At the Tip of the Spear

Welcome to that moment where leadership matters the most.

It cannot be lost on many these days that our world is evolving on multiple fronts at a rate we have not encountered in the past that most of us can remember. The word pandemic had become something reserved for hardcover dictionaries and encyclopedic reference until about a week ago. Then suddenly it sprang forth, from a town most of the world had probably never heard of and has created fear and uncertainty across the globe.

Novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19; it goes by a few names, but the message is still the same. Economic, political and health-related unrest that has countries and businesses around the globe racing to find a solution to a mounting issue. The response to such a crisis requires leadership that goes above and beyond the everyday hum drum requirements of the role of a leader. Around the globe people are coming to grips with the realities of the strengths and weaknesses of the people they look to lead them. In a time of crisis, some leaders are rising to the occasion and many are being exposed for lacking the qualities and know-how to guide their countries and companies through the storm.

As we publicly and privately assess the many people who are charged to lead, I find myself reflecting on a key leadership principle I have long subscribed to - Tip of the Spear Leadership. The tip of the spear refers to the focal point of the leadership process, the point at which the real action is taking place. If you are a VP of Sales it means being in front of customers, a COO needs to be working on the production line, a VP of Marketing needs to be speaking to consumers and customers directly, CFO's need to be in supplier meetings where pricing and payment terms are negotiated. For CEO's it means being able to listen to and hear the needs of employees and customers directly, so the message is not overly colored by the folks who report to them.

Now I know many are reading this and thinking that these leaders have teams of people they entrust to do this work and that being present in some situations may undermine those relationships and the employee's trust. Some would say good leaders empower their teams to do great work and others would suggest the best leaders should focus on higher level topics and should leave their teams to carry the ball on everyday events. All those suggestions fit into one managerial philosophy or another that surely have a book written to support them. Leadership is always situation driven and some of the alternative points of view are often the right path. But, as the world is now realizing, leaders who are too distant from the front lines often struggle to get up to speed quickly on key issues thus slowing the decision-making process. Further, they struggle to understand the impact of their decisions on the business and people around them when they do act.

So, when the challenges are toughest many leaders gravitate to one of two positions. Some go to the top of the hill and oversee the battle from a strategic high point and others advance to the front line to lead the response directly. Each leader has their own style at the point of crisis, but no matter their style at that moment, their past approach to leadership will likely determine their success. Being on the front lines, understanding their business at the executional level and knowing their company's real capabilities via a tip of the spear leadership style will greatly determine their ability to make accurate and proper decisions in a meaningful timeframe. Layers of functional specialists executing great strategies are at the ready and great leaders who are connected to the executional capabilities of their companies gain the best advantage deploying these resources if they have been at the tip of the spear.

As the literal idea suggests, being at the tip of the spear can be dangerous, after all, that is where the real battle is, but the best leaders know how to balance the risk and reward of the knowledge they gain. Additionally, I have always believed that employees want to know their leaders are capable and can demonstrate their know-how at every level. While most leaders work their way to the top doing the work they guide people in each day, it helps build confidence in their decision making when the team has seen them walk the walk. Being there when the customer rejection happens or when the consumer shares difficult feedback and demonstrating calm while creating a positive view of the response helps build team strength. Leading by example happens at the tip of the spear.

As we learn our way through the current crisis, we will all have a chance to lead and contribute at different moments. We will gain new knowledge and likely will find we have strengths we didn't know we had. We will all become leaders in our homes, communities and companies. We will all be at the tip of spear this time and what we learn about ourselves, teams and businesses as we find our way to a brighter day will help us prepared for a prosperous new future. While no one ever wants to find themselves or their businesses in peril, the best leaders will rise to this occasion and will lead from the knowledge they have gained to guide thing to a positive conclusion. As we go forward the best leaders will use this tip of the spear moment to build upon their assets and strengths as they prepare for future challenges.

I am taking this moment in time to practice the things I believe most strongly in and give my best to the situations I find myself in. I know I will learn more about being a leader, father, spouse and friend as we venture through this moment in time. How will you turn this moment into a positive opportunity for grow? Please share your experiences too.