Prepare to be pushed!

PREPARE TO BE PUSHED

I chair a T.E.C. Group and we are looking for a few good business leaders to join our team.

This is not a social club. It is challenging; it is personal; it is hard work!

Our group comprises non-competitive CEOs and Presidents of both private and publicly traded organizations with a passion for business and leadership excellence.  Member companies are found listed in the top 250 companies on the 2015 ROB Top 1000, in the top 1/3 of 2015 Profit 500, in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ and have been finalists in Ernst Young’s “Entrepreneur of The Year Awards” programs for 2014 and 2015.

Joining the T.E.C. Group has enabled the leaders of these organizations, as a team, to share their drive and commitment to enrich each other’s ability to achieve their individual business, professional and personal goals. Members act as a private board of trusted advisors with no agendas other than helping each other share best practices, solve management issues, make better decisions and improve leadership skills.

• This group represents broad industry backgrounds and experience including automotive, construction, business services, retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, distribution, real estate development, architecture, interior design, finance, franchising and technology.
• Member organizations have combined revenues of approximately $4.0 billion and more than 5,000 employees.
• Member CEOs/Presidents operate globally with sales and marketing offices, operations, clients and suppliers in Canada, US, numerous EU countries, Asia, South Africa and Middle East.
• The group holds monthly advisory board executive sessions  during which the team processes issues and opportunities involving leadership challenges, branding and marketing , new business launches, financial re-organization, global expansion, organizational development, senior level staffing and reorganization, retail strategy, manufacturing, board strategy and management.
• Eight times a year the group benefits from workshops with experts covering a wide range of issues and topics.
• Monthly 1-2-1 private sessions are held between the Chair and each member focusing on business and personal growth.
• Members have access to an online best practices library, member conferences and a network of more than 1,100 Canadian and 20,000 global business leaders.

Members comment on how “loneliness-at-the-top” has been eradicated and how “stress reducing” it is to be part of a group of liked-minded leaders with whom they can share and discuss matters that normally they would need to deal with in relative isolation. They are experiencing the quality of their decisions, strategies and overall problem solving noticeably improving. Access to fresh thinking and challenging conversations with peers is enhancing their personal effectiveness. 

Joining T.E.C. is by invitation only. 

If you think it is for you let’s talk & see if it’s a fit.

 Contact: 

Dick Peters

Chair – The Executive Committee

TEC Canada

(416) 471-1956

rpeters@tec-canada.com

TEC Canada Gives You Access To Over 19,000 CEOs and Presidents Globally!

Being a TEC Canada member gives you access to over 19,000 CEOs and Presidents globally

TEC Canada members (www.tec-canada.com) have access to join Vistage Networks, a way to connect with a worldwide network of over 19,000 CEOs and Presidents around shared industries & interests.

Looking to connect with CEOs and Presidents whose shared industries and interests directly align with your own? 

Discover how joining TEC Canada and gaining access to Vistage Networks can strengthen your business and provide new ways to connect with the greater global Vistage community. www.vistage.com/networks.

 TEC Canada could be a great fit for you, I would like to discuss it with you.

Dick Peters, 

Chair, TEC Canada

Direct: (416) 471-1956

E-mail: rpeters@tec-canada.com

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Eight Clear Signs It's Time To Make A Leadership Change

I was recently invited to meet with an organization whose leadership wasted my time. An established, well-known company wanted to form a partnership with my organization.   They had claimed to conduct their due diligence and their top leadership was in attendance.   Much to my disappointment, not only were they looking to steal my ideas, but they were extremely inconsiderate in their approach and style.   I wasn’t overly disappointed because this type of behavior happens more often than not these days – as organizations attempt to copy-cat in acts of desperation to cultivate growth.

It was a shame to observe a well-respected company with such disingenuous leadership.    It was uncomfortable to see the body language of embarrassment from the meeting organizer   in response to the immaturity from his senior leadership.   Desperation, disorganization and hidden agendas are clear signs of leadership immaturity and they were all present in this meeting.   Is this organization at risk of losing its market leadership position? Is it time for a leadership change?

