Jay Holstine’s CEO peer group workshop on Leadership Success provided valuable insights for its CEO members
“Our workshop started with several CEO members sharing challenging and difficult experiences with changes in leadership,” Holstine outlined. “Every member listed “the selection of the right leader” as one of their most significant puzzles they face. It is a decision that is often crucial to the success of their company,” Holstine noted.
“We all know that turnover in upper management usually has negative impacts on the business,” Holstine said, “but having to remove a key leader can be especially damaging and costly. So our group selected the best expert on this topic, along with various research data, and gathered to listen, learn and discuss,” Jay Holstine said.
“Our Vistage CEO group helps Dallas business leaders attain higher levels of productivity and business excellence. The workshops are especially vital in improving CEOs’ leadership skills,” Jay Holstine said.
“One of the key insights of our workshop on leadership turnover was that our selection of leaders is often based on outdated stereotypes and misdirected expectations of the character traits needed in fulfilling this leadership role,” Holstine shared.
“It might be surprising that the traditional, corporate-looking, assertive, confident, white, male candidate with an impressive degree, is not the best candidate for most of these roles, after all. For one example, there is no correlation of degrees from respected schools, to leadership performance,” Holstine shared. Additionally, it was introverts who were more likely to surpass the board’s expectations,” Holstine added.
“Our group came away with some very valuable key traits and success factors that boards can aim for in selecting the best candidate,” Holstine said.
Target those who are adept at managing conflict
“In the midst of varying opinions, the most successful leaders do not depend on arriving at a consensus. They listen to their staff, and give people a voice, but they do not simply count votes. Strong leaders instill confidence that the they will steer the company to success, despite conflicting solutions, and temporary rough waters” Jay Holstine shared.
A Knack for Converting the Naysayers
“We learned that a crucial attribute of the ideal leader is a talent for understanding how to bring key contributors together, to focus on the solution,” Holstine said. These leaders know what their stakeholders want and need, and they know what the detractors want and need, in order to come on board,” Holstine said. “And often, that’s the most important: finding the right ways to inspire the naysayers to feel good about the project, and become positive influencers. These types of leaders are able to help everyone understand how important they are to the plan. They are able to colorfully illustrate the value of the program, to garner the largest possible support of the project,” Holstine said.
Emotional Intelligence
“A complementary aspect of this talent is that the ideal leaders are good at presenting confidence. They intuitively hone their body language, ensuring that their way of expressing ideas and presenting facts are ways the win over naysayers and strengthen support for a plan,” Holstine shared.
The ideal leaders understand that the unintended communication of lack of conviction, or discounting gestures, defeated expressions, or lack of confidence are missteps that can sink a project, and they instinctively convey the most positive body language and inspire confidence in their leadership,” Holstine said.
Adaptability and Action
“Anticipating change and newchallenges are important skills,” Holstine said, “but great leaders are able to respond quickly and to position the company well to new situations,” Holstine added.
“Research and experience showed that the best CEOs are agile, pragmatic, and gathering data from a variety of intelligent sources. They are aware of trends and signs of change, and preparing the company to take advantage of new opportunities,” Holstine shared.
Resilient and Strategic
“The consensus of research shows that great leaders enjoy challenge, and see setbacks as opportunities to learn, grow, adapt and reposition for success,” Holstine said.
Consistent organizational proficiency
“Great CEOs enjoy running a business well. They understand how all the parts of the business work, and they hire proven performers, experts in their fields, in order to deliver steady profitability and long term viability,” Holstine said.
“The expert opinions, research, and discussions revealed an appreciation that leadership success does not come from inborn traits, “looking the part,” or high pedigrees of education. The most successful CEOs are agile, intuitive, versatile, growth oriented, and confident. They are good at engaging stakeholders and winning over detractors. They’re decisive, and enjoy leading a company well,” Holstine said.
“Whether our CEO peer group is discussing leadership, or the best finance strategies, or the right markets in which to expand, our group seeks out the best information, and together, finds new solutions that fit each CEO’s company,” Holstine added.
