The 10% Differentiator

Nature always provides me with perfect backdrops for my photography. The rugged beauty along the 240km Great Ocean Road drive in Victoria, Australia is considered one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives. Driving this route, I made a point of stopping whenever I could with my camera to appreciate the journey so far. Looking back gives one perspective on what is to come.

As I look back on 2023 and throughout past interactions with leaders from different backgrounds and in different roles, a shared set of challenges consistently emerges. This pattern reveals that the challenges facing leaders today are not so much about their core skills or even their tenure in leadership. They are more about the nuances in their interactions that they would often miss.

I realise that these boil down to just a few simple but critical things: building trust, effective communication, and understanding people’s value systems, for example. These small variations got me thinking: What’s really the difference between those who lead well and those who become exceptional leaders?

Big transformations are not always needed. By improving just 10% of their current approach, a leader could experience much greater success.

Imagine someone with all the right skills and knowledge. What is this elusive extra 10% they should consider? It is found in the small but crucial actions: good communication, an encouraging mindset, the effort to value all feedback and understand others, and an ability to show empathy.

Small as they may seem, these actions and behaviours have a deeply profound effect on the quality of leadership.

• As we look forward to 2024, are there changes in your leadership style which you are willing to make?
• Are you able to identify your 10% differentiators?
• What steps can you now take from being good to becoming an exceptional leader?