Transformational leadership and execution, or transformational execution – why is a story alone not enough?

A year and a half ago, I rediscovered my passion for myself and my own wellbeing. I felt a strong inspiration to change and envisaged transforming myself from an overweight couch potato back into an athlete. It was clear to me that now was the time to undertake the 100 % transformative leadership exercise for a one-person organisation (i.e. me) from A to Z, with all the trimmings. Here’s the recipe:

• A generous helping of inspiring vision and a sense of purpose
• A touch of personal growth and a strong sense of autonomy
• Challenge your own beliefs, thoughts and ideas head-on
• Carefully build up personal attention and trust

Although I’d laid the groundwork for a proper hero’s journey, found a strong sense of purpose and even made my own transformation public (I told absolutely everyone on LinkedIn), I knew from the outset that these methods would get me started, but they wouldn’t take me all the way to the finish line. Because a real competitive advantage comes from the ability to turn inspiration and decisions into systematic, everyday actions. This is what I call execution capacity, which, incidentally, will determine whether the strategy comes to fruition!

What is executive function?

One way to approach execution is to consider the ability to translate strategy into consistent and even predictable actions. I myself have scheduled tennis training and gym sessions in my calendar well in advance, covering a period of up to a month.

Another way of looking at it is to think of execution as a team effort. After all, nothing can ultimately be achieved alone. You need friends to support you, because execution is a team effort within an organisation. I found myself some training partners. A good relationship with my doctor. Excellent coaches for both fitness and tennis. I was accountable to myself and to a large group of other people from many different backgrounds. I certainly wasn’t left on my own.

Thirdly, I would mention the list of requirements: a clear direction, the allocation and assumption of responsibility, the rhythm of leadership, and continuous monitoring. Execution isn’t just about getting things done – it’s also about the ability to make exactly the right things happen, even when no one is watching. I’ve had my share of weak moments, and on those occasions the greatest reward has come from the feeling that I had enough courage to stay on the path of change. Well done, Kole, and get back on your feet!

The formula for sustainable change

If you want to bring about lasting change, you need to understand the following formula: Transformative leadership × Executive capability = Sustainable change. I approached this myself, as part of my own transformation, from four different angles:

1. Keep the number of goals low, but make them clear

   My primary aim was to increase the amount of exercise I did and to lose weight. This created a positive cycle: as my weight dropped, the amount of exercise I did increased. As my exercise levels increased, the need to lose weight became even more significant. Now, 18 months later, this cycle has only accelerated. Of course, I no longer think of weight as an end in itself.

2. Rhythm

   Weekly progress tracking – the calendar was a great help here
   Visible scoreboard – The Garmin wrist computer provided a great dashboard showing the results and the ”hassle” involved”
   Continuous fine-tuning – I had to keep thinking about how to manage my energy levels so that I didn’t burn myself out

3. The responsibility lies with the individual

   Everyone has a goal and a sense of ownership. For my part, this meant that when my playing partner fell ill, I didn’t cancel our tennis session but went along to practise my serve and do some circuit training, because training sessions aren’t cancelled. Shared responsibility = no one’s responsibility

4. Performing under pressure – whether you’re having a bad day or riding the high of victory

   …Should I dare to prioritise?

   Quite a few times over the past 18 months, I’ve stuck to the exercise entry in my diary, even when all sorts of things have come up to take its place.

   …Do I dare say no?

   I’ve said ‘NO’ more often in the last 18 months than I did in the previous 50 years. It’s now crystal clear to me that if something doesn’t take me closer to my vision, I won’t do it.

   …Do I dare to change direction?

   I’m not afraid to make changes, but I won’t be swapping this story for another – instead, I’ll see it through to the end whilst developing my ability to get things done!

So what exactly is transformative implementation capacity?

To put it simply: transformational leadership without the ability to execute creates inspiration without results. The ability to execute without transformational leadership creates results without sustainability. True leadership arises from a combination of the two.

And this also applies to strategy: a good story sets change in motion, but it is the ability to execute that determines whether the strategy becomes a reality. That is why, as a leader, you need not only a vision but also the ability to deliver – without that, you end up with great plans but no great results.

If you’re interested in the subject, it’s worth reading up on the theory behind it, for example From Wikipedia That’s how it is for the time being.