Two Steps and Four Landmines
Blazing new trails is tougher than staying where you are. We usually chose escalating frustration over the perils of moving forward.
There are two steps in forward movement. The first is easier than the second.
Stepping away:
The smaller step of forward movement begins with reacting against an unsatisfying past.
- I don’t like.
- This isn’t working.
- I don’t want.
- Something has to stop.
- That’s not right.
But, stepping away is, at best, half a solution. Stepping away only works if it includes stepping toward.
Leadership requires stepping toward.
Stepping toward:
The deeper question is where you are going.
Dissatisfaction seldom has legs.
Peter Drucker said it best, “Results are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems.”
The language of “NO” characterizes reacting against. Stepping toward requires the language of “YES.”
- I like.
- This works.
- I want.
- Something has to start.
- This is right.
5 requirements for stepping toward:
- Forward facing goals. “We’re working to ______.”
- Clarity. Are you working on the process or changing the goal.
- Risk. Past strategies didn’t work. Future strategies are uncertain.
- Mistake-making. Your best didn’t work. Trying something else may not work either. Learn and adapt quickly.
- Encouragement. Honor effort even when results disappoint. Unappreciated people lose heart.
4 Landmines:
Chances are you’re great at reacting against. But, reacting against, on its own, creates ineffective, dis-empowering, negative environments.
- Stepping toward without identifying the problem. If the present is satisfactory, no one is interested in leaving it behind.
- Ignoring the good intentions and hard work of those stuck in the process.
- Focusing on what isn’t working. The fastest path to negative environments is talking about problems all the time.
- Talking without taking responsibility. Leaders who talk without taking ownership solidify the past with excuse-making and blaming.
Stepping away without then stepping toward is just whining.
Thanks Joe. True. As I read your comment, I thought about running in circles. (I’ve been there and done that.)
Good stuff!
Thanks!
It’s hard for individual contributors to make that step forward when the culture incorrectly identifies the ‘forward’ correction behaviour as a blaming exercise rather than one of trying to right the listing ship. It can be a hard political game to maneuver within, but it’s a battle worth fighting if you want to look back on your life and say you made a difference for the better.
Thanks James. I wish we could ignore the political landscape. But, its foolhardy when we do.
You pull me toward taking action when you speak to my desire to make a difference, even if it may be difficult or unpopular.
Sometimes those who work the hardest are just spinning their wheels stuck in the process and unable to use established methods to get themselves out of their quagmire. Leaders that don’t push these hard workers towards new ways of approaching a problem are ultimately doomed to failure. Swallow your pride and fear, look at new different ways to approach a problem with your team to move forward. The worse thing that could happen is that you may have to try another idea to get unstuck.
Thanks Michael. We often fall into the trap of believing that trying harder is the solution. As time passes we keep trying harder until frustration grows to the point of confrontation, explosion, or worse.
Your focus on leadership’s responsibility to watch for spinning wheels is powerful and important. Step in and say what you see. “It looks like you are working really hard but frustrated with the results. Lets talk about it.”
Dan … I follow Leadership Freak. I was once a leader back in 2011. I am no longer a leader for nefarious reasons. Frustration … LOL! I never get headaches but I had a stress headache due to dysfunctional leadership styles that surrounded me the final 8 months of my last full time job. When a new head of IT came in … he started to expose some of the BS I was going through. Long story short, my direct boss got rid of me to save her own butt and took my job.
“How am I going to spin a positive from this?” is what I thought. When one’s ability to trust is almost obliterated … it takes time to heal. So I viewed myself as a house who needed some renovation. Seeking out positive leadership sites (like this one) helped get my house back in order. I’ve also accepted that I’m a quiet person and that can by very valuable to the team; I’m ISTJ. Any leader that does not recognize the powerful attributes of both extroverts AND introverts will only obtain short term wins and ultimately doomed to failure … and eventually start “spinning their wheels”.
Writing here will help me and hurt me since many of your readers may assume things about me. I don’t like assumptions. Assumptions wastes time and energy. Being direct is the shortest distance to getting something done right with higher quality and acceptance.
