Let ‘em Run…We Choose to Fight

Yesterday I got the opportunity to speak to a regional conference of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  We all have been hit profoundly by the economic downturn, but take a moment to think about the people charged with managing and selling space in the shopping centers around the U.S.  Many of these people are also real estate agents who are facing the double whammy of houses and retail space sitting empty.

It wouldn’t be surprising or unexpected that this event would host a pretty sour crowd.  No one would blame them if they collectively waved the white flag and decided to hide their heads until the storm was over.  It wasn’t like that at all.  There was hope in this crowd.  There was a desire to attack this dilemma with energy and creativity.

Leaders who stand out against the crowd, or Champions as we call them, aren’t defeated easily.  Champions know that there will be times when they have to face a stiff head wind.  When other people are running for cover, these leaders are making courageous progress. Champions make the most of the opportunity.

Here are some things to think about when trying to move a team in the midst of the storm.

1. Don’t procrastinate decisions – Too often people are paralyzed by the desire to wait till everything is just right before making a decision.  I hate to break it to you, but even in the best of times things are never just right.  Champions are action oriented.  They move and adjust rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity.
2. Adjust, Adjust, Adjust – Let you team know that change isn’t just inevitable, but rather, constant.  In fact, we should always be in an explorer’s mindset, looking for opportunities to make the process better.  A team that expects change is agile.  That makes them comfortable in situations that would make lesser teams falter.
3. Expect opposition and persevere anyway – Complaining and neigh-saying are easy to do.  Understand that the people you talk to can’t see the road ahead like you do.  Just like it took time for you to think through your situation and develop a vision, it will take time for others to see your vision as clearly as you do.  Understand that when ideas are young, they are fragile.  Don’t let a great idea die because people don’t understand it immediately.

The men and women who were at this conference were the first to feel the icy blast of the current downturn, I expect them to be the first to experience the warm breezes of an economic turnaround.  Onward!

Tags: centers, champion, ICSC, meeting, oklahoma, organizational, shopping, tulsa

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