Ripple Effect: Strategy & Leadership Thought-Starter

Marathon race photo

The U.S. is fighting the longest war in its history: 10 years in Afghanistan, and there is no clear endpoint. The same may be true in our current economic battle. We were all a bit hopeful in April, yet by September, a deepening financial crisis in Europe and a downgrade of America's credit rating made it abundantly clear 2012 is going to be a tough year in the economy... and with that, a tough year for most of our clients. While it may not be a 10-year war, we're definitely in for a long fight.

So how can we best prepare in the near-term for an uncertain and challenging future?

There are many things that are out of our control, but there are always "No Regrets" moves--actions that are in our control and right under almost any circumstance, especially now:

1. Counter confusion with calm, confident bearing. The recent stock market tumble is largely attributed to people losing confidence in the ability of government leaders to influence the economy. When leaders lose confidence, people lose confidence in them. It's important for you to stay centered and not indulge in your own crisis of confidence. Famous test pilot Chuck Yeager was well known for his relaxed tone in the face of crisis--there are many stories of Chuck calmly narrating the disintegration of his own aircraft. And many airline pilots today emulate that calm in their communications. After all, pilots can't afford to induce panic... and neither can you. Leaders that "spin things up" and behave emotionally or erratically in the face of challenge can have a dramatic de-stabilizing effect on their teams. People want to know that everything is going to be OK, and they're looking to their leaders for this assurance. That's not to say you have to have The Answer or The Solution; rather, that you can remain confident even in The Question. While none of us can promise our teams that things will get better soon, we can avoid adding to the problem through our own reactivity. Now more than ever, your tone and "way of being" can be the most powerful tools at your disposal and are yours to control.

2. Relentlessly communicate vision and strategy. There is nothing like the promise of a better future to help people transcend the challenges of the present. People want to know that "all this" is leading somewhere. Address it head-on: Give people a clear story that gives them a reason to believe, an argument that your organization is better positioned than the competition to succeed. Of note, you'll want people to understand the vision of the company and for people to have a roadmap that outlines the path to the future. By roadmap, we mean just that: a set of step-by-step directions focused on specific actions that can be managed consecutively to deliver tangible, measurable progress. All too often, strategic planning is an obtuse, convoluted process that doesn't get anyone clearer on exactly how the business will succeed. Additionally, there is always a question of timing--if strategies and initiatives don't get clear until the end of the year, then strategy communication doesn't happen until late in Q1 if at all... and unless people have clear priorities in place before the holidays, New Year's energy will necessarily be replaced with New Year's angst. Now more than ever, when it comes to communicating strategy and direction, it's impossible to communicate too often.

3. Do focus on the short-term. No matter what, it's still one day at a time. Because even with a clear future vision in place, life occurs day-to-day. Now is a good time to conduct short and frequent outcome-focused, target-setting meetings with your team. Read More>