TRENDING NOW - Is 2021/2022 the Best Time in over 300 years to invest more in Your Stars and Rising Stars?
Whilst teachers have remained under the cosh for 18 long months, doing their utmost to cope with the ever-changing tides of UK Covid regulations, the legal profession is emerging relatively unscathed.
As the UK moves cautiously towards a post-Covid existence, there's no doubt in my mind that we are about to chalk up significant winners and losers in 2021/22. None of us want to miss out on what I am predicting to be the most exhilarating in twelve generations. This moment holds potential to propel your organisation up a couple of notches. Let there be no doubt that the fittest have amassed sizeable war chests and are already circling rivals, hungry to gobble up ill-prepared stragglers.
I frequently joke that whilst forward-thinking decision-makers eagerly embrace the concepts of Personal Development and Change Management, such enthusiasm may dwindle when initiatives start to directly impact on their own departments - though, seriously, there are powerful justifications for confidently taking necessary action right now. 7.25% growth in the 2021/2022 UK economy means that earlier predictions of 5% is toast. Our country's economy is simply roaring back to life. The Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey is hailing "the fastest recovery in modern times" as Britain surges back from the worst recession since before 1700 - that's the time when St. Paul's cathedral was completed in the wake of the Great Fire of London of 1666. Furthermore, GDP is forecast to grow at its fastest pace since the 1940s.
Whilst the pandemic continues to wreak havoc across diverse organisations across the globe, many schools and commercial organisations that I support across the UK (and in nine other countries currently) have notched up their best years ever. Even more remarkably, these include retail supply chains.
How do these organisational exemplars behave differently and what can be learned?
The answer hinges on core leadership capability including confident, sound and agile thinking. The best leaders exercise a greater willingness to walk towards the battleground where their chosen 'markets' are headed whilst keeping their organisational values and core messages fresh, distinctive and well-communicated. They choose not to follow well-trodden roads where price competitiveness is at its keenest; instead, they tread new paths for others to follow. Consequently, these organisations thrive in environments where pricing becomes less relevant.
It can be inviting to leave one's stars and rising stars to their own devices because they are, after all, technically already at the top of their game. Yet, organisational success rests on this exemplary cohort. These are your inspiring 'radiators' who disrupt the status quo by creating game-changing ripples in the pond that benefit those they directly manage and beyond. You are going to reap your fastest ROI by investing in this exceptional group. By contrast, it's commonplace for leaders to spend a disproportionate amount of their precious time nursing their 'under-performers' (sometimes less kindly referred to as 'hospital cases'), where ROI is less predictable.
So, here's an opportunity to appreciate the skills that other successful leaders have been busy shoring up as they steer their organisations forward to take advantage of these once-in-a- lifetime favourable trade winds. Some of the themes are going to resonate with you as you consider particular people within your topmost team.
I present a choice of two lists below - the first covers senior and middle teachers and the second covers business (largely partners in fast growth professional service firms). Unless you are into the joys of evidence-based statistics, you only need to evaluate the list that is most relevant to you.
LATEST 2021/2022 SURVEY OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES
Robin Johnson supports commercial/professional service organisations (often the Managing Partner and other partners in fast-growth law firms) plus SMT/SLT and Heads of Departments of independent schools and colleges. He meticulously tracks the top 12 most commonly raised Leadership Personal Development coaching themes that candidates raise during their bespoke two-hour 1-2-1 coaching sessions and some of these latest trends may surprise you.
PART ONE: 2021/2022 SURVEY OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES PLUS OTHER EDUCATIONALISTS - 12 TOP THEMES RAISED
[∆ = Arrows indicate upward trend since my last survey
No. 1 Process – delivering greater value within finite timescales (raised 28 times) ∆
Building trust through prioritisation of effort plus clearer definition of goals.
‘Waste of time management’ tools and techniques.
No. 2 Coping strategies plus re-energised/less stress/anxiety (raised 24 times) ∆
Coping better with diverse Covid issues plus managing divergent opinions about the future.
Mentally and physically fitter plus sleeping deeper and for longer.
No. 3 Self-awareness (raised 17 times) ∆
Greater awareness of one’s positive and negative impact on others.
Independent assessment of strengths and weaknesses.
No. 4 Leadership - developing skills across SLT/SMT/HoDs (raised 17 times) ∆
Evaluation of strengths and weaknesses, your appraisal process, plus making succinct action plans.
Easing pressure by addressing areas of underperformance (and occasionally over-performance).
No. 5 Advanced communication skills (raised 16 times) ∆
Communicate more effectively with those who seem different to oneself, whilst remaining authentic.
Compare natural style with those of 400 other leaders plus psychological empowerment techniques.
No. 6 Strategic thinking (raised 15 times) ∆
Attracting more pupils - maintaining optimal numbers, partly through strategic change.
Commercial thinker in an academic environment – two-to-five-year planning.
No. 7 Planning for, delivering and following up on difficult conversations (raised 14 times)
Managing more challenging members of Common Room.
Tackling underperformance decisively and directly.
