7 Questions that Confront Paralysis
The status quo makes sense to the fearful.
The nobility of leadership is taking action for the good of others.
Successful leaders fight through cluttered thinking and excuse-making to find reasonable action.
It doesn’t really matter what you do as long as you’re reasonably sure it won’t make things worse.
Some leaders peer into the future and see danger, others see opportunities, but all take action.
4 benefits of action:
- Empowerment. The decision to act invites more action. Inaction invites weakness, excuse-making, and blame. Blame is helplessness in disguise. But, one step forward calls for another.
- Enlightenment. Real learning begins with action. Wisdom is in feet and hands, not heads and tongues. Talk without action is the self congratulatory illusion of power.
- Boldness. One success invites deeper commitment to the next success.
- Encouragement. People start saying, “Next time,” after winning the first time.
7 questions that confront paralysis:
#1. What have you done to address this issue?
#2. I hear what we can’t do. What can we do?
Inactive people love explaining what can’t be done. Listen carefully to their reasons/excuses. Don’t fight with them. Lets get all the things we can’t do out of the way. Now, what can we do?
#3. What makes things better?
Inactive people hide behind “perfect” solutions. Nothing’s ever good enough so they sit on their butts complaining.
#4. Who do you want to be in this situation?
#5. What would your best self do?
#6. What happens if we continue on this path?
#7. What happens if we do nothing?
Leaders try things.
Words without action are multipliers:
- Fearful words multiply dread.
- Hateful words multiply anger.
- Problem-centric words – without solutions – multiply weakness.
When action matters most:
If you want to matter, do something where failure matters.
Leaders matter more when failure matters.
Success isn’t success unless failure hurts.
What do you do when you feel paralyzed?
How can leaders help others overcome paralysis?
Advice my team leader gave me when I myself was paralyzed on a major program overhaul was to just get in and try doing the actual work myself. Feel the pain of the frontline jobs and the biggest roadblocks and pain points will become clear and drive urgent action.
Kapow! Thanks James. Your comment is simple, clear, and actionable.
The use of pain to show the way feels awkward at first but once we start taking action it’s genius.
Well put James,” no pain no gain”getting in the trenches and getting the job done allows one to move up the ladder of success. Once you put the boots on and feel the satisfaction becomes a great reward when one delivers the project.
What do you do if your leader is incompetent or has different goals?
If incompetent teach them. If their goals are different try to change their goals through conversation or show them through action you have a solution that fits., are few choices best of luck.
What a great philosophy, for life as well as leadership.
Careful chosen but powerful and truthful words about leadership and action. I like the part of being paralyzed or making things worse.
I like the idea of asking questions to yourself. It is far to often that we assume some things are obvious until we think long and hard on it or even speak out the question itself. This is part of being conscious of the situation in real time.
Question 2 is my frequent response to negative thinking from others (and myself). Great post.
Thanks for the question: “How can leaders help others overcome paralysis?” I like to spend time outdoors with leaders because it forces more rapid decision-making. In the wilderness, because of the forces of nature, weather, wildlife, climate conditions, and topography, the problem of analysis paralysis is magnified a thousand fold. When you are in a situation where there are recognizable risks and obvious consequences, the need to be a decision maker is clear and present. Hopefully we have the skills to make good decisions, but even if we don’t, we have to use common sense and decide. Experiencing decision-making scenarios in the wilderness is a great tutor for real life and real leadership. I wrote a blog on analysis paralysis for those who might be interested: 5 WAYS TO BREAK OUT OF ANALYSIS PARALYSIS AND BE A DECISION MAKER http://adenton.com/1vIlq4P
Use your skills and common sense and make a decision. If it fails, you’re asked “Why didn’t you wait, what are you, a moron?”
Don’t make a decision and fail, you’re asked “Why didn’t you do something, ANYTHING, what are you, a moron?”
Jug and stone, anyone?
Might I suggest the most important (first) question is : Is this problem sufficiently important that it’s worth my energy, time (and expense) to solve?
Dan, you wrote “Leaders try things.“ I would add `without knowing if it will work.“ The courage to try something new without knowing if it will work matters to good leadership.
Thanks Bruce. Good add. Leaders are courageous. Courage includes the ability to withstand failure.