For leaders across industry, I see them battling with two big questions right now. The first is around their own capability as a leader and the second is around building a successful business without it consuming their life. 

Cost pressures are high and for traditional businesses the introduction of AI, digital transformation, cybersecurity and productivity are adding to the challenge and potential overwhelm of decisions that leaders are faced with. With so much to do, it is hard to prioritise the strategic from the daily decisions. 

Leadership is a journey. You start in a business as a ‘doer’, delivering a core activity or process which ultimately serves the customer. Soon you become a manager, often responsible for a team who rely on you for guidance. A leader starts to look more widely and more strategically at how the team can improve their delivery without needing the leader for every decision.  

But an organisation builder looks at what the organisation needs for long term sustainability. Over reliance on individuals and dealing with burn out is not sustainable. Over reliance on one key supplier is not sustainable. Over reliance on one major customer is not sustainable. 

It’s a bit like building a house. Too many leaders are holding up the roof when they should be building the structure. If one employee leaving, one supplier failing, or one customer disappearing can seriously destabilise the business, the organisation hasn’t yet been built to stand on its own. 

Where are you on the journey from doer to organisation builder?