Many leaders today don’t belong in leadership positions anymore.   The success factors for leadership have changed drastically because of the demands of a new global marketplace.  It’s not only about evaluating the charts, graphs and the numbers – it’s much more than that now.   Leadership has become more instinctual and requires broadened observation to connect the dots and understand the patterns of performance probability about the business, its people, its clients and the marketplace it competes in – simultaneously.

Mature leaders have a great feel – a sixth sense of the pulse – for what’s going on around them and as such they are expert decision makers.  They can anticipate crisis and manage change before circumstances force their hand.  They are passionate explorers in pursuit of excellence who can enable endless possibilities in their organization’s talent pool and corporate strategies.   Leaders in today’s uncertain times must be much more entrepreneurial to maximize their time, resources and money.   Equally, they must have a generous purpose where they treat their clients, employees, and partners like family.   Finally, today’s leaders must embrace their cultural promise and lead to leave a legacy not only of success, but of long-lasting significance. The organization they serve must be able to seamlessly reinvent itself long before they retire or pursue another career.

Leadership isn’t easy and it’s clearly not for everyone.   During my aforementioned meeting, the company’s leadership was selfish, indecisive and lacked strategic focus.   They knew somewhat what they wanted to achieve, but didn’t know how to go about it or the required resources to accomplish their goals.  They acted as if the long-storied history of their brand gave them a sense of entitlement.   This leadership immaturity reminded me of why so many businesses continue to encounter such difficulty in cultivating real incremental growth and thus find themselves in the trap of losing sales dollars to their competitors.

The company I met with took their organization’s historical success for granted.   Unless they change their leadership and begin to reinvent themselves quickly, they will become vulnerable to losing the market share, profitability and momentum that they have worked so hard to achieve.

Leadership is what defines a company’s success and long-term sustainability.    Just ask Blockbuster, Blackberry and MySpace.   Their leadership obviously didn’t think, act and innovate enough to anticipate and keep up with the leadership activities that were taking place at Netflix, Apple, and Facebook.  It’s like continuing to sell traditional plain yogurt, while consumers are hungry for the better taste and benefits of Greek-style yogurt.

Just because you are a great sales person, doesn’t mean you are necessarily capable of being an effective leader.   It was evident that I was in a meeting with a group of great sales people who were trying to be great leaders.  But great leaders are born to lead, no explanation is required.  Finding a great leader is the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack.   Instead of reducing a leadership candidate to their resume and the B-school they may have attended, evaluate their survival, renewal and reinvention capabilities.    Great leaders think like immigrants.   Perhaps this explains why 40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.

Leadership is about seamlessly being able to reinvent yourself, your organization and the people who serve it – all at the same time.  If you or your organization’s leaders lack this ability – it’s time for a refresh.

Don’t wait too long to make a leadership change in your organization; here are eight clear signs that it’s time:

1.  Style and Approach  Are Outdated
When a leader’s style and approach are outdated, their teams and colleagues stop responding.  They are no longer inspired and motivated to follow their leaders because they have stopped learning and growing.   This is what happens when leaders stop reinventing themselves; as a result, they expose their complacency, bad decision-making and lack of any real effort to invest in themselves.

In today’s fast-paced, highly competitive global marketplace, leaders can no longer wait for their organizations to invest in the development of their skills and competency.   The most effective leaders know this, including those in your own organization.   If you begin to notice that your leaders are operating on cruise-control, they are being irresponsible to the organization and the people they serve.

2.  Entitlement
When leaders begin to act as if someone owes them something – this is a sign that they are power hungry.  Entitlement is a sign of desperation and victimization.  Leaders that lose the respect of their team and colleagues eventually assume a “woe is me” mentality.   When leaders feel entitled, they are threatened by any perceived slight or loss.

