With a mocha and chocolate muffin I sat down with Peter and started to
discuss one of those “Next Big Thing� ideas. You know, the sort of
thing that comes and goes before anybody really understands what it was
all about in the first place.

Well this one got me on my soap box…

Apparently a new concept called “Granularity� is signalling the end
of strategic leaders who don’t grasp the finer details of their
companies operation. What really got my goat was that this was being
hailed as benefiting financial directors who in the wake of tougher
corporate governance and complex new financial reporting standards,
could hold the position as the most important person in the company as
they will be the only ones who understand all the rules!

At every level in the business and in each role there are a bunch of
rules and standards that to the outsider seem complex and unwieldy.
It’s true that a good grasp of financial matters can assure the
businesses survival and keep it within its trading limits but its no
replacement for strategic leadership.

Remember Star Trek, with Capt. John Luke Piccard of the Star Ship
Enterprise . Well for my money he embodied many of the characteristics
of a great leader and I didn’t see him once with a single copy of the
Sarbanes Oxley Act under his arm.

John Luke was an excellent leader; he inspired his crew and took
responsibility for all his decisions and actions. He employed a great
balance of both emotional and logical decision making capabilities
coupled with clear vision, strategy and great problem solving and team
building skills. To top it off the Enterprise was cloaked in an
environment which bred success and got the most out of the crew.

“Team�, is the operative word here as the Capt. and crew could not
achieve their goals without individuals that were skilled in different
areas and somebody (a leader) that could and would be respected and
followed by all. Somebody that could define direction by combining all
of the information from those skills (and with a basic working
knowledge himself) and make a decision that would benefit the great.

Bottom line is strategic leadership is absolutely necessary to make
this work whether that person is a financial or non financial person,
the primary skill(s) should be those possessed by John-Luke.

At the end of the day it’s a trend and I don’t see it hanging around for too long. Beam me up Scotty!!!

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