On Leadership

Facing New Realities in the Financial Services Industry

A chilly, damp Sunday morning in October found me with about 40,000 other men and women participating in the 26.2 mile Chicago Marathon. This was my fifth marathon so I knew what to train for and I knew what to expect; but I also knew that each race was different and offered new opportunities and challenges.

As you might imagine, there are countless thoughts filling your mind during a run of that length – my pace, the next water stop, the cramp in my leg, my personal best. But along this year’s course my thoughts were interrupted by a spectator at various points along the course who was yelling “Just get it done! You’ve committed, just get it done!” And while his message had clear meaning for so many of us that were running; his unsolicited encouragement also prompted me to think about the topic of leadership.

“Why leadership?” you ask. It is really rather simple. Leadership is the capacity to create a compelling vision and translate it into action. And within the financial services industry, top management teams may talk a lot about growth, profitability and competition – but they often fail to flex their leadership muscles and translate the talk into meaningful action. They need someone on the sidelines reminding them to “Just get it done!”

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