One of the senior leaders in the room during the aforementioned meeting requested that someone from my organization send an email explaining why they should consider a partnership – when in fact it was they who had requested the meeting to explore a partnership in the first place.   This was an early warning sign that this particular leader was threatened and was looking out for himself rather than the betterment of the organization he was there to serve.

 3.  Disrespectful
When leaders are rude and disrespectful, this is a sign of weakness and an indicator that they are trying to make themselves feel more important.  In many cases it means that they are threatened by you.   Many old-school/traditional leaders still think that the power and influence that comes from a leadership position allows them to treat others any way they want.   It’s as if they have given themselves permission to mistreat others.

The 21^st century leader knows that regardless of the circumstances, you respect and treat others fairly and always with a sense of class – this is what gives you executive presence.

4.  Selfish
When a leader is only interested in themselves over their company needs, this is a no-win situation.  These leaders are not looking for partnerships or other ways forward for the betterment of a healthier whole – they are only looking out for themselves. At best, a relationship with this type of leader will be short-lived and a waste of time.  For example, during my meeting, one of the senior leaders pointedly demanded a copy of my intellectual property without signing a non-disclosure agreement and specifically said that they wanted to evaluate how it could make them money.   I could have walked out of the meeting, but instead I was interested in seeing if they would dig themselves any deeper – and further expose their vulnerability and lack of professionalism.

In today’s marketplace, you must be a collaborative leader that is looking out for everyone’s best interests.   To avoid the selfish leader, don’t be afraid to ask them about their specific intentions (on the front end of a discussion or meeting). If they are not interested in being true collaborators, the relationship is heading nowhere.

5.  Disorganized
When you ask a leader what their goals and objectives are and they begin to fumble their response, this is a sign that they are unprepared and disorganized.   Their lack of preparation exposes their disorganization.   The most effective leaders are always prepared and anticipate the unexpected.  They never enter a meeting or potential new relationship without organization of thought and clarity of purpose.

When you see a leader that is disorganized, don’t waste your time. In fact, it’s best to respectfully end the meeting so as not to further expose the leader’s weaknesses, especially in front of their own team.

6.  Desperate
When leaders become desperate, it’s a sign that they have lost the competitive edge they once had.  They become desperate because the marketplace is passing them by.  Desperation is a cry for help because they lack mental toughness.

With desperation comes aggravation and eventually disruptive behavior in front of  clients and colleagues. Your organization doesn’t need a desperate leader disrupting momentum and the workplace culture.

Desperate leaders may make sweeping generalizations, assumptions, and inappropriate requests.  You know when you are around these leaders because they are always looking for attention and desperate to be heard.  The louder, the more desperate.

7.  Indecisive
Employees will tell you that they find it extremely frustrating to work for an indecisive leader.   Leaders are paid to make countless decisions a day.  When leaders become indecisive, it’s a sign that they are losing their self-trust and are growing uncertain with themselves and their capabilities.   Along the way they are losing the respect of their employees and colleagues.

Indecisiveness is a trait most commonly found with leaders that can’t handle the pressure and no longer want to be accountable for assuming any risk.   Risk is a leader’s best friend and when risk becomes more of an enemy, perhaps it is time for them to reconsider their leadership role and ultimate career path.

 8.  Lack Strategic Focus
When a leader is distracted, it is impossible to have strategic focus.  Leaders that lack strategic focus see through a blurry lens. They are not clear with their goals and are unable to connect the dots.    They find it difficult to see and seize opportunities and can no longer influence growth and innovation.   They become shallow in thought and have the tendency to get caught up in the politics and the noise that surrounds them.

You can detect a leader without strategic focus because they are unable to identify the opportunities, strategies and talent of greatest potential.   They lack the laser beam focus and hunger  required to maximize the talent of their people, the organization’s resources, its brand and their overall capabilities.   They  have tunnel vision where they can only see what is in front of them – not around, beneath and beyond what they seek in order to find the best outcomes for their people and organization.

Take a moment to evaluate your own leadership performance and that of the other leaders within your organization.   Do any of these warning signs sound familiar or apply?  At what level of leadership effectiveness is your organization running at?   Carefully observe and gauge their leadership intentions.

We are transitioning from a knowledge-based to a wisdom-based economy.  It’s no longer just about what you know but what you do with what you know.  Do the greatest leaders have all of the answers?  No.  Are they gifted enough to know how to assemble the right people and resources to discover the right answers? Yes! You know it’s time for a leadership change when you see one or more of these eight warning signs. People and organizations deserve the best leadership and it’s your responsibility to change it when it no longer works.

Leadership defines your fate and your future, whether it’s at work, home or amongst friends.    Leadership is packaged in many different forms but one thing is constant:  leaders see what others don’t, do what others won’t and keep pushing when prudence says quit.

 

Glenn Llopis

ELEVATING GTA’S BUSINESS LEADERS’ COMMUNITY

"What do you want to be remembered for? It is a question that induces you to renew yourself, because it pushes you to see yourself as a different person - the person you can become" - Peter Drucker

ELEVATING GTA’S BUSINESS LEADERS’ COMMUNITY

DICK PETERS TO LAUNCH GTA’S NEWEST TEC EXECUTIVE GROUP

TORONTO, ONTARIO (January 16, 2014) – Seasoned Toronto business executive Richard (Dick) Peters (http://ca.linkedin.com/in/richardpeters2/)– President and founder of consulting firm Leader Logic Ltd. – will launch an exclusive learning-oriented peer group for growth-focused business leaders in early 2014.

As a group Chair for The Executive Committee (TEC Canada), Peters will mentor and facilitate the personal and professional growth of a select group of business leaders.

Experience in a wide variety of senior corporate leadership roles, as well as an entrepreneurial and consulting background, have given Dick Peters a reputation for team-building, creative risk-taking and a capacity for making the challenging decisions associated with disruptive change. These traits dovetail perfectly with his new role of TEC Chair.

“My role within TEC is to create a community where leaders flourish,” Peters explains, “a community in which leaders increase their personal effectiveness through fresh thinking and challenging conversations with their peers.” He continues, “A TEC group is not a social club. Members join to enhance their businesses and their personal performance. This new group will comprise non-competitive CEOs, Presidents, business owners and individuals who run companies. Members will act as a private board of trusted advisors with no agendas other than helping each other share best practices, solve management issues, make better decisions and improve leadership skills. Research shows that TEC members outperform non-members by a wide margin.”

Dean Chudleigh, President, Chudleigh’s Limited, a TEC member since 2004, shared, “I attribute a great deal of my company’s success to our membership in TEC. Every month I leave with solid ideas that I can put into action right away. I can’t imagine not being a member.”

The TEC community in Ontario is strong with 284 members across 24 different groups, yet TEC Canada President, Catherine Osler confirms there is still room for growth. “The GTA has a vibrant and healthy business community full of leaders eager to learn and grow. With the addition of Dick Peters’ new group, TEC is in an excellent position to support further growth and development of leaders in the region.”

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For more information, on becoming a member of this new TEC Group please contact:


Dick Peters                                                       Tammy Schuiling
Chair TEC-Canada                                              Marketing Communications Manager, 
RPeters@tec-canada.com                                TEC Canada(416) 471-1956                                                    tschuiling@tec-canada.com
                                                                         (403) 800-5519

About TEC Canada:
TEC Canada is the pre-eminent member-based leadership development organization in Canada. Our membership base is comprised of nearly 1000 top business leaders from across Canada, representing more than $54 billion dollars in annual revenue and over 105,000 employees. Through our affiliate, Vistage International, TEC is part of a powerful global network of over 18,000 members which provides members unparalleled access to global business resources and the intellectual capital of like-minded passionate and experienced business leaders from around the world. For more information visit www.tec-canada.com.