|
 The
questions often raised in case of sick companies is: what is the
most appropriate style of leadership for such a company? Do turnaround
situations need a model that is different from those existing in
successful organisations?
In an effort to answer these questions, I came
across a statement made by Melvin R. Goods, the Chairman and CEO
of the US-based Warner-Lambert Company. Goods said: ''In the three
years from 1942 to 1945, General George S. Patton won a war on the
slogan of 'Speed, Simplicity and Boldness'. In the three years from
1995 to 1998, using the same slogan, Warner-Lambert went from a
company described as 'amongst the walking dead of the pharmaceutical
industry' to an enterprise ranked with the world's top 50 firms
in terms of market value.''
Strategies need to have
these three elements-speed, simplicity, and boldness-in order to
be successful. The chief executive will be under pressure to act
quickly; he will have to work with a less than perfect organisation
that will be more comfortable with simple solutions; and he will
have to take some bold turnaround decisions.
But Patton epitomised the command-and-control
culture in a unit. Is it therefore an endorsement of his style of
leadership? For many, including me, Patton is George C. Scott in
the stirring opening scene of the film 'Patton' delivering his legendary
speech. It has not stopped ringing in my ears, simply because he
turned conventional wisdom on its head when he began by saying:
''Nobody ever won a war dying for his country. He won it by making
the other person die for his country.''
Politically incorrect? Perhaps. But on second
thoughts, I could not help appreciating Patton's unique interpretation
of the command-and-control style. Patton was as much a leader as
a team worker.
In one pithy sentence, the goal ceases to be
some hollow abstraction like 'glory' or 'sacrifice' and becomes
a practical, immediate and individual action plan. He gives the
soldiers an identity of the winner. He lays continuous emphasis
to his men that the army is a team. It wins because it lives, eats,
sleeps, and fights as a team and individuals do not exist in his
team.
Standard clichés like 'I have confidence
in you' or 'I believe you can do this' don't fit into his way of
thinking, which is another aspect of the Patton-style of leadership.
Instead, the leader says: ''I can assure you that you will all do
your duty.'' Success to him is an inevitability. The reward he dangles
is graphic, and as far away from an ESOP as possible. ''Years from
now when your grandson asks what did you do, you won't have to squirm
and say: I shovelled dirt in Louisiana.'' Finally, he says: ''I'll
be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle, anywhere, anytime.''
He will be there in the thick of action and not isolated in an ivory
tower.
Responding to objections raised by one of his
colonels on the sagacity of crossing the river at one point marked
by him on a map when there was a lack of adequate knowledge about
the terrain, Patton said patting his thigh: ''Take a look at my
pants, that's how high the water is.'' The enduring message that
he sends across is one of preparation, teamwork, pride, motivation,
and discipline. Patton had the ability to reduce complex tasks to
their essence, and then focus all his resources on that essence.
Simply put, he said: ''If you put all the pieces in place and give
people every opportunity to succeed, they will. Give people goals
they can understand, they will meet them. Set the bar high and people
will raise themselves and meet it.''
If one wants do a Patton to revive the ailing
organisation, he should by all means opt for the command-and-control
model of leadership, and let critics be damned.
|
