Before trying to understand what motivates and drives your team for results, have you taken the time and space to figure out what makes YOU tick? It’s amazing how many people operate by inertia and don’t identify their own drivers, just because they’re caught up in the daily grind and pressured to meet that next deadline. Breathe, reflect, know yourself. It’s essential if you’re going to try to lead others.
I’ve found that when facing a challenge or problem, organizations can fall into the paralysis by analysis trap way too often.
There’s nothing wrong with trying to get a real grasp of the situation and root of the problem in order to develop effective solutions. The problem comes when we overextend the analysis and no one wants to posit a solution because they fear the possibility of getting it wrong and making things worse.
Leaders don’t cower or freeze up when facing obstacles. Leaders are called upon to act and to drive solutions forward.
It may seem counterintuitive, but I believe a good leader does a disservice to himself and his journey if he is more worried about making friends than making a difference.
Leadership is filled with tough choices and it is part of the leader’s role to make the right ones, even when they may not be the most popular ones.
Making your mark is usually surrounded with detonating change. And change makes people uncomfortable. But if your ambition is to make people comfortable, you might want to choose a different career, as a masseuse.
Piss people off and be ok with it. Just be intelligent about it.
