A Colossal Failure to Anticipate
It’s a colossal failure to anticipate when you solve the same problems repeatedly. You maximize the present when you expect the future.
Lack of anticipation causes frustration to settle in. When you expect issues to rise and do nothing to prevent them, urgencies rule.
Glory:
Failure to anticipate is an ineffective leader’s path to glory.
There’s a way to prevent the check engine light from coming on in your car. Do regular undramatic maintenance.
Some leaders ignore systematic preparation because they have fallen in love with being needed. Solving problems early makes solutions less dramatic.
When problems get big, solutions inflate ego.
On September 5, 1970, Dr. Constantin Paul Lent wrote a letter to Vice President Spiro Agnew regarding how to prevent hijackings. He proposed changing cockpit doors. It would have been harder to fly airliners into buildings if his proposal had been adopted.
No one knows your name when you prevent problems.
Develop the skill to anticipate:
Anticipate the future by observing patterns. Use the past to anticipate the future.
Notice…
- Recurring topics of conversation, especially topics of concern.
- Repeated frustrations. History shows that staffing is a challenge. Don’t ignore history. Use it to prepare for the future.
- Nagging fears. Fear invites foresight for the wise. Make a plan that prevents your fear from happening.
- Successes. Lessons learned from success are less painful than learning from failure. Reinforce success.
- What’s working?
- Why do think it’s working?
- What were the essential behaviors that made this success possible?
- Failure. Do the next best thing when you can’t learn from success; learn from failure.
Inevitable:
You can’t anticipate everything. Surprise is inevitable. But if recurring issues consume your energy lack of anticipation may be the cause.
How can leaders use the past to prepare for the future?
What would you add to this post?
Still curious:
Anticipation as Leadership Advantage
Hockey analogy – if the leagues leading scorer is on the other team, you better have a plan for dealing with them if you want to win.
Speaking of hockey, Wayne Gretzky is quoted as saying, “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
Thanks for the illustration, Ian.
I’d love some insight/tips on how to deal with this type of leadership as an employee. What strategies are there to cope, or lead from the back, when you are under a leader that operates this way?
Great question, Ian. I’ll mull that over.
The first things that come to mind are control what is in your control and if you anticipate your leader will run around putting out fires, what do you want to do?
It’s distracting to focus on what you want her/him to do. You can’t control that.
I’m sure there are more options.
Ouch! What a great post to read this morning! I’m a little “sensitive” on that topic currently. Although anticipation is normally a tool in my belt, right now it’s looking either lost or very rusty. While distracted by one dumpster fire, I’ve let our team get blindsided by an another situation that could have/should have been anticipated. Now, it’s like I’m leading a group of friends to a party and we’re all going to have to do an embarrassing u-turn in the middle of the road because I missed the turn. Offering reasons is just going to sound like excuses. There’s no place to hide on this one. I’ll search your archives for suggestions on rebuilding team morale after a major leadership fail! Thanks for the post. Signed/asleep at the wheel.
You honor us with your story. One difference between leading and being an individual contributor is the public nature of our mistakes. It’s humbling.
I can tell you already know the basics. Own it. Say, “I’m learning.” Ask for support. “I need your help” is powerful when spoken by an authentic leader. And, focus on next time.
We hate making life harder for others. When it happens humility and forward-facing vision lead the way. You have my best.