“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” - Seneca. How many times have you found yourself unprepared or grossly underprepared? Everyone who has been there knows that it is a gut-wrenching feeling. It reflects a lack of professionalism or care for the responsibilities you’ve been given.
But wait, unless you simply didn’t put in the time to prepare yourself, how did you end up here? There are many instances when we are given a lack of direction or misunderstand what is expected of us. When this is the case, the plan has failed and it is best to have an alternate route that will guide and help you succeed.
Here are some common symptoms of a failed plan and poor guidance:
Procrastination
Frustration
Fear of asking questions
Poor quality work
Making excuses/blaming others
The commonality with all these symptoms is that none of them move you forward. It’s never the right course of action to sit still when faced with complexity. We must look around, identify the priority, and make a call.
Now, this is of course from the perspective of someone being led. We’re looking at it from here because communication typically starts at the top of the chain and then issues arise as it trickles down. In this instance, it is in the best interest of the organization to have someone good at managing up.
If you’re a leader, this concept still applies to you as you can and should have an understanding of how to best deal with a failed initiative. If you’re in the mid-level and need a problem-solving boost or are experiencing a leader who needs guidance, these skills should help:
Proactive, Not Defensive
It is entirely natural to resort to defensive behaviour when something has gone sideways as nobody wants to see themselves in the wrong. Additionally, things can happen beyond the control of people (Example: The Covid-19 Pandemic). Ideally, you realize that not accepting the circumstances or finding ways to overcome them is how businesses go under.
Collaborating with the team and agreeing on an ideal outcome produces the opposite effect. The best companies in the world keep communication transparent and have contingency planning that everyone is aligned with.
Constructive, Not Offensive
The reality of business is that people are going to make mistakes at all levels. Now, these mistakes need to be measured, say for instance if someone is proving to be detrimental to the company. Certain things will require members to put their pride aside and tend to the needs of fellow members. It can be hard to approach, which is why you should have a specific outcome in mind with the actions you take.
If you have someone in need of an ego check, then explaining incentive to them is critical. Nobody will be able to effectively follow instructions unless they understand why they need to. This is where constructiveness comes in. Being able to approach people and situations like this is an executive skill that once developed will be used forever.
Conducive and Embracive
Most of the issues companies face can be answered by reviewing what the long-term good of the company is and how to make moves in the short term that invest in it. Getting someone to believe in what you’re doing requires some level of results. Results (no matter how significant) materialize a plan and inspire others to get involved.
This ultimately comes down to leading by example. If you want 5 friends to go on a run, you don’t sit in a fold-up chair and watch. You lead and express enthusiasm which is contagious to those closest to you.
What’s Next?
Action is the only source of production for results. Businesses need to understand that changes are inevitable. Additionally, it is important to note that the most intimidating form they come in is when they are unexpected. By collaborating to tackle these instances, your organization can have a far more tight-knit community.
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