Imagine you’re the hero of your very own story. You’ve started something amazing, like building a magical kingdom. You are the king of your kingdom and only you have the leadership power to lead your people and kingdom to greatness!
However, as your kingdom grows, it starts to get more and more difficult to lead like a one man show. Ever felt that you are over occupied and hardly have time for yourself and your queen? Do you feel like you’re indulging into everything and it bogs you down?
You start thinking of ways in which you can deal with this expansion without getting consumed into it.
You decide to hire one of the big 4 consultants who are quite experienced to help you solve this challenge.
Mr Suresh Mehta, who represents the consultancy, does a thorough evaluation of your kingdom and its administrators over a 2-week period. He closely observes everyone and their way of functioning.
After careful evaluation, Mr Suresh suggests that you no longer play the role of the King and become the CEO of the kingdom from now on. You are surprised and also wondering how can you play the role of CEO when the kingdom is your baby. Mr Suresh assures you that your kingdom will flourish further if you do so and that you will not lose your hold and your people will be happy as well.
He then opens a long roll of paper for you to read and takes you through the plan as follows:
Embrace the Visionary Role
As a king, you’re like the wise wizard with a crystal ball. You need to see the future and guide your kingdom towards growth and greatness.
Think about Walt Disney, who imagined Disneyland before it existed. CEOs dream big about what their company can become. Oprah Winfrey in her interview stated that one of the biggest indicators of successful people is that they dream very big.
So, what’s your big dream for your Company?
You’re like a captain steering a ship. Choose the direction for your company, just like Moana set sail to find her destiny.
Where do you want your business to go in the next 5 years?
Master the Art of Delegation
Even superheroes need sidekicks. As a King you can’t do everything alone, so learn to share the load. This is where CEO’s differ. Good CEO’s get things done and not get into micromanaging. As one of my friends, Reheen Guin from Australia, always says you need to be on the top of the business and not into it.
Recruit people who can help you without you having to micromanage them. Think of Professor X assembling the X-Men. Each person should have their own special skills to help your mission.
Trust your sidekicks to do their part. It’s like Batman trusting Robin to watch his back. Let them handle tasks so you can focus on leading.
Become a Storyteller
Mulla Nasiruddin and Birbal influenced so many people by their stories. Great CEO’s are great storytellers. They inspire their people with their words.
Like J.K. Rowling creating Harry Potter, you need to craft a story for your business. What’s the adventure your company is on? What is beautiful about your company. What are your success stories and milestones?
Tell your story to your team, customers, and everyone you meet in a way that they can visualise it. Steve Jobs shared Apple’s story and got people excited about technology and Iphone. Make your story exciting and inspiring.
Build an Epic Team Culture
Mr Suresh recommended that you create a culture where your team feels like they’re part of something special, like the fellowship in “The Lord of the Rings.”
He recommended to start fun traditions and events that make the team feel connected. It’s like having secret handshakes or celebrating special days together.
He believed that fostering a sense of camaraderie by encouraging teamwork over individual contribution and celebrating achievements together helps in building strong organisations.
Develop Super Communication Skills
Communicate like a superhero using a powerful signal. Listen to the presentations of great leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Both were great communicators.
Be clear like Superman’s “S” symbol. Make sure your messages are easy to understand and appeal to your team members.
Listen like Sherlock Holmes, picking up every detail. Pay attention to your team’s ideas and concerns and work towards implementing them in your company.
I happened to be a part of the board meeting of one of the training companies. The CEO of this firm played a silent role and she let the Managers and Leaders speak for 90% of the time. She displayed great patience, chose to keep silent and observed for 90% of the time.
Innovate Continuously
Innovation is like creating new spells in a magical world.
Let your team come up with wild ideas, like inventing new gadgets in the ‘James Bond’ movies. Sometimes the craziest ideas lead to the best solutions!! Not all ideas are the best however, the 0.001 percent ideas which work out well make the 99% difference to the business.
Be ready to adapt, like Optimus Prime transforming in the film ‘Transformers’. The business world changes fast, and you need to keep up.
Manage Time Like a Time Lord
Use your time wisely like Doctor Who traveling through time.
Focus on what’s important first, make a list of your to do’s and take action on those tasks that save the day and help to overcome the biggest challenges. Focus on the 5% tasks that bring in the 95% success.
Learn to say a big ‘No’ to requests and people who take you away from your Goal. Most top CEO’s know the art of saying ‘no’ well. When you say ‘no’ to things that are not important you say a ‘Yes’ to things that are most important. Understand that life is short and you cannot say yes to everything.
Even superheroes need downtime. Make sure you rest and recharge, just like Barak Obama taking enough breaks to tinker with his gadgets.
Build Strong Alliances
Form alliances with other businesses, like the G7 countries joining forces.
Find businesses that can help you, like different heroes working together. Collaborate to achieve more than you could alone.
Maintain good relationships with your allies. Trust and mutual respect are key, like the friendship between UK and the USA.
Prepare for Future Adventures
Plan for the future, like preparing for the next big quest.
Think about who can take over if you’re not there, like training your Right and Left hands. Ensure your business can continue to thrive even if you are gone.
Putting the right IT systems and processes in place also go a long way in reducing dependency on people. Many online systems are available at low costs which can automize your whole business.
Set goals for where you want your business to be in the future, like aiming for the stars. Break them down into steps to make them achievable.
Conclusion
Transitioning from founder to CEO is an epic journey, like becoming the leader of a heroic team. Embrace your vision, delegate wisely, become a great storyteller, build a strong team culture, communicate effectively, innovate constantly, manage your time, build strong alliances, and plan for the future.
Remember, even legendary leaders like Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and Tony Stark had to grow and learn. With courage and determination, you can become an extraordinary CEO and lead your company to amazing adventures!
Author – Ambrish Pandya
Founder and Leadership Trainer – The Yellow Spot
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambrish-pandya-38a0876/
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