Five Tasks Great Leaders Get Right

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK: Visit www.stephenrgraves.com/fivetasks to download your free copy of The Five Tasks: What Every Senior Leader Needs to Do! by Dr. Stephen R. Graves.


Steve Graves knows what separates an average leader from a great leader. After decades advising business leaders and writing a dozen books, he recently shared his insights with Richard Ellis on the Some Goodness podcast. His message? Stop spreading yourself thin. Focus on five essential tasks.

 

The Power of Setting Direction

"Most organizations have a direction," Graves told Ellis. "But having one and setting one are completely different things."

Think about sticking a post in concrete. You can drop it in loosely, or you can set it properly so it stands firm against any pressure. That's the difference between having these elements and truly setting them.

 

Slow Down to Speed Up

Remember when Amazon felt unstoppable? Walmart unbeatable? Here's what Graves pointed out: even these giants don't control market speed. They just learn to work with it.

He shared a story that stuck with us. A CEO running a $300 million company made a call that seemed crazy at the time - he hit the brakes. Not forever, just 18 months. Long enough to strengthen their team and rebuild their culture. Today? They're worth $500 million and still growing.

 

The Hidden Risk

The risks of leadership are many...market shifts, . But Graves sees another danger lurking: life balance.

Picture this: You're a CEO with three young kids. A massive opportunity opens in Asia. The numbers look great. But seizing it means 18 months of constant travel. What's the real cost?

"Have you talked to your wife and kids about what this decision means?" Graves asked one such CEO. Smart leaders plan for financial risks. Great ones plan for personal ones too.

 

Authentic Culture

Walk into most offices and you'll see values plastered on walls. But Graves cuts through that: "Culture is what you do and what you allow."

Let toxic competition fester? That's your culture. Watch team members undermine each other? Also your culture. Pretty posters don't matter nearly as much as what plays out Monday through Friday.

 

Making It Real

Want to put these ideas to work? Start here:

  • Get your principles down on paper

  • Catch people living your values

  • Deal with problems privately, quickly

  • Help people understand the values before expecting them to live them

 

Getting to Better

Leading well doesn't mean doing everything. Actually, Graves pushes leaders to hand off more work. Your job? Focus on those five tasks: setting direction, speed, risk, resources, and culture.

No silver bullets here. Just clear thinking about what matters most. Graves doesn't pretend to have all the answers. He just helps leaders ask better questions.

Hungry for more? Check out the full conversation with Steve Graves on the Some Goodness podcast.

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