Isn't it time for you to go now?

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“I won’t drop my re-election bid unless the Lord Almighty orders it”

Joe Biden, 9 July

A day later, Nancy Pelosi, Former Speaker of the House, said:

“ It’s up to the President to decide if he is going to run”

Pelosi, was , in effect, telling him to think again.

President Biden’s downfall played out over 24 days.

It was undignified as he and his inner circle clung onto power.

What started out as pleas from supporters to stand down, increasingly became demands.

The ending, 11 days after Pelosi’s advice, was unceremonial.

But it didn’t need to be like this

“I wish someone had stopped it the way they do in a boxing match when an ageing champ is getting brutally beaten”

“ You can’t run the country with a teleprompter”

Supporters reactions to Biden’s stumbling performances

This tragic episode didn't begin in CNN television studio in Atlanta on 27 June .

Concerns have long been raised about Biden’s frailty and fitness to run for re-election and not just by opponents.

They have now been shown to be well founded.

So the decision to cling onto power only compounded the major error of judgement by Biden and his advisors to run for a second term.

What learnings does Biden’s story offer about leadership transitions ?

Biden’s story is about a leader stepping down because he has lost the confidence of his stakeholders.

I want to focus more on how leadership transitions can enhance individual leaders and their organisation, enabling them to move into roles that better play to their strengths, take on greater responsibility , making a bigger contribution to company’s success.

There are three key learnings for business leaders to manage their own and/or their colleagues’ leadership transitions.

These are important things to think about when you are considering when it is time for you to move on to a new leadership challenge or when you believe a colleague needs to be encouraged and supported to make a move.

  • Be Purposeful

    Be clear about what you are aiming to achieve in your current role. Anticipate the changing demands of your role and whether they will continue to play to your strengths or do you need a different skill set.

    Can you continuing growing in this role or is it better to move on.

    Working with a mentor or coach could help you clarify this.

  • Be Proactive

    Having clarified your goals and priorities , initiate conversations with stakeholders who can support you in achieving your aims.

    Timing is everything here.

    Earlier is better and remember……..

     Plan or Be Planned For

  • Be Positive

    By being purposeful and proactive, you are initiating change

    You will find it easier to gain the support of your stakeholders to your proposed move, when you highlight the benefits to the organisation.

    Finally, these learnings apply both to initiating a leadership move for yourself and for a member of your team.

What about you?

I’m curious about whether reading this has prompted you to reflect on your own leadership.

If you would value a conversation about managing leadership transitions, get in touch to arrange a conversation.

I hope you found this edition of my newsletter useful. If you have colleagues or associates who you think would also find it useful, please forward it to them.

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‘Til next time.

John