 |
 |
> Strengths
“Unshakeable. Self-Reliant. Comfortable in the spotlight. Fond of the dramatic gesture. Impervious to criticism. Passionate about the big picture. The kind of person who bounds from project to project, embracing change as a way of life.”
The Wall Street Journal last week used these descriptors to lead off an article about Carly Fiorina’s recent exit from Hewlett Packard. While the Compaq acquisition takes center stage in the postmortem, Fiorina’s leadership challenges are the bigger story. Referring to Fiorina, Patricia Dunn vice chairman of H-P’s third largest shareholder, Barclay’s, said: “a new set of capabilities is called for”.
What capabilities is she referring to? Only the “insiders” really know for sure, but here are some thoughts.
- Every strength is also a weakness. As you read the glowing descriptors above, think about how each asset could also be a liability. They certainly can be and leaders need to understand, accept and account for this reality.
- Leaders need to balance personal strengths and weaknesses by surrounding themselves with people who are different. That means having strong empowered executives around us who will challenge our instincts and emotions. While this can be painful, it is liberating as well. Most importantly, it reduces mistakes.
- Know when to raise the flag. It is hard to admit you are in trouble when so much work, energy, and passion have been expended. In this case, the numbers appear to tell the story since most key financial projections were missed. Competitors like Dell were thriving while a “bad market” was used to rationalize the sub par performance. Hanging onto “your truth” when it doesn’t reflect reality hurts your credibility. Admitting you made a mistake builds credibility even if it costs you your job. Life will go on.
Many more lessons can be learned from this case study and many will be written. While the Compaq acquisition itself is incredibly interesting in light of the strategic issues, it always boils down to leadership….win or lose.
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS: To view the full document please fill out the form below and click on the "Submit" button. You will then be given a listing of available files to download.
*Indicates a required field. All information is for internal use only.
Would you be interested in getting the Timbre e-newsletter?
|