?? Navigating Necessary Endings ??

As an executive, board member, leadership expert, coach, and mentor, I have found that one of the most challenging aspects of being a leader, particularly in the context of work or business, is navigating difficult decisions and necessary endings, especially those that involve ending relationships or parting ways with a team member or even a key customer.

If not handled well, these decisions can be heart-wrenching and emotional, impacting the team and company in ripples. I have witnessed both ends of this spectrum and know the importance of planning well for these events and transitions.

A great resource and ?? Leadership Seed ?? that I recommend on this topic is Dr. Henry Cloud’s book, “Necessary Endings.” In the book, Dr. Cloud “explores the art of letting go—whether it’s ending toxic relationships, shutting down failed projects, or pruning away what no longer serves us. Cloud emphasizes that wise endings are essential for growth and success. He provides practical strategies to navigate difficult decisions, showing how businesses falter and relationships suffer when we avoid necessary endings.”*

“Often, in necessary endings, you have to give something up or be willing to lose something in order to gain it.” - Dr. Henry Cloud

Here are?three key takeaways from the book,?along with corresponding??? Leadership Seeds ??and action items:

1. Accept Life Cycles and Seasons: Understand that life is composed of cycles and seasons; nothing lasts forever. Recognize when it’s time to let go of something that has served its purpose.

?? Leadership Seed ??: Regularly assess your projects, relationships, and activities. Identify what needs pruning or closure to make room for growth.

2. Pruning for Growth: Pruning is essential for growth. We must remove unwanted or unhealthy branches to allow healthy ones to thrive.

?? Leadership Seed ??: Evaluate your team, projects, and processes. Trim away what no longer contributes positively, freeing up resources for what truly matters.

