Leading is much more than picking up the slack, motivating or team building. It’s also about keeping the mission (of your role, your team, your department … your company) front and center. The thing is, there are no concrete steps to take that are the same for every situation.
Ambiguity is a phenomenon all company leaders must deal with, often on a daily basis. Increasing one’s comfort with unknowns directly relates to the ability to move into higher positions within a company. As the CEO, President, or Board Member it’s about where things are going, as well as what likely economic and industry changes will impact our business.
Each of the 7 Ways to Lead directly relates to problem-solving. The idea of leading and holding a leadership role is more glamorous than the actual work required. Take away the title, the influence, the idea of what comes with a leading role and what’s left? Problem-solving.
Problem Solving is an art, one that comes with a framework. With a set of steps that stays the same even though every situation changes. Here are 4 Steps for Business Problem Solving to Get Results.
The 7 Ways to Lead When You Don’t have the Answers is useful in conjunction with – as opposed to replacing – the steps that make up the skill of problem-solving. What problem solving know-how does accomplish is to recognize where we get in our own way … specifically when identifying problems, finding possible solutions, or choosing the best option for a situation.
I am pleased to have spent some time with James Obermayer of Sales Marketing Lead Association on SMLA Radio. You can listen to our conversation here:
In our limited time, we touched on four of the seven points. To get your copy (FREE for a Limited Time) of 7 Ways to Lead When You Don’t Have the Answers, click here
Here are the 7 Ways to Lead When You Don’t Have the Answers:
- Brain Clutter
- Too Much Time Management
- The Best Business
- Ways to Create Customers for Life
- Customers are Not Always Right
- Seven Quick Ideas to Flex Your Refocus Reflex
- Several Tasks: Get to Your Goal
Get Your Copy Free for a limited time here
And, this is the summary of what Jim and I talked about during the show:
- The difference between coaches, consultants and me (a business advocate).
- The business has a mission and purpose – that are not the people in the business.
- Brain clutter is idea clutter and occurs when we don’t have or stick to priorities.
- Laugh more – it’s easy to be too serious.
- Rigidity and flexibility … in doing the work.
- Say ‘yes’ to less.
- Customers are not always right.
- Business results.
Notable and Quotable:
Jessica Dewell: It’s about how to make the best choice at the best time.
James Obermayer: Get people of the me philosophy and back to the business goals.
Jessica Dewell: We can control our priorities.
James Obermayer: Few people connect an idea to a business goal.
James Obermayer: Too much time management? That surprised me!
Jessica Dewell: We can spend too much time planning out our to-do lists. No flexibility means more time rearranging the time to get stuff done (instead of doing the work).
Jessica Dewell: Think. And, evaluate what’s happening with the business.
James Obermayer: Who is the customer?
Jessica Dewell: There is a difference between RESPECT and RIGHT.
Jessica Dewell: The effort we put in needs to (at least) match the output.
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