I continue to explore leadership styles and ways to improve my leadership abilities. The irony is that I feel that I would make a powerful effective leader today but I haven’t led anybody (accept my daughters as a father) since 2011.
Dear Dan,
“Progress requires two steps, the first is stepping away and the second is stepping toward” is really a powerful idea. It reminds us to unlearn and learn. Unless we unlearn old knowledge, it will be difficult to learn new knowledge. We need to lighten in order to move faster. Many times, we tend to hold grudges against people. Other may not be aware about our intention. Other may not lose by holding grudges. But we tend to lose direction, lessen effort and decrease energy by holding grudges. Stepping away teaches us to let go our past. It is also about let go our ego and arrogance.
One person used to worry about many unforeseen situation. He used to think, how he will manage if something happen. When he was about to die, he realized that nothing happened to his life what he used to worry about. We also tend to follow the similar steps. We create our own worries and forget to enjoy present. Many people are unable to get rid from the past. The people who understand what they can change and what they can not change, navigate to progress.
Thanks Dr. Gupta. Love how you expanded the idea of stepping away to include things like unlearning and holding grudges. It really expands the topic.
Good morning Dan;
Problems, challenges, new processes all require a step back to reflect before we can move forward with a solution. There will be moments where individual approaches must be addressed and subsequently changes made or processes tweaked. Even though I chose my approach and my words wisely when addressing subordinates regarding change, I do not waste a minute in fear of being misunderstood nor waste a moment addressing habitual problematic employees.Thought is supreme. Picture in your mind the person you want to be and you want your people to become and the mission or task at hand, then ‘Stick to your plan’ and the thoughts you hold will transform you and your company into the organization you wish to become. Preserve the right mental attitude, the attitude of courage, frankness, and most importantly (a positive mental attitude). “To think rightly is to create”! All things come through desire and a sincere effort to be the best person you can be. Keep your mind focused on the things you want to do, and then as time passes, the opportunities before you will begin to fall into place.
Cheers Dan
Thanks SGT. The idea of picturing who you want to be is so powerful. I find that when I simply react against circumstances or situations I lose sight of who I want to be. Your comment really helped me.
Your post today Dan, triggered in me, the line from Buffalo Springfield, For What Its Worth…”step out of line, the man come and take you away” That might fit into #3 landmine or one more mine on the path.
Love the analogy of stepping away, stepping back, stepping forward, leaning in, leaning out. All convey action/motion which is the counterpoint to stasis and stagnation. All can be uncomfortable, some are avoidant mechanisms, some provide an enhance perspective. Stepping toward or leaning in definitely require moxie, faith, and desire for something better.
Your #2 landmine also requires leaders to step back and just observe, not step in…even if, by your standards, the group may not be making progress at the right pace or the right way. Often it is not the end point, but the journey that has the intrinsic value. Stepping in (taking over to do it quicker, or the way you think it should be) too soon immediately negates the hard work to date and that creates dependence rather than independence, or scar tissue that will take a while to heal…and cause others to not step up next time around.
With the World Cup now over, one more analogy of stepping away…as an attacking player without the ball steps away, he may also bring a defender with him, creating a negative space that the person with the ball can advance into and advance the team at the same time. Negative space can create opportunities.
Thanks Doc. Its a pleasure seeing you again.
The idea of motion is pivotal. Talk is essential but must lead to action. I started feeling the motion as I read your comment.
Not stepping in is one of leaderships great challenges. I’ll add this, when I don’t step I, I still define reality with the team. Are you frustrated? What is frustrating you? My main goal is to be sure that we aren’t hiding from the tough issues. But, it sure is a balancing act. Cheers
It’s amazing how much power there is when you say the word, “yes’ Thanks for sharing this piece!
I think what I like best about your blog, Dan, is that it helps me be more purposeful about the decisions and actions I take. I have referred back to many of your thoughtful analogies or discussions of how to think through some of these issues when I am just floating out there and it helps anchor me. This is one of those articles that will come to mind down the road. Thanks!
Another good one Dan.
I’m working to…
….end the trend of obesity in America.
….raise conscious awareness in order to pave the way for more fair trade companies to emerge (end sweatshop labor and abuse)
Two off the top of my head and heart to keep it surprisingly SHORT for you today! (grins)