The Future has already happened

By Kayode Olufemi-Ayoola

Progressively, our economic cum business environment has grown more volatile, complex and largely
unpredictable.

Peter Drucker, the guru of management said, In human affairs it is pointless to try to predict the
future but it is possible and fruitful to identify major events that have already happened and that
will have predictable effects in the next decade or two, in order words, to identify and prepare for the
future that has already happened and to develop a methodology for perceiving and analyzing these
changes this is the most important job of the executive

This suggests that the future is already captured in its embryonic form through current unfolding
realities groundbreaking technological innovations, shifting work cultures, changing demographics in
the workplace, the effect of both local and global changes on businesses the question dear executive
is, how is your organization responding to the future that now is?

Framed differently, how can todays business leaders ride the waves of change successfully? A single
business leader can only do so much, but the effect of what a leader does can result in a significant
multiplier effect organization-wide when the focus is on the development of leaders who can identify
and prepare for the future that has already happened across every level of the organization.

Achieving this objective, calls for a paradigm shift in the C-suite. Specifically, it calls for a need to balance
the roles of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), with that of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
The functional oversight of the latter is often viewed as a Cost Centre, while the former is typically
perceived as a Profit Centre. The CFO reports on current financial business realities while the CHRO
creates the future. Thus the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), must also be the top human resources leader
in the organization ensuring that the right fit of his core team is achieved, and that round pegs are
placed in round holes. Developing and modeling effective leadership practices through stretch and
support assignments, projects, executive coaching and mentoring facilitates the ease of replication of
desirable business skill sets down the chain of command, ultimately engaging the mind of organizational
members towards building a culture which aligns with future business realities.

My suggestions

1. Recent research by the Center for Creative Leadership tell us that, executives develop fastest
when they feel responsible for their own progress; the current model encourages people to
believe that someone else is responsible for their development human resources, their
manager or trainer. We will need to help people out of the passenger seat and into the driver
seat of their own development.
2. Theres a dire need by managers to focus on both performance and development in every
performance cycle or during moment of truth conversations with direct reports; utilizing
 stretch and support methodologies to grow their reports to become executives who are
prepared to handle the future that has already happened. Stretching them out of their comfort
zones and also supporting reports through challenging job assignments so that on-the-job
development can become a pattern in organizations.

Coaching now is part of standard leadership development training for elite executives and
talented up and comers at IBM, Motorola, JP Morgan, Chase and Hewlet Packard etc. These
companies are discreetly giving their best prospects what star athletes have long had - a
trusted advisor to help reach their goals CNN.com

3. Theres also the need to engage internal and external coaches to scale up significantly the
leadership effectiveness of senior leaders. Coaches provide structure, guidance, support and
accountability so as to diffuse the fixation on results at the expense of personal/ corporate
values.

I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities
Bob Nardelli, former CEO Home Depot

4. Finally, It high time Nigerian organizations build companies which live beyond the personalities
of the founder this, in my opinion is true nation building.

My coaching philosophy
My coaching approach is premised on the belief that its what we least want to hear, most need
to know, but least likely to be told, and need the most that hold us back from achieving the
extraordinary. Therefore, I integrate in-depth diagnostic assessments (psychometrics and inner
core values evaluations), with outside-in tools like 360 degree surveys and behavioral interviews
to position the leader on his authentic leadership journey, working closely with the Coachees
Stakeholders and Sponsoring team to determine leadership growth areas in order to support the
achievement of measurable changes in behavior.