A brilliant man who deserves to be known by as many people as possible, Matthew prefers to let his actions speak for him and doesn't step into the spotlight too often. In a world where too many people share their opinions, Matthew is one of those whose views are worth considering and implementing. Below, you will find the translation of the interview he gave to the Serbian publication NIN in April.
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Matthew Cross is listed among the leading strategists whose lectures across America. His mission involves supporting and training leaders and elite athletes. Throughout his impressive career, he has collaborated with hundreds of Fortune 500 companies in the field of strategic planning and development, such as BlackRock, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, as well as with Stanford University.
This spring, Matthew came to Belgrade to share his knowledge with many large and successful Serbian companies, and he exclusively discussed leadership secrets, essential skills for success in business, and the secrets of the "Hoshin Success Compass" with the weekly news magazine NIN.
1) Today, many talk about leadership, whether someone is a leader, how proactive they are, how intelligent, how well they can predict... What should a good leader possess?
Leadership is a multifaceted diamond that, when polished and positioned correctly, radiates incredible brilliance. Leadership is about prediction. The best leaders make predictions that will come true in the future. In a sense, leaders are time travelers. They go ahead. Their task is to foresee, in the sense that if we do this, we will get that, if we work together in this way, we will reach there. When we understand that the primary role of a leader is to predict well about investments in time, energy, and priorities, then it builds immense trust.
Predictive intelligence is the primary driver for leaders, not only for personal success but also for the success of the team and the company. One of the key definitions of leadership is the ability to predict things with great precision, as well as the desire to increase predictive intelligence.
2) They say a leader is born, that a true leader must have something within themselves, and then there is room for improvement afterward...
I believe it's an inherent, innate, and natural skill, and that every child is a genius in a unique way. Our job is to do everything possible to protect and nurture it, and to help it emerge and find its pattern and destiny. And this applies to the quality of leadership.
Leadership is in our DNA. But a critical component of effective leadership is joy in work. We know that people in that state are far more effective. They make better decisions, contribute much more by being creative and innovative. And this is the iron principle of Einstein's quality, joy must be present in every successful endeavor. And this parallels with happiness. Happier people are more productive, creative, innovative, and see things others don't.
3) What are the main characteristics and skills that a leader must have?
Emotional intelligence, empathy, respect, curiosity, a striving for quality, a drive for excellence, a drive to make a difference. Principles are the foundation of effective leadership, they are in the mind, they are in the soul. You must apply these principles, turn them into tangible practice.
If you want to achieve effectiveness, excellence in any domain, but also leadership, health, and education, then consider principles and values as the root of the tree, and the tree itself - action.
4) What do you advise your clients when they say they have a top management position but doubt their leadership?
The first step towards a solution is to be aware that something isn't working and that there are no visible results. So, clarifying the principles within oneself and aligning with the basic principles. Then we must step out of the comfort zone, take a step to where it's initially uncomfortable and unstable. When you start achieving small victories, the butterfly effect occurs. Sparks and flashes start, the potential of the person begins to shine, which then gives itself momentum. And when you start unlocking the doors of your own potential, you can expect great things in a short time because the whole brain, to some extent, is timeless.
5) In your book "HOSHIN NORTH STAR PLAYBOOK" out of a total of 13 priorities you identified, you talk about strategically determining the most important ones. How?
We all have priorities and try to balance them. The secret lies in the order. Each of us has uniqueness, a fingerprint, but also our interpretation of reality, as well as a leading priority. We have quality priorities arranged in a way that supports us, such as family, team, company, country... When these priorities are aligned, it's like having the wind at your back. You become much more focused, and life becomes more purposeful. The answers, therefore, are within each individual and within each team.
6) Where do leaders make the most mistakes today?
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes is a short-term focus, that is, the demand and requirement of executive structures of the company to deliver profit now or in the next quarter. This leads to short-term thinking and to many more autocratic, dictatorial approaches from the top down, and creates the idea that people are replaceable.
Yet the most successful companies treat their people as asset number one. They invest time, energy, training, both on and off the job. It's fascinating how much more important long-term approach and focus on quality and quality relationships are. A company is only as strong as the relationships between everyone in the organization. Because quality acts as a magnet - a magnet for money, market share, recognition, and reputation.
A blind spot is when a leader has a barrier. Perhaps he thinks he's excellent at what he does, but maybe, he's not the best person after all. The problem is also if he doesn't see the need to learn, to grow, to transform. One of the biggest fears and challenges, not only for leaders but also for most people in life, is change. Transformational work in leadership always begins with personal transformation. It must be the foundation of quality work and the key driver. Because when we work on that, professional transformation follows.
7) Your mission involves supporting people and companies. What strategies do you use?
One of the most important tools is the "Hoshin North Star" process, where the strategy is to step away from our lives, to rise and view the world from the perspective of an eagle.
Most of us are so close to our problems, challenges, and dreams that we don't have an objective picture of them. It's not so much about me as a stranger entering individuals and giving answers. My focus is on asking provocative and challenging questions that help awaken that inner leadership in people so they can see both the problem and the solutions themselves.
The "Hoshin North Star" is a process for accelerated learning, discovering, and aligning learning with action.A process that connects the pieces, so essentially, we can work smarter, not harder. Sometimes we think that's the only way, that we must sacrifice our health, family, values. It’s just evidence that we don't have precise priorities and that we don't have an environment that supports bringing our natural talents, powers, and passions to the table.
8) You work with leaders, financial advisors, Olympic athletes, sales teams... Who is currently seeking your services the most?
I notice increased interest from startups. There are also individuals and teams, partners, who want to start businesses most effectively, to efficiently raise capital. And there is interest from large business organizations and banks.
Challenges exist everywhere, sometimes it's a lost opportunity, sometimes hidden potential in teams, or in the leader, who knows they can do better but encounters an obstacle that requires significant internal change.
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