Make the Transition from Manager to Leader: The Key to Profitable Business Growth

Most business partners start out as entrepreneurs, creating innovation based on what they see that their customer leads. Yet there comes a time when entrepreneurial spirit won’t grow the company so many hit the wall. In this session, discover how you can make the transition to be the leader of your company to take it to the next level of success. You’ll learn about the difference between a manager and a leader, where to put your attention, and how to gracefully make the transition to achieve the vision of your business.

Why do you want to make the transition to leader? Grow the company Create more Work less Better quality of life.

Your history Where did you come from? – Technical – Sales What made you successful? Where do you want to go? What will make you successful? What got you here won’t get you there.

Entrepreneurial qualities versus business development qualities Entrepreneur – Can do it all – Is the company and the brand – Wants it done their way – Is the bottleneck to scaling Leader – Team can do it better – Holds the vision and the brand – Wants it done the team’s way – Eliminates the bottleneck to scaling

The difference between leading and managing Manager – Maintains the standards – Provides oversight – Expects outcome – Manages customer expectations – Maintains the boundaries Leader – Sets the standards – Provides inspiration – Instills confidence – Creates customer expectations – Expands on what is possible

Manager versus Leader InspireMotivate Create Execute LeaderManager Team Member Team Lead

Why you need to be the leader There can be only one visionary – One company story – It has to be your vision – You can get inspiration, coaching, and guidance There can only be one destination The buck has to stop with you.

Generational challenges to leadership What are your challenges with younger staff? Feel entitled Want the pay but not the accountability Work ethic issues Easily bored Want to personalize Technology gives them a big voice.

Why leadership works with younger staff You have to earn their respect They need role models, but won’t admit it They are innovative, quick minded, grasp things differently They can be coached – Help them find the solution Consistency rules.

Strategies for younger staff It’s all about them… to start Discover if they can support your culture Clear roles, responsibilities, measurements, and rewards Gamify – Challenges – Room to do it their way – Clear boundaries – Clear goals, consequences, and rewards.

The three things leaders focus on Vision – Why your team will follow you Value – Why your team will follow you anywhere Volume – Why your team will grow.

Leadership and strategic thinking: translating your vision into action Policies are set by Executives – Provide direction and business rules – Executives are responsible for these outcomes Systems are created by Management – Provide infrastructure and tools – Management is accountable for the oversight Processes are created by the Team – Executes to the desired outcome – Measurable team results.

Three tools leaders use to create extraordinary outcomes Culture Brand Stories

Culture How we treat each other and interact internally Culture defines what we stand for and what we won’t stand for Creates a scalable and sustainable company – The HP Way Is established by company leadership and enforced by hiring principles.

Define or Document Your Culture If your team doesn’t know the company’s purpose, how they fit into the grand scheme, and why they are important to that purpose, then anybody and any behavior will do Do you want to lead that mess?

Why a Defined Culture? Creates consistent customer experience Creates real branding Your team knows how to correctly approach tough situations Helps you know who to hire & fire Defines how to train and manage.

How to Define Your Culture Create a company manifesto One page Easy to understand Galvanizes your whole team Creates predictable behaviors.

The Digo Culture Manifesto

Ways to Define Your Culture… Convert your mission and vision into a customer- centric action statement From: “To bring leading-edge technology to market, empowering our customers to be more productive and competitive.” To: “We’re the team that teaches our customers how to better run their company, helping them see a new and better way of doing business with relevant technology.”

Ways to Define Your Culture… Describe the desired attitudes, behaviors, and goals for your team “We believe that learning and the quest to understand our customer never ends because we know more about our products, and our customers, and our competitors then anyone else.”

Ways to Define Your Culture… Describe what happens when things go wrong “We hate telling our customers ‘no’ to a reasonable request. We’ll find the answer, make it right, or find someone else who can do it. No excuses.” “We say, ‘I know who knows that. I’ll arrange for you to connect.’”

Your Culture Definition: Safe or Bold? Source: KPMG, Neil Rackham Scale S B Small Big Risk A O Achievable Outperforming Innovativeness F L Following Leading-Edge Difficulty E D Easy Difficult

Brand How we treat our customers Brand defines the customer experience at all levels Brand is a customer experience that – They want to repeat – That they will tell others about – That they can’t get anywhere else Brand is based on culture Brand becomes established at every customer interaction.

Defining your brand What do they think they know about you? What do you want them to think about you? Reputation do you want to have? Impact of that reputation? What do you want customers to do? Important promises from us?.

Stories Stories connect at multiple levels How we communicate our culture and our brand to others Nordstrom tire story What’s your story?.

Creating stories Create stories for all occasions – Team and one-on-one – Inspiration and conflict resolution What’s the objective? Know, do, feel Business context As long as needed, but no longer.

Telling your story Your hero’s journey – Vision, journey, conflict, help, resolution, new condition How did you get started? What were your expectations? What went wrong? What help did you get? What did you achieve beyond your expectations? How does that relate to your team?.

Leadership story-telling opens Have you ever… What happens when… What would you do if…

Your action plan

Beyond Converged Infrastructure Tuesday 3:20 pm Rancho Santa Fe 2 Make the Transition from Manager to Leader Tuesday 4:45 pm Rancho Santa Fe 2