RISK

Aug

2020

Three Leadership Challenges

I was discussing the leadership competency wheel I use with a client as we began the coaching process. During this conversation what came to mind were three challenges we face as leaders.

Before I go any further allow me to clarify these are felt strongly by those who are striving to lead and not just manage. What is the difference between the two of these? I don’t have time to go in depth with this and I cover them more in depth when I provide some of my leadership trainings. If you want to get a more detailed look at it then e-mail me at randy@wheelercoachingsystems.com and I will send you a free document.

When I was a strength coach much of my time was spent managing because I focused on systems, processes, and athletes efficiently moving through the process. On the other hand, when leading I take people somewhere they may have not been which can be uncomfortable for both of us. As leaders this is when we encounter the following challenges.

Risk

Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission, discusses risk in his book Just Courage as not staying at the visitors center. This is the safe place where we can relax and be comfortable instead of climbing up the mountain to see the view. The mountain feels unsafe and difficult.

The mountain is risk.

Leaders must risk entering unknown territory. When we are fairly certain of the result and have the support of others this risk is minimal. Leading courageously outside our comfort zone makes the risk feel much more real. We see where we can go, but everyone else thinks we are crazy. Leadership requires us to step forward into this risk and grow.

Change

Change is a part of leadership. This could be a change in process or a large shift in direction for the organization or team. Many of us want to change and grow, but few of us want to be changed. The leader’s challenge is bringing people along to help them change with you.

John Maxwell in his book Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 which I facilitate mastermind groups around says:

“Vision divides people. It separates the people who will from the ones who won’t – and that’s a good thing.”

As leaders we must paint a compelling enough vision that people must decide whether they want to be a part of the change or not. When painting the picture, help them see themselves participating. The reality we must accept, which John alludes to, some will not want to follow. That is ok, but maybe their reason is tied to this final challenge we all battle.

Fear of the Unknown

“Leaders must be prepared to make an educated guess based on . . . whatever intelligence is available in the immediate moment.” Leif Babin

Leaders are constantly making decisions. The challenge is not the decision, but the paralysis of analysis. In their book Extreme Ownership retired Navy Seals Leif Babin and Jocko Willink discuss the challenge of uncertainty in leadership. Whether a personal or professional decision we may want 100 percent certainty and have ALL the details, but we never will.

The lack of complete information can create fear of the unknown. When we have anxiety from the fact that we aren’t sure this is the absolute right decision we may be tempted to “wait and see.” Instead, we must move forward with as much certainty as possible and be willing to accept complete responsibility for the results.

As Babin suggests above, gather as much data as possible, make the best educated guess possible, and move forward confidently.

What fear do you need to face to risk and lead change either personally or professionally? Need help breaking through areas you feel stuck in? Contact me for a no cost thinking partner session. Lead well.

Jul

2020

Learning More from A Leader: Dana Pittard

As I said in my previous post, I still had more to share from my time with Two Star Major General (retired) Dana Pittard. Allow me today to share two thoughts and a shift Dana went through.

Thought 1

“Positive optimism is a combat multiplier.”

When in a difficult situation maintaining your positive mindset with a choice to maintain optimistic is critical. Whether leading in a military situation, on a sports field, or in the board room there are times leaders get worn down by the battle. That battle is the fight for the vision.

I have heard it said that “vision leaks.” This occurs most often in those without complete buy-in to the vision. The leaking creates combat for the leader because of the challenge to continually share a vision that sticks. If the vision brings hope and others can see themselves in it, buy-in is stronger. This starts with the leader maintaining his or her appropriately optimistic perspective.

A Shift

While talking, Dana mentioned how early in his career he made a shift from focusing on position promotion to understanding the most important thing was leading people. He described leadership from two opposing perspectives:

Lead to get – this is a sprint mentality.

As a leader you are seeking to get as much as you can for yourself. Though outwardly the focus may be on the mission and others in reality you see the position as a stepping stone to something else you want to get.

Lead to lead – this he said is a marathon mentality.

