By Rowan Putman
25 years ago, our Founder and Visionary, Grant set up E Co. For the following 10-15 years, it was largely just Grant. Gradually he began to bring in additional support, expertise and in 2022 whilst pondering the future direction of the organisation, he made the decision to transition from being the one person everyone turned to for everything, to taking those first steps towards having a management team. This change enabled him to assume the role of Visionary. I joined at the beginning of 2023 as Managing Director and Integrator, to lead the team, grow the business and take E Co. to the next level of its journey.
Every leader knows that a successful business hinges on the strength of its management team. Yet, building a cohesive, high-performing group that consistently delivers can feel like an elusive goal. How do you cut through the noise, ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction, on the same page and holding each other accountable for results? Well, spoiler alert! It is a journey and we don’t get it right all the time, but we are learning and growing as individuals and as a team and what we have learnt thus far I think is worth sharing.
There is no magic bullet! Instead we have put in place a clear, disciplined framework that transforms good intentions into consistent execution. In this post, I’ll share some of the key elements of that framework. As the Integrator leading this journey, I’ll also share our real-world experiences, the challenges we’ve faced, and how we’re continuously evolving to overcome them.
Structuring for crystal clear accountability – our leadership blueprint
One of the most critical steps in building a high-performing team is eliminating ambiguity. Without crystal clear roles and responsibilities, even the most talented individuals can step on each other’s toes or, worse, let critical tasks fall through the cracks. Our approach begins with meticulously outlining the core functions of our business and, for each function, assigning a single individual as ultimately accountable. We aim to look beyond job titles and define the 5-7 key areas that each leader is solely responsible for. We call it our ‘Accountability Chart’ – a living document that makes it undeniable who owns what.
Developing this chart was a revealing process. We already had fairly clear-cut functional areas – Bid development, Consulting, Marketing, Finance, and HR, – but within those ‘teams’, we needed to define where the leadership role starts and finishes and what that looks like in practical terms. As this was the first time the company was considering these ideas it resulted in quite some discussion and debate. This was especially challenging on the Consulting side as the role of Head of Consulting ‘could’ arguably require real involvement in our projects for day-to-day troubleshooting or managing the client. However after some considerable debate across the teams, it was decided that each member of the leadership team needed to focus on working ‘ON’ the business, not ‘IN’ the business.
By clearly delineating between ON and IN we aim to eliminate potential misunderstandings and overlaps but also empower each individual to truly take the reins. To be the person that looks across the top of all the noise, assesses the landscape and then communicates what they see to the team to work together to improve things.
There are still demands that can pull the individuals back into more of the day-to-day, but at least we are able to recognise when that happens and pull ourselves back out and delegate. It takes discipline and a wider team who also understand their roles and responsibilities, but with the right people in the right seats, the team can truly excel and contribute their unique strengths.
This level of clarity has been transformative. It helps every leader understand precisely what they are accountable for, and equally important, what their peers are accountable for. This fosters a culture of ownership and makes collaboration more efficient.
The rhythm of relentless execution – consistency and structure
Clarity on roles is vital, but without a consistent rhythm for execution, even the best-laid plans can gather dust. We’ve established a rhythm of meetings and a focused approach to priorities that keeps our team aligned, engaged, and moving forward.
Our core operational rhythm revolves around a weekly leadership meeting. This is a highly structured session designed to identify, discuss, and solve our most pressing challenges. We adhere to a set agenda that includes reviewing key metrics, sharing weekly wins, and, most importantly, dedicating the bulk of our time to ‘Identified Issues’ – those obstacles preventing us from achieving our goals. No issue leaves the table without a clear owner and a path to resolution. Beyond our weekly connection, we set quarterly priorities for both the company and for each individual leader. These are ambitious, measurable goals that, if achieved, will significantly move us closer to our long-term vision. We focus on just a few of these at a time to ensure a clear focus and maximum impact.
Initially, getting everyone accustomed to the framework of our weekly meetings and their structure took a bit of time. Occasionally, we would raise issues that were better dealt at the function level, or were already being addressed in our quarterly priorities. This led to the realisation that we need to stay focused during these discussions and ask ourselves, what is the real issue here. Sometimes an issue is really not the root of the problem and we need to work through what that is to really establish how we can best solve it. Often there are multiple issues rolled into one and we need to split them out and address them individually. We continue to learn and improve how we are doing this, the team sees the efficiency and power of this structured approach, and we solve problems much faster. This consistent rhythm ensures we’re both busy and productive, building momentum and making sure everyone is held to account for their commitments. It also provides a predictable forum for addressing challenges before they escalate.
Driving peak performance – The power of data and objective assessment
Performance is about both effort and measurable results, ensuring you have the absolute best people in every role. We’ve built robust systems for tracking our progress and for objectively assessing our team’s fit and contribution.
Central to our performance culture is our ‘Performance Dashboard.’ This is a carefully curated set of key metrics that give us an immediate pulse on the health of our business. We review this dashboard as a team, weekly. It allows us to quickly spot trends, celebrate successes, and most importantly, identify when and where we need to dive deeper to solve an emerging issue. Our Performance Dashboard also allowed us to keep a close eye on a specific leading indicator, which prompted us to proactively adjust our strategy before it impacted our lagging revenue metrics. Without that objective data, we might have been reactive instead of proactive. These tools empower our leaders with the data they need to make smart decisions and ensure that our team is consistently composed of individuals who are not only highly capable but also deeply aligned with our values.
The Integrator’s journey: Overcoming challenges and driving evolution
As the Integrator, my role is to ensure these systems exist and thrive. It’s a continuous journey, and it comes with its share of challenges. When we first introduced this structured approach, the biggest hurdle was shifting from a reactive, ‘fire-fighting’ mentality to a proactive, ‘issue-solving’ mindset. It still tries to rear its head every so often and it is my role to keep the bigger picture in focus, as the team battles with immediate needs and challenges versus a longer-term perspective.
My approach is simple: consistency in messaging and approach. I have to embody the discipline of our meetings, the focus on our priorities, and the candidness required for objective assessment. I also found that providing clear templates and dedicated time for preparation significantly eased the transition.
The work is never truly done. We regularly solicit feedback on how the sessions go, adapt our meeting agendas if needed, and encourage open discussion about how we can sharpen our focus and execution. My role is to be the steward of our system, ensuring we stay true to our core principles while remaining agile enough to evolve. My biggest piece of advice to other leaders aiming for similar success is this: be relentlessly consistent. The power of these systems isn’t in their complexity, but in their unwavering application.
The ripple effect of a high-performing management team
By committing to crystal clear roles, a disciplined rhythm of execution, and an unwavering focus on objective performance, we’re transforming ourselves as a management team. The ripple effect across our entire organisation has also been profound. Our employees see a leadership team that is aligned, decisive, and focused. This translates to greater clarity for everyone, improved decision-making, and ultimately, a more efficient and effective business that truly delivers for our clients and stakeholders.
There are still aspects we need to improve as a management team. However, with a clarity over what we’re working towards and regular check-ins to hold one another to account, we are able to see where progress is and where it isn’t, and how and where we need to focus to deliver on our goals.
