A message from President, Mike Mack
At X5 Management, we have been preparing for this year for months, including building and expanding a strong X5 leadership team that I am privileged to be part of. (Photo above: On my left is Anoushka Fernandes, Vice President, Growth and Development, who is our newest leadership team member who is ready to have a positive impact on our business and add value to our clients. On my right is Kris Schinke, Vice President, Integration, who has been a significant contributor to X5’s growth for the past three years.
All three of us are grateful for the X5 team of Trainers, Coaches and Facilitators, who work with us and support our valued clients, and we appreciate each and every one of them. We couldn’t do what we do without their talent and dedication.
As we move forward within our 18th year of business one constant is always on our roadmap, working and living X5’s purpose: “Align Leaders and Teams to Achieve.” While the statement may sound simple, the work and focus involved to support leaders and teams in business, is not always easy, but when it occurs, it is so gratifying, and the business is able to produce collective results. We love to serve as the guide and not the hero. We want our clients and their team to be the hero.
So how do these leaders and teams get to a place of alignment and producing collective results?
There are many moving parts to achieve collective results, but we will offer some framework and context:
VISION
Vision is an imagined future condition for the organization and team.
Every person on a team wants a bigger future reality.
ALIGNMENT
Alignment is gaining buy-in from the organization and team, which is achieved by offering clarity and allowing the exchange of perspectives.
EXECUTION
Execution is turning the imagined future condition of the organization into reality. When leaders and teams are aligned, they can execute and achieve business success.
When organizational leaders align with their teams to achieve collective results, everyone wins!
If this is a challenge for your business, we would welcome the opportunity to have a discovery call with you.
Vice President – Integration Kris Schinke Reflects
It has been a rewarding journey working with the team at X5 Management this year, and the growth we have experienced in so many aspects of the business is very exciting. My philosophy after many executive years in Operations has been to structure a business for rapid growth to ensure, as the business continues to gain momentum, internal and external systems remain effective and efficient, and the business can continue to support a growing client list. That plan has worked well for X5 as the team continues to grow, services continue to expand, and clients continue to rely on us for exceptional support.
Our guiding purpose, “Align Leaders and Teams to Achieve”, has kept us focused on what we do best for our clients, and reminds us every day without alignment, achievements will not realize their potential. It is a simple statement, with a powerful message.
Regardless of what may challenge a business, my advice to business owners and leaders (small and large) is to reflect on your past year and ask yourself:
- What are we doing well that we should continue doing (and we can measure it)
- What should we discontinue doing since we have not recognized the value
- What should we start doing that we have talked about for a while
- Who can help us with our plans
If your teams, your processes, and systems are aligned, your business can cope with future growth. That is also providing the culture is strong, succession planning is in place, and front-line leaders are being prepared for the years ahead. Do not leave that to chance or assume it is as good as it should be. Once momentum is lost, it is a challenge to get back on track.
I am a big believer in Professional Development, and when we prioritize that, we keep our skills current and credible, and are in a better position to appeal to a wider range of client’s challenges and needs. We also demonstrate our willingness to lead by example, which is important because whether we realize it or not, we are all mentors. Our entire X5 Management team are on this journey with me; to continue to develop exceptional skills in their specialty areas to amaze and impress our clients and stakeholders.
I also believe that Professional Development in the workplace has a positive effect and typically an ROI as leaders continue to develop their skills. We are pleased to be developing workplace programs catering to front line leaders who may be tenured and skilled in their current roles, yet not possess the leaderships skills and experience to confidentially lead a team.
Look out for X5 in 2024 as we continue to build momentum and strive for the best we can be! We do look forward to hearing from you, and together we can create solutions to help your business!
Vice President – Growth and Development Anoushka Fernandes Looks Ahead
For many of us, the annual turning of the calendar page to the month of January is an opportunity to reset our focus for the year ahead and contemplate the goals we want to set for ourselves in our personal and professional lives. The energy we bring to work “just back from the break” is a great time for all leaders to clarify their leadership goals for the year – and more importantly – to then articulate these goals to their teams, their colleagues, and their supervisors.
In my new role with X5 Management, and as a member of the X5 Management leadership team, I am helping to shape our future direction. As a result, leadership alignment among our respective roles is essential – and will only be achieved through our collective efforts and dedication to this outcome. In considering how we plan to do this for ourselves, I also encourage other leaders to reflect on how they can advance the cause of leadership alignment in their own organizations:
- Does each individual feel valued by, and therefore invested in, the larger team? Individual members of your leadership team need to believe they are essential to your organization’s success – do you regularly take the time to recognize their accomplishments, provide constructive feedback when things don’t go so well, or generally set aside time to have coaching conversations about how to achieve their personal and professional goals? Similarly, have you made the time and space to allow your leadership team members to get to know each other on a personal level? Particularly in difficult circumstances, the most successful teams are those made up of colleagues who feel personally connected to each other and more invested in achieving broader goals.
- Is everyone clear on their individual accountabilities and how these link to organizational outcomes? In my experience, the cause of most workplace conflict is a lack of role clarity. Ensuring each member of your team has a clearly articulated (and ideally, documented) role description is essential to avoiding clashes about who does what – or worse, allowing mission critical tasks to languish or be missed entirely.
- Review, Revise, and Repeat! How many of us have been part of in-depth exercises to develop strategic planning documents…which then sit on a shelf to collect dust? Strategic plans are essential to communicating your priorities to your staff and stakeholders. However, they are only useful if they remain living documents which are regularly reviewed to assess progress; and revised as you need to account for changing circumstances.
As we welcome 2024, I wish you and your organizations well in your individual journeys to
“Align Leaders and Teams to Achieve”.
