The Executive Loop

I've been working towards an executive role for a while. There's been a lot of back and forth about what it means to be an executive. Then I stumbled across this post from Jade that lays it out:

The job of an executive follows a very simple algorithm:

1. Figure out what needs to happen.
2. Figure out how to make it happen.
3. Make it happen.

Good managers are directors are excellent at 2 and 3. Item number 1 is what differentiates executives.

Item 1 was a challenge for me personally, but Jade has me covered:

Learning this skill

1. This is leadership. People moving to exec roles are usually good at making stuff happen. But often they don’t know how to decide what should happen.
2. This is a skill, and you can build it. (It may look hard, but it just takes work and ideally a coach or mentor). I’ve coached many people on this, and it just takes time. Contact me if you’re interested.
3. I outline some ways I learned to get better at this in a separate blog post: leaders make their own problems.

Then Jade goes on to talk about the things that are required to be successful. This happens to be my superpower:

Usually there is a complex web of trade-offs, constraints, and roadblocks. Your job is to think deeply about each of these and become really clear on what the route should look like.

Then whatever you decide, you need to make it happen:

Then, you do whatever it takes to make the world bend to your will. You employ all of your intelligence. You look at the uncooperative, inertia-filled world and make your future happen.

This is firmly grounded in your understanding of what needs to happen. Having that certainty gives you immense power. Why? You’re grounded in the reality of the situation. How can details stop you when you know how the world needs to be?