Why Senior Leaders Are Still So Valuable

All too often, business powers forward, through meeting after meeting, with employees doing their jobs the way they have always done them, giving little thought to the future. While this strategy meets deadlines, it does not allow for progress or vision in the workplace. Perhaps surprisingly, senior leaders are the answer to the problem of the "same old thing" because of the perspective and vision they bring to the workplace.

Senior Leaders Focus on the Big Picture

Senior leaders bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the job every day. While middle management and new hires face new challenges and sometimes have to scramble to figure out how to overcome them, the senior folk in your company have seen it all. They have a level of competency and skill that must be tapped for the company to move forward.

Senior leadership should put this valuable experience to work designing the company's big-picture strategy. They should deal with issues such as structural reorganization or introduction of new business lines rather than monthly reports and minor improvements. Do not assume that because they know a lot about the past, that is where their focus lies. Senior leaders are best equipped to look to the future of your company and to get it where it needs to go.

Senior Leaders Train the Future

Not only do senior leaders look to the future, but they also help create it by training the next generation of leaders. A wise company taps into the crucial insights of its senior leadership by pairing them with the up-and-coming managers and leaders to train and encourage decision-makers. Middle managers and new hires should look for mentorship from senior leaders, and those with valuable experience should include the next generation in strategic discussions and be prepared to train their own eventual replacements.

Senior Leaders Know How to Deal With the Tough Stuff

When a crisis hits a company, all too often the general reaction is to hunker down and plow forward without discussing or dealing with the real problem. Senior leaders, however, have dealt with all sorts of crises and often have the courage to talk about the thing no one else wants to deal with, whether it is negative customer feedback, an under-performing division or a lack of trust among employees. A company that allows problems to fester and go undiscussed cannot grow. Look to your senior leaders to break through stalemates and fear to find solutions when things get tough.

In a society that all too often values that which is new and fresh, it is easy to diminish the value of senior leaders. By tapping into their experience, wisdom and value, your company can leverage the lessons of the past to create a prosperous and exciting future.

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