When I was a small child, my granddad and I would sometimes go for walks in the early morning. He said we were picking mushrooms, but I don’t remember us actually picking many. I suspect that it was his cunning way of making time for us to be together.
On those walks, we used to see quite a bit of wildlife such as foxes, badgers, deer and rabbits — hundreds and hundreds of rabbits. I would chase them, and, of course, they would simply scatter ahead of me. I never got close. But, I do remember him telling me some time later that the secret of catching rabbits is to concentrate on one at a time.
Sometimes this applies to business too, especially as you take on a new role. It’s tempting to try and fix every problem, to make every improvement and to overcome every challenge all at once.
I recently counted that I had covered about 17 roles in my 28 years since leaving the university and would say that a few years ago my approach was just that — jump into a new job and watch the rabbits scatter before me. Eventually, I would come to grips with the role, but after I had caused confusion, inadvertently upset some people and made lots of changes, often the wrong ones.
I remember joking a few years ago with my then-teenage son Andrew that we would be cancelling our Internet service because we didn’t need it as he appeared to know everything. Andrew is now 25 and is humble and hardworking. Like his father before him, he is realising that the more you learn, the more you understand just how little you know.
So, going into a new role for me is all about listening and learning — taking the time to understand the issues, getting to know the people, appreciating the history and, ultimately, choosing which rabbits to pursue in which order.
When I assumed the role of CEO at Wood Group, I was asked what my strategy would be for the business. Luckily, I had worked in the business for 18 months, so I was able to say that my focus areas would be Core Values and collaboration. I didn’t have a fully formed strategy because I didn’t really understand the role in-depth. In fact, it was nearly a year before I was ready to set out any form of strategy.
It takes time to get to know people — to understand their style, their motivators, their fears and aspirations.
It takes time to understand business issues beyond the superficial — to get into the detail and to ask the silly questions that you are allowed to ask when taking on a new role.
It takes time to recognise the significance of different parts of the role and where you can have the biggest impact. Often, the obvious answer is the wrong one. It takes time and experience to realise this.
Sometimes, change needs to be a big deal. Sometimes, several small steps can achieve the same thing. The secret is to make the change without interrupting the business and to make sure your people are included.
If no one is following, it’s a fair bet that you are not really leading!
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