A recent article by Steve Tappin, CEO Xinfu, Host of BBC CEO Guru & Founder, WorldOfCEOs.com, asks if the two leaders of Apple, Tim Cook and Angel Ahrendts can capture the magic that once was Apple? Mr. Tappin goes on to list the strengths and challenges of these two leaders. Of course, every CEO has strengths and weaknesses.
However, the trick is for CEOs to know their own strengths and weaknesses, then hire a competent team to fill in the gaps. The executive team should be diverse, yet have the ability to work together in harmony. While there is no doubt that the entire executive committee should be on the same page in terms of driving the organization’s mission and vision, there is another element to consider. The theory of everyone being on the same page cannot become a reality without an understanding of people’s behaviors, motivators and competencies. Ms. Ahrendts and Mr. Cook provide an example.
Tim Cook, according to his own words as posted on Mr. Tappin’s Blog, does not go for big egos. On the other hand, he struggles to provide inspiration to his team. Ms. Ahrendts has the ability to provide that inspiration. Will this cause a clash? Will Mr. Cook see Ms. Ahrendts as one of those with a big ego or even a threat? Or, will Mr. Cook be happy to remain humble and let
Ms. Ahrendts do the swashbuckling with her “style and sizzle?” John Kotter’s model for change, serves to illustrate the importance of a diverse team and tolerance for essential behavior styles.
For those unfamiliar with Kotter’s 8-step model, the steps are:
1. Create a sense of urgency
2. Form a powerful coalition
3. Create a vision for change
4. Communicate the vision
5. Remove obstacles
6. Create short-term wins
7. Build on the change
8. Anchor the changes in corporate culture
Obviously one behavioral style will not accomplish all of these tasks. For example, a forceful driving and venturesome behavioral style would be needed for step one. A magnetic, enthusiastic, and persuasive behavioral style will have the ability to handle step two. Therefore, it easy to see that organizational goal achievement takes diverse behaviors. Success manifests itself when each behavioral style appreciates the style of others and learn to work together to leverage these diverse styles for the common goal. Looking at resumes and gathering data from interviews will provide some input. Background and reference checks will add to understanding a prospective executive team member. However, to aid in a more well-rounded picture of a candidate, scientifically based, valid and reliable assessment tools help reduce the guess work for selecting executive (and other) team members.
Diversity does not mean an us and them attitude. Nor does it have to be style and sizzle against humility. Despite these seemingly divergent elements, it can mean a compliment of styles, behaviors, and communication efforts. A mix of behavior styles can help weave a rich tapestry as the background for a successful working environment, innovation, creativity and yes, even harmony.
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