In Stage 7, the leader ideally spends 75 percent of their time and energy wearing the Visionary Face, 20 percent wearing the Manager Face, and 5 percent wearing the Specialist Face.
Stage 7 features the greatest concentration on a single face in all the Stages of Growth, with 75% of a leader's time spent wearing the Visionary Face.
The Stage 7 leader is tasked with reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit that characterized the organization in earlier Stages. They achieve this through creating a compelling vision, one that is shared amongst the Leadership Team and clearly communicated to the entire organization. In contrast to the previous Stage, where the leader guided the Leadership Team in creating the vision for the future, the leader is now collaborating with the Leadership Team to create that vision. This marks an important transition, where the Leadership Team is running the day-to-day of the business and begins to set the company’s strategic direction. Connecting daily tasks to the big picture becomes critical to maintain an engaged staff, now that the company is much larger.
The leader wears the Manager Face by managing, mentoring, and growing the Leadership Team, with a special emphasis on the two to three leaders in the succession line for the CEO position.
The Specialist Face should only occupy five percent of the leader’s time and energy. While this is the face least worn by the leader, it is no less important. The leader still has experience that can benefit the organization. Furthermore, a leader who is too far removed from the day-to-day reality risks losing touch with the organization. This creates blind spots that can lead to poor strategic decisions and cause the organization to lose trust in its leader.
Stage 7 marks a significant change in the Three Faces of a Leader. The leader is no longer engaged in active management of the day-to-day operations. Such change can be incredibly difficult, especially for a leader who is also the founder of the organization. In fact, a founder’s inability to align themselves to the Three Faces of a Leader is one of the reasons it is common to bring in a professional CEO in Stage 7.
The common misalignment in this Stage comes from a leader who wants to maintain a higher allocation to the Manager Face, not wanting to give up operational oversight. This can result in a frustrated Leadership Team who wants to take on more responsibility.
If the leader insists upon staying active in operational management, that also means not enough energy is being spent on the Visionary Face. More than ever, the business needs its leader to be working on the business regularly, spending time in critical thinking, and painting a clear vision for the organization. In these cases, it’s common for the organization to experience excessive turnover in the Leadership Team.
Three Faces of a Leader Misalignment
A regional airline that is headed by its founder has been struggling lately. While they continue to offer quality, reliable service, a competitor has begun attracting some of its core customers. The CEO, who is himself a pilot, brings contagious enthusiasm to the company. Lately, though, the Leadership Team is frustrated by his frequent absences. Whereas they are interested in offering the same new features that the competition has adopted, the CEO is focused on his love of the craft. He still flies a few routes and spends a lot of time with his on-the-ground team, talking shop and building loyalty.
The pivotal moment comes when the airline is forced to quit servicing some of its destinations due to a lack of demand. As the Leadership Team faces the urgent need for solutions, the CEO doubles down on his stance. He insists that the to key to maintaining a healthy organization is the time he spends on the job, talking to employees and making adjustments to routes and procedures based on his extensive knowledge. He doesn’t want to “waste his time” trying to predict what the next trend will be.
This organization needs a clear vision to unify its efforts and enable it to plan ahead rather than react to the present circumstances. The CEO is well-intentioned in his desire to stay in touch with the day-to-day operations, but his personal enjoyment comes at the company’s expense. If he finds that he is unable to wear the Visionary Face the majority of the time, the best thing for the company could be for him to find someone who can. In such a competitive industry, stagnation can quickly lead to collapse. A strong vision backed by a robust strategic plan are the most effective means of staying relevant.
The concepts from this article were taken from The Visionary Stage: Organizational ReWilding Rules for Business Growth. Available through The ReWild Group and Amazon, the book explores this and other concepts in-depth while providing illustrations to help business leaders incorporate the ideas into their organizations. Get your copy today to learn the rules for growth for companies with 161-350 employees.