.
Fortunately, there are companies that do value investing in their leaders. For many of these, this investment often takes the form of setting aside a portion of their budget to allow select supervisors and managers to attend external conferences or courses. Herein lies the challenge. These selections are often based on an individual's personal interest in the topic or agenda of the event, or sometimes even its timing or location.
Now don't get me wrong, this kind of investment is most certainly better than nothing. Individual attendees will undoubtedly return to work with new information and knowledge to apply, and excited to do so…..for a while.
But as many of us have witnessed time and time again, as the weeks and months pass the practice and application of this new knowledge lessens until almost nothing remains. This is especially the case when no organizational structure exists to keep such learnings front and centre of mind.
Compare this with organizations that put great effort into the development of their leaders. These organizations leave nothing to chance.
These are the organizations that have formal leadership development structures in place that encompass the hiring and onboarding of new leaders, their ongoing growth and development, as well as succession planning to ensure they are rarely, if ever, without the right kind of leader to step into a critical role.
And while their foundational leadership content and programs are built upon and reinforce their vision, values and culture, additional content and experiences are also designed to target the strategic priorities that are of current focus and concern.
Leadership development by design signals intention. Intention to move forward in a known direction. Intention to align with and accomplish strategic priorities. Intention to succeed.