We are strange creatures indeed. When business is quiet, we complain. And when it starts to get really busy, overwhelmingly so? Sure, we complain. How we lead in those moments when growth pops up everywhere, all at once, tells us an interesting story.
There are three strategies we could employ. The first is the ostrich maneuver. Yes, here we face our speed wobbles by digging in to avoidance. There is no end to the types of avoidance activities, from so-called client-related sporting to the ultimate phone-off disappearing act.
The second is equally unproductive, where the leader digs in to…you guessed it, working harder and longer. Just like Atlas carried the world on his shoulders, this strategy appears to be a selfless act of carrying the burden for others, but is often a lack of trust in the team in place or not having invested in a team to carry the load equally under pressure.
So the third strategy (and there may be more) is to reach out and activate the support of the team, the helpers, the associates, and the network. When there is accelerated flow or the to-do list is just too overwhelming, this is really the only one that makes sense.
If this is you this week, firstly take a moment to breath. Then make that list, focusing on those issues that are critical and core. Delegate small, focused tasks that can be completed and reported on daily. Host the daily huddle and hold the space for others to step up. This is what a leader does. And the sense of crisis shall too pass.
When things have calmed down a bit, why not consider doing our Me-Scan free self-assessment tool to support reflecting deeply on leadership development. Can you beat the average? It’s at 67% right now so give it a shot by visiting our home page.
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