No. 8 Self-confidence - finding my voice - bolder, more authoritative (raised 12 times)
Tackling problems quicker plus holding difficult conversations in ways that avoid WWIII.
Addressing increased parent power.
No. 9 Life/Work balance plus increased fitness and motivation (raised 11 times) ∆
Increased longevity.
Managing family/home responsibility overload.
No. 10 Bolstering self-confidence and self-worth (raised 10 times)
Resilience plus even greater clarification of one's role and responsibilities.
Confident and timely decision taking.
No. 11 In control of emotions (raised 9 times)
Managing negativity in self and others plus being less of an emotional sponge
Managing impatience and moodiness plus ‘reframing’ of bad events.
No. 12 Managing people plus improved delegation of workload (raised 9 times) ∆
Improved assessment of goals plus briefing of tasks.
Easing pressure through fairer distribution across cohort of staff – less risk of burnout.
[Top 12 scorers from well over 300 topics raised by members of SLT/SMT/HoDs – July 2019/June 2021]
PART TWO: SURVEY OF PROFESSIONAL/COMMERCIAL (often partners in UK-based law firms) - 12 TOP THEMES RAISED
∆ = Arrows indicate trend since last survey
No. 1 Process – delivering greater value within finite timescales (raised 31 times) ∆
Building trust through prioritisation of effort plus clearer definition of goals.
'Waste of time management’ tools and techniques.
No. 2 Business development (raised 26 times) ∆
Development of existing clients plus winning the right types of new client.
Listening acutely to client needs plus adapting when necessary.
No. 3 Self-awareness (raised 25 times)
Greater awareness of one’s positive and negative impact on others.
Independent assessment of strengths and weaknesses compared with 400 other leaders
No. 4 Leadership - developing skills of top team (raised 24 times)
Appraisal process plus making succinct action plans.
Easing pressure by addressing areas of underperformance (and occasionally overperformance).
No. 5 Advanced communication skills (raised 21 times) ∆
Communicate more effectively with those who seem different to oneself, whilst remaining authentic.
Compare natural style with those of 400 other leaders plus psychological empowerment techniques.
No. 6 Strategic and commercial thinking (raised 19 times) ∆
Change management plus even greater clarification of roles.
Clarity of vision for the next two-to-five years, communicated at all levels.
No. 7 Life/Work balance plus increased fitness and motivation (raised 18 times) ∆
Increased longevity plus memory enhancement.
Managing family/home responsibility overload.
No. 8 Self-confidence - finding my voice - bolder, more authoritative (raised 15 times) ∆
Tackling problems quicker.
Holding difficult conversations in ways that avoid WWIII.
No. 9 Coping strategies plus re-energised with less stress/anxiety (raised 12 times) ∆
Coping better with diverse Covid issues plus managing divergent opinions about the future.
Mentally and physically fitter plus sleeping deeper and for longer.
No. 10 In control of emotions (raised 10 times)
Managing negativity in self and others.
Managing impatience and moodiness plus ‘reframing’ bad events.
No. 11 Business turnarounds plus start-ups plus payday (raised 9 times) ∆
Infrastructure design and positioning. Key messages plus branding.
Exit planning plus succession planning.
No. 12 Employment law and employment tribunals (raised 8 times) ∆
Addressing people matters earlier rather than later.
[Top 12 scorers from well over 300 topics raised by top management - July 2019/June 2021]
I have one closing question for you to mull:
Is now the right time for you and your senior colleagues to take action? If so, please send me a short email (robin.johnson@ovationxl.com) or call me on +44 (0) 7774415561 so that we can set up an initial confidential 15-minute telephone call or Teams/Zoom call, without obligation. An introductory call is quick and painless, even if you decide this is not for you. And if you think that you need more time to talk in greater detail straightaway, then we can of course extend it, though I find that a 15-minute call is often the optimal place to start.
Candidates typically have four to five x two-hour sessions spread across four months, each one backed up by about 20 - 30 pages of bespoke notes per session that summarises our conversation, plus any tools and techniques introduced. The process starts with a FREE 55-minute 'pre-session' without obligation where I start to map out the chosen candidate's eight themes in longhand. This sets up the process for success from Day One and demands keen listening skills on my part.
Q: "How can you genuinely create long-term positive change in someone in just eight to ten hours? Surely leopards cannot change their spots?"
A: "Sessions are followed up by FIVE YEARS of support* by telephone or email, at no further cost to you or your organisation. That shows how confident I am that I can turn around every brand of behavioural shortfall by turning stubborn weaknesses into strengths."
* Subject to terms and conditions, only triggered once by me in the last 15 years due to truly exceptional circumstances.
I keep my rates transparent and straightforward at £995 + VAT per session (plus travel/accommodation at cost when required) or a discounted rate of £825 per session for schools. My rates have stayed constant for several years and I have remained flat-out, like never before, throughout this long pandemic.
I don't need to explain that it takes a lot of sweat and tears plus 21 years' experience to achieve a 97.3% candidate rating for achieving client objectives.
Please assess the 70+ recommendations that I have received on Linked In or my website www.OvationXL.com
I look forward to hearing from you whenever the time is right for you, though don't miss out.