As a leader you are focused on long term results. For example, you are building other leaders so when you are gone what you built lasts. You are building into and valuing people because they matter most.

Thought 2

During our discussion Pittard said:

“In order to have great growth you have to take great risks.”

After making this statement we discussed the difference between a risk and a gamble.

Risk – something we can recover from.

We evaluate the option and determine the possible loss and gain and ask if we can bounce back from it. Businesses do this constantly as they launch new products. They have researched and see a potential need, invest, launch . . . and at times fail, but it does not destroy the business.

Gamble – something we cannot recover from.

If you go to a casino and put half your savings down on red eight on the roulette wheel and lose . . . you lost. The casino is not going to feel bad for you and give you money back. If as a leader you make a decision that can lose it all, you are gambling and better make sure all the key stakeholders are on board and aware of what could be lost.

Whether a gamble or a risk, Pittard emphasized the importance of getting the right people on the team and having everybody on the team on the same page. Together you can work through risks and prevent gambling.

All three of these ideas have a common theme: mindset. Having a positive mindset, embracing risk, and maintaining the long view help us lead at a higher level. Do you get stuck in your mindset? How can you get unstuck? Would you benefit from someone helping you think into what has got you stuck? Contact me for a thirty-minute thinking partner session at no cost so I can help you think into your results. In the meantime, Lead Well.

Jul

2017

Plunging In

For much of my life I have been active and involved with athletes, sports, and strength training. Because of that people assume I would have no problem in certain environments such as water. Well . . . I don’t necessarily have a physical problem, as long as my feet are on the ground, but I do have a challenge between my ears. I have a bit of a fear of water. Basically I don’t like going under it and really do not enjoy the feeling of disorientation when I suddenly enter the water.

Fortunately for me my children do not have this problem. They each know how to swim, swim fairly well and love being in the water. Of course when we go to a water park they want to go everywhere and do everything. With three boys I get the honor of being with the older two while my wife enjoys rides or just watching our son on less intense experiences.

We start our adventure at the water park on this day by going to three enclosed tube water slides. Not only do I not particularly enjoy water rides, but enclosed water slides do not appeal at all. We walk up to the top of the stairs and it is our turn to enter the slides. Three slides exist. Each side slide twists and turns and goes a little slower. On the other hand, the one in the middle is a dark green tunnel of almost complete darkness where you drop off a ledge and fly from top to bottom in about three seconds. As I stand at the top with my sons they each want to go on the sides. That leaves me with the middle. I could stay safe and tell them I’ll walk down and meet them at the bottom. I could let them go and then go down one of the side slides. The problem with both of those options is I want to go with them and not just watch or feel like a wimp and not go at all. What will that example show them?

Ultimately I sit down in the water at the top of this plunge of death, cross my legs, put my hands behind my head and plummet to the pool of water at the bottom. After brief disorientation and trying not to look like a fool of a man as I finish I get up having survived and somewhat enjoying the experience, except for the scraped back. Right before my plunge I had a quick pep talk with myself saying “go for it” and “you got this.”

The tube slide may not resonate with you, but standing on the edge of a cliff about to jump backwards rappelling down a mountain would produce a similar, or greater, feeling. Sitting at the edge of this waterslide tube or on the edge of a cliff is the same feeling we all experience when we are about to take a risk into the unknown. We have a choice to make, be safe or be brave. We may choose safety and feel comfortable and life will be “easy,” but every day we may be pushing down that voice that wonders “what if” and what could have been. The other option is to step into the unknown and see where the adventure leads us.

What is that unknown? A new job. An entrepreneurial business venture. Getting married. Going back to school when we don’t know how we will afford it. Having a difficult conversation. Leaving a situation for the greater good. Volunteering to do something we have never done. The unknown could be many possibilities. The result of entering the unknown: adventure, growth, potential future opportunities, and possibly living out your true purpose.

I think the great thinker C.S. Lewis spoke to this topic quite well when he said: “We are . . . like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” Plunge into the unknown adventure and enjoy the ride!