David Crabb - The Magic Formula: The ramblings of a madman or sound Leadership guidance

Themagic formula

Business challenges fallinto similar categories, which are usually specific to the business inquestion, regardless of its industry. Rarely does the opportunity arise whereone can simply copy and paste exact strategies from one business to another. Recently,someone asked, You must have a template to put in place by now? Like a recipe,something the next person can copy and replicate to get a guaranteed outcome. Ah,like a cake mix with instructions? I returned.

As a qualified researchchemist, repetition of basic processes is something I am quite familiar with,adopting minor variances along the way to achieve the desired outcome. Creatinga business turnaround template is not quite the same thing, and it is not aneasy task. If it were, surely someone far more enterprising than myself wouldhave patented it by now, and retired early with the respect of thousands offans, along with the admiration and lifelong friendship of their wealthadviser.

In my IT business, one ofthe core messages to our clients is that, regardless of size, sector orgeographic location, businesses face similar challenges. These types ofchallenges can be overcome with technical solutions, which has proven to be thecase.

Every business, howeversimilar on the surface, is unique. Its turnaround journey will differ from thenext. However, there is a major variable, one that cannot be predicted infinite terms. Something integral but often ignored in the aspect of businessturnaround: its people.

Every section in thisbook will focus on people in some form or another. I make no excuses for thisoverlap, repetition or predictability.

So, no shockannouncements. In the sections that follow, there will be a strong emphasis onthe importance of people as it is these people who represent the biggestvariable and highest common denominator, combined.

I typically liken a Companyto the shape of a hand please dont be alarmed, put the book back or ask fora refund just yet! The five digits represent five typical functions, and thepalm represents the people who hold everything together, without which the functionscould not exist.

The role of the Leader isoften misinterpreted, with most Leaders operating as specialists in one of the fivemain functional areas, rather than specialising in Leadership itself. Inreality, this is a role that requires its own focus, as we will go on to explore.

The Leader is responsiblefor pulling all the functions together, revolving around the people who makethe function happen. However, not everyone is perfectly suited to their function.This Leadership responsibility alone is a skill in itself. A skill that can be learnt.Although, being passionate about staff engagement is something that must befelt, believed in and practiced every day. It is not something that can betaught. I look forward to explaining this further as we go along, in my ownstrange, quirky style, and through real life stories.