Beach Bum Managers Sink American Productivity

Beach Bum Managers Sink American Productivity

Date:8/14/2009 1:12:00 AM

CHICAGO, Aug. 13 // -- Corporate America beware: beach bums may not just be soaking up surf and sun this summer. They may be ineffective managers silently sinking your organization's productivity.

A new study of 154 companies conducted by Harris Interactive found that only 3 out of every 10 managers are strategic. But the need for strategic leaders was recently evidenced by research from CEO Magazine showing that strategic thinking is the #1 most valued skill in leaders today.

In his newly released book, Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing your Resources and Taking Smart Action (Greenleaf, August, 2009), Professor Rich Horwath classifies managers as one of four types of strategic thinkers:

Beach Bums: This type of manager sits around wasting their time and other's time. On average 9% of managers are Beach Bums.

Snorkelers: These managers are only able to skim the surface of business issues, offering reactive, short-term, tactical fixes. Research shows that 26% of managers are Snorkelers.

Scuba Divers: This type of manager can produce solutions but requires instruction and assistance to do so. Only 32% of managers are classified as Scuba Divers.

Free Divers: These are the strategic leaders that are able to continuously come up with the big ideas that move the business forward. On average, only three of every ten managers are Free Divers.

In order for managers to become strategic leaders for their organization, Horwath suggests they follow the three A's of strategy:

Acumen--new growth comes from new thinking. Use business models to visualize new ideas that generate solutions to your most pressing issues.

Allocation--success depends as much on what a manager chooses not to do as it does on what they do. Create a "not-to-do" list that identifies where you won't spend your time and talents, allowing greater focus on the important areas.

Action--build the discipline to focus on your important business issues, not just the emails popping up on your Blackberry. Design a 1-2 page blueprint that outlines your action plan and keeps you from drifting off course during the year.

With summer coming to a close, how many beach bums are seeking shade in your cubicles?

See Horwath's innovative blog, Strategy Espresso, here - http://richhorwath.wordpress.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rich Horwath is founder and president of the Strategic Thinking Institute and professor of strategy at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. His company site is http://www.strategyskills.com