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Introduction

“Leadership Sustainability” by Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood is a profound guide for leaders looking to implement real change within their organizations. With a focus on employee development, the book delineates seven critical disciplines that ensure transformative leadership actions endure over time. The authors use a combination of theoretical insights and practical examples to illustrate how leaders can embed sustainability into their daily practices.

Discipline 1: Simplicity

Simplicity is about distilling complex leadership practices into clear and actionable principles. Leaders often overcomplicate initiatives, losing the core message in a myriad of details. Ulrich and Smallwood advocate for focusing on streamlined, accessible strategies that all employees can follow easily.

Concrete Example: The book mentions a CEO who reduced a sprawling strategic plan into a single page with three clear goals. This simplification led to better understanding and engagement among employees.

Specific Action: Regularly revisit your strategic goals, and distill them into no more than three key points. Ensure every team member can articulate these goals effortlessly.

Discipline 2: Time

Effective leaders allocate time for what matters most. They prioritize their daily schedules to reflect their values and goals, ensuring time management aligns with long-term objectives.

Concrete Example: An executive in the book started each day assessing his calendar to identify and eliminate tasks that did not drive the company’s primary mission, freeing up time for strategic thinking.

Specific Action: Conduct a weekly audit of your schedule. Identify activities that do not align with your key priorities and delegate, defer, or eliminate them.

Discipline 3: Accountability

Accountability is about establishing systems where leaders’ responsibilities and expectations are clearly defined and upheld. It entails creating structures where feedback is constructive and goals are measurable.

Concrete Example: A global corporation implemented quarterly performance reviews that tied leaders’ bonuses to objective metrics aligned with company goals. This fostered greater accountability and performance focus.

Specific Action: Introduce a system of quarterly reviews with clear KPIs tied to both individual and organization-wide objectives. Use these reviews to continually refine and align responsibilities.

Discipline 4: Resources

Leaders must ensure that their teams have the necessary resources to achieve sustained success. This includes tools, training, and environments conducive to high performance.

Concrete Example: The book describes a manager who secured ongoing training for his team, which resulted in a marked increase in productivity and morale.

Specific Action: Conduct regular resource audits to identify gaps in tools, training, and support. Take proactive steps to provide these resources systematically.

Discipline 5: Tracking

Tracking involves the continuous monitoring of progress towards goals. It requires systems to measure results effectively and adjust strategies when necessary.

Concrete Example: A company introduced a real-time digital dashboard tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), enabling swift action when metrics deviated from targets.

Specific Action: Set up a digital dashboard that tracks your team’s top three KPIs in real time. Review this dashboard regularly with your team and adjust strategies as needed.

Discipline 6: Melioration

Melioration emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement. Leaders should promote a culture where processes and strategies are regularly reviewed and refined.

Concrete Example: The authors talk about a manufacturing firm that held monthly process audits to find areas for incremental improvements, which led to sustained enhancements in quality and efficiency.

Specific Action: Implement a monthly review meeting specifically focused on process improvement. Encourage team members to bring forward ideas and commit to testing at least one new improvement each month.

Discipline 7: Emotion

Sustaining leadership change also involves managing emotions effectively. Leaders must cultivate positive emotional environments and address negative emotions constructively.

Concrete Example: In one case, a senior leader used storytelling and personal anecdotes to create a compelling vision that emotionally engaged employees, resulting in higher buy-in and morale.

Specific Action: Develop your storytelling skills and intentionally share stories that connect emotionally with your team, illustrating the impact of their work on the broader mission.

Conclusion

Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood’s “Leadership Sustainability” presents a strategic framework for leaders committed to creating lasting change. The book’s seven disciplines—Simplicity, Time, Accountability, Resources, Tracking, Melioration, and Emotion—offer a comprehensive guide for driving and sustaining leadership effectiveness. By following the specific actions derived from each discipline, leaders can foster an environment of sustained growth and continuous improvement.

In sum, “Leadership Sustainability” equips leaders with actionable strategies to translate their vision into enduring organizational successes, emphasizing that the journey towards sustained leadership is continuous and requires consistent application of these principles.