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‘Detail’ is Necessary for Leaders

Steve Jobs: one of the most respected visionaries today, even after his recent death . His fundamental trait and perhaps one that contributed to his success as a leader was his close attention to detail. Check this out. A slight inconsistency to the ‘o’ in the Google icon on the iPhone bothered him. And he calls an ‘engineer’ to solve the problem. He (a leader) does not call the CEO or Vice President or Project Manager or another leader, he calls the engineer.

Lessons Learned

I derive a few lessons from this:

1. Detail does matter and

2. Get to the bottom of the problem

First, as a leader, if you do not understand the roots of a problem at your company, how can you envision strategies that are to transform the way you’re doing business?

Let me give you an example in Project Management.

You as a leader realize your company is spending more than it’s generating. You call up the VP of Finance and Accounting who then asks for detailed reports from his staff to explain the situation. A close examination of these reports by the VP of Finance reveals many projects are over-budget. A good and well-organized high-level presentation is then shared with the company leader who then gives directions to make sure those projects are closely monitored and to prevent such situations from re-occurring.

Has the problem been solved? Unlikely. Six months go by and the same problem resurfaces.

In this particular case, the leader gives directions to deal with problems as they become apparent whereas he should have been looking into prevention strategies. The questions he should ask are:

1. What types of Project Management processes (if any) does our organization follow?

2. Is there any centralized office that handles and monitors these types of situations? If yes, what are its directions? If there isn’t, then how can we deal with these situations?

3. What types of communication methods and channels is the company using to make sure all its leaders are well-informed of key matters?

Every company leader should understand the importance of instituting a standard Project Management methodology and standardized processes and that such processes must be followed by every person at that company (including all executives). Giving directions to subordinates to solve problems without actively following up on the methods used will not necessarily lead to sustainable solutions. Also by focusing on problem roots and causes, an effective leader introduces and implements standard Project Management Methodology at the company or forms a Project Management Office (PMO) to centralize and control all project-related issues. The PMO can then implement project tools to make sure project information is readily available to management and leadership through available communication channels.

Second, as a company leader, it is sometimes faster to deal with a problem directly by calling the person involved. It is only then that you get a good picture of the matter at hand and not a tainted and ‘gray’ description of the matter through the different positions that sit in between. After all, it is important that the problem is identified and dealt with speedily and without any unnecessary delays. Many times the solution is sitting right at the bottom of the corporate ladder and it is the executive involved that has a direct reach to it. Work through designated channels and prepare for a long wait before an answer is given.