Successful Leaders Scope the Big Picture and Sweat the Details
– Musings of Dr. Jamie C. Hsu, 9.11.2016
What do leaders do and where do they put their priorities? Is setting the right strategic direction more important than operational excellence, or vice versa? Numerous case studies of both successful and failed companies would tell you that both are essential.
We have seen too many street corner drugstores disappear over the last decades. These stores are all customer-focused, cost-conscious, and efficient, but they were wiped out by the tsunami of mega drugstore chains and supermarkets. They missed the big picture of mega trends. The same can be said about DVD rental stores, local newspapers, and photo film companies. They were all victims of a digital revolution.
On the other hand, some hot and well-established companies can go down the drain due to cash flow problems, poor debt management, employee fraud, defective products, or regulatory violations. Recent auto industry labor disputes, recalls and scandals have totally shifted the landscape of the US Big 3 and the global Big 6.
As a leader, one must tune the antennas to receive all signals, be open to all ideas and viewpoints, and keep an eye on every detail in the company. To simultaneously scope the big picture and sweat the details may not be easy, but that is what every leader must do to excel.
想當大頭目？要懂得“大處著眼 小處著手“
– 許俊宸博士
-中譯 薛乃綺
當個領到者要做什麼？什麼是他們的優先順序？是訂定對的策略方向重要、還是建立優勝的營運模式？許多的個案研究顯示，不論是成功或失敗的公司，上面兩個項目都一樣重要的因素。
過去幾十年，我們已經看過許多原本在街角的西藥房消失不見；這些店家都是客戶導向、具備成本意識，且有效率的，但仍然無法逃過被大型連鎖藥妝店或超市所淹沒。原因在於，他們錯過了整個大環境的趨勢。同樣的情形，也出現在DVD影片出租店、地方報社、傳統錄像攝影店。他們都可以說是數位化潮流下的受害者。
另一方面，有些原本體制完善的公司，卻因為金流問題、債務管理不善、員工詐欺、產品召回、甚至是違法行為等原因，整個企業付諸東流。先前發生在美國三大車廠與全球六大車廠的勞資糾紛、召回與醜聞，更讓整個企業形象被完成改觀。
作為一個領導者，必須要隨時保持”眼觀四面、耳聽八方”、對於所有的意見亦能抱持開放的觀點，並且留意公司的任何細節。要同時能著眼大處、又要著手小處確實不容易；但這是每個領導者必須自我訓練的功課。
