Despite all safeguards, Organisations may still end up with incompetent leadership that may inadvertantly have escaped thru assessment cracks escaping detection. This includes wrong internal candidates promoted to higher role under the belief that he/ she can perform.
Organizations thus need to safeguard themselves from such incompetent leadership by installing early detection systems to raise alarms should such a situation arise. The impact of disastrous decisions taken by an incompetent leader at the top is colossal. Organization's need to be alert. They cannot afford impact and thus need to marginalize it.
Some strategies that could help such an organisational peril includes :
- Appointing a Senior Director as buddy to not only anchor the orientation program for the new leader but who actually is mandated with the task of observations and early performance surveillance. This includes establishing process for alert systems' feedback on the new incumbent's performance.
- Setting clear goals and objectives with defined KPIs for the leader rather early into the role with mechanism for periodic performance evaluations.
- Engaging an active and independent Board of Directors for a board oversight of leadership performance.
- Invest in suitable leadership development programs to enhance missing leadership skills if early detected.
- Establish 'accountability' mechanisms to address failures and remove ineffective leaders before they cast unbearable damages.
- Double errors are deep disasters. You may seek external guidance from experts or consultants to handle the situation delicately, efficiently and professionally.
Organization need to invest in strategies that mitigate the risk of incompetent leadership inadvertantly permeating through its strong 'Selection Screens' by continuously engaging themselves in fostering effective leadership that drives organizational success.
The Board role does not end with putting a 'tick mark' on the chore of selecting a leader in the diary of the Board Directors. The Board cannot escape accountability for its wrong leadership hire. But worse than that for also being unable to early detect its error and thus limit the damage.
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