Four Ways Top-Performing Companies Stay Ahead of the Pack...Even in Tough Times

Online, November 6, 2012 (Newswire.com) - These are challenging times that test the competence and endurance of even the best companies. "Our research on how top-performing companies manage change and how they are able to execute strategies effectively reveals some interesting differences between companies that are able to weather an economic downturn and least successful companies," says Rick Lepsinger, president of OnPoint Consulting. Top-performing companies are characterized by cultures that are flexible, participative, and innovative-and they translate these cultural attributes through leader behavior.

"Leaders in top-performing companies are capable in four areas-managing paradoxes, leading change, participative leadership, and leading by example," reveals Lepsinger. It is critical that your leaders have mastered the following skills:

Effectively managing paradoxes. Leaders in top-performing companies are better at finding the right balance between what appears to be mutually exclusive outcomes such as achieving short- and long-term goals and establishing control and providing autonomy.

Using the five keys to managing change. OnPoint's research identifies five behaviors that enhance their ability to manage change effectively. Leaders need to be forthright about the change and its impact, model behaviors that support the change, set realistic objectives, ensure that they have adequate resources, and take steps to build enthusiasm among employees.

Involving team members in the decisions that affect them. Participative leadership matters. When the NBA tried to introduce a new basketball they never asked the players for input during the development stage. As a result, the players refused to use a new ball they felt was difficult to handle. Involving the players early on would have increased the quality of the ball and the acceptance of the "new ball" decision.

Building and sustaining trust. Leaders in top-performing companies understand that people will not trust or follow them if they do not live by the same values and support the same priorities they require of others.

The bottom line? Staying on top is a rigorous challenge-and it is even more difficult in tough economic times. The best companies have leaders who distinguish themselves by winning even under difficult conditions.

Editors: For a copy of the complete article or to arrange an interview, please contact Rick Lepsinger at 212.472.8081 or [email protected].