Here’s the problem: In tough economic times, everyone hunkers down on tactics. They focus on survival and results. Decisions become pragmatic. After a while, however, this short-term approach grinds us down, and we lose sight of the big picture. In today’s difficult times, people need to be reminded of why they are doing what they do — and why it … Read More
3 Ways to Grow Your Future-Focus
There are three ways to expand your ability to become more future-oriented and hone your leadership effectiveness. In The Truth About Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 2010), Posner and Kouzes urge readers to spend time learning about the future through: Insight Outsight Foresight Insight: Explore Your Past This exercise that follows will help you connect your past experiences and values with your current … Read More
You Can See Forever
To become a better leader, or to be seen as a high-potential leader, spend more time in the future. At some point, a future focus will permeate your thinking and saturate your communications. Everything you do and say will remind people of the future you want to create —for yourself, your colleagues, your customers and the organization. You will draw … Read More
The Art of Bouncing Back
“Some of the most important and insightful learning is far more likely to come from failures than from success.” ~ Former Procter & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley, interviewed in Harvard Business Review (April 2011) How we respond to failures and bounce back from our mistakes can make or break our careers. The wisdom of learning from failure is undeniable, yet … Read More
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
Take the example of two typical MBA graduates who were laid off from their positions during the recession. Both were distraught. Being fired provoked feelings of sadness, listlessness, indecisiveness and anxiety about the future. For one, the mood was transient. Within two weeks he was telling himself, “It’s not my fault; it’s the economy. I’m good at what I do, … Read More
Optimism and Resilience
Research clearly demonstrates that people who are naturally resilient have an optimistic explanatory style—that is, they explain adversity in optimistic terms to avoid falling into helplessness. Those who refuse to give up routinely interpret setbacks as temporary, local and changeable: “The problem will resolve quickly…” “It’s just this one situation…” “I can do something about it…” In contrast, individuals who … Read More
Learning from Mistakes
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Failure is one of life’s most common traumas, yet people’s responses to it vary widely. Many managers have learned to reframe personal and departmental setbacks by stating: “There are no mistakes, only learning opportunities”—and it’s a great sentiment. In practice, however, their companies often continue to view failures … Read More
Blameworthy or Praiseworthy?
Admittedly, some mistakes are more blameworthy than others. As a manager, how do you make it safe for people to report and admit to mistakes? Harvard management professor Amy Edmondson delineates a “spectrum of reasons for failure” in “Strategies for Learning from Failure” (Harvard Business Review, April 2011), as summarized here: Deviance: An individual chooses to violate a prescribed process … Read More
The 8 Traps of High Achievers
“Many high performers would rather do the wrong things well than do the right thing poorly.” ~ Thomas J. DeLong and Sara DeLong, “The Paradox of Excellence,” Harvard Business Review, June 2011 Leaders are high achievers who continually grow as professionals. But in many organizations, there are high achievers who are floundering. They’re smart, ambitious professionals who aren’t as productive … Read More
Breaking Out of Traps
First, take a hard look at yourself. Identify any of the eight traps into which you’ve fallen. Which traps escalate your anxieties and cause you to engage in unproductive behaviors? Next, adopt new practices that give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone. This isn’t easy, and it won’t happen overnight. Many leaders require help from a … Read More