The Weary Leader Needs to Go Away – Time to Rally!

I recently came across an interesting article from WSJ.com called Leadership in a Crisis – How to Be a Leader, by Bill George. I must say, I’m growing quite weary of the whole “leadership in crisis” mantra. Sure, there is no question that our leaders are managing through crisis today. And Bill George shares some great lessons that are hard to argue against. But leading through crisis has been the call now for well over a year or two or more. If you haven’t figured out how to lead through crisis by now, you need to give up.

So when, as leaders do we stop talking about the crisis and start talking about the opportunity, the progression, the rebound? When do we as leaders begin to prepare our company and our people for the recovery and what does that preparation even look like?

Start today if you haven’t already! Why today? Because many companies are in the midst of establishing the next year’s business plans and budgets. If you’re game-planning 2010 with a defensive mindset (protection, not progression), then it’s my belief that you’ll find yourself losing to more aggressive competition. Those companies that are able to shift from a defensive mindset to an offensive and aggressive mindset are going to be the ones celebrating at the end of 2010.

Consider these following points:

1. Start talking positive. This doesn’t mean that you lie about your circumstances. But find nuggets of optimism in your circumstances and begin talking them up. People are ready to rally.
2. Look ahead, not over your shoulder. Prioritize future trends over past trends as you begin talking about where your company could go.
3. Hunger for change. Champion a culture of exploration. With exploration comes adventure. With adventure comes risk. With risk comes a heightened awareness. With a heightened awareness comes a new level of focus. With a new level of focus a new vision can erupt. And with a new vision comes change.

Stop leading through crisis and start championing the rally.

Tags: blog, downturn, economic, Leadership, rally

Playing It Safe Isn’t … Safe

I’m the un-proud owner of five residential units. These properties have never cash-flowed and they continue to deteriorate as it becomes yet another residence for yet another college student. Over the past two years, I’ve just been riding this money pit, waiting for an economic revival. Still waiting.

As I wait, I’ve tried to do as little as possible. Pay for maintenance only when the maintenance problem is life-threatening. Shrubs? Ha! Not a chance. But my lack of attention to these properties is starting to show. My competition is passing me by as they have better yards, brighter colors, and new amenities.

Over the past two years, with my properties, I was playing defense – protecting my position and my cash, doing as little work and as little harm as possible.

But my strategy is now shifting. If I continue to play defense, my properties will collapse (not literally, buy maybe). I need to look for ways to be more relevant and more attractive to potential customers. I’ve got to learn to compete again. I’m starting to spend again in order to make money. While that was uncomfortable a year ago, it’s absolutely necessary now.

It’s time to get aggressive, to play offense in business, to move from protection to progression. Those who are unable to shift from a defensive to an offensive mindset will find themselves significantly behind the competition as we grow closer to the rebound.

In order to shift to this offensive mindset in business, it will be important to become opportunity-minded – curious about our potential, evaluating the quality of our position, forward thinking and visionary, and courageous. Yes, spending money in a cash crunch environment takes courage.

Interestingly enough, our initial findings from the Champions ECChO assessment (www.championseccho.com) reveal that the opportunity-minded principle has the lowest average scores of all of the core principles of a champion as well as the smallest spread of scores.

Core Principle #1 – Enlightened: Avg. enlightenment score = 69%
Core Principle #2 – Connected: Avg. connected score = 72%
Core Principle #3 – Change-Maker: Avg. change-maker score = 73%
Core Principle #4 – Opportunity-Minded: Avg. opp-minded score = 68%

Those findings may have developed as a result of our difficult business environment. In a difficult business environment, defensive minds prevail. However, I encourage you to shift your mindset:

1. Grow your curiosity
2. Cast a new vision
3. Develop the courage to begin to take more risks

Onward!

Tags: bold, brave, business, challenge, downturn, economic, Leadership, offense, vision

I’ve Been Laid Off: What Can I Do to Be More Marketable?

Over the past few months, I’ve had a number of discussions with people who unfortunately found themselves unemployed. I’m truly empathetic to their situation as I’m often reminded—there but for the grace of God go I. Bad things do happen to good people, and in these times it seems nothing is secure.

These are crucible moments for people—periods of intense heat. But consider this; the most extraordinary people have lost and have experienced tragedy, failure, and pain. Walt Disney and Henry Ford went bankrupt. Donovan McNabb got benched as the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles a couple of weeks ago. Dr. Ben Carson, the world’s best brain surgeon barely got through high school. Wendy Kopp was told by the world’s smartest people that her Teach for America concept was a crazy idea and would never work. Look at these people now. I could list hundreds of names of people who had really bad things happen to them, only to recover stronger than ever before. These people and others like them have taught me a few things about rebounding from tough circumstances. Maybe these points will be helpful to those of you in a state of flux in your career. If this is you, consider these points as you work to re-establish yourself.

1. Get perspective – while your pride might be damaged and you’re struggling to pay the bills, focus on the big things: You won’t go hungry, you have people who love you, and there are better days ahead.
2. Discover yourself – Use this time to gain a sense of personal purpose. Ask yourself some questions: What do you love? How do you uniquely contribute to society? If you could do anything, what would it be?
3. Gain a sense of mission – Don’t just look for a job, look for a mission. Remember a quote by Dr. Howard Thurman—“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
4. Sell out to it – Eagerly pursue the things that make you come alive. Your passion will be more appealing to an employer than your resume.
5. Persevere – Develop resolve and let your actions keep your mind occupied through setbacks.

Tags: downturn, economic, employment, hired, strategy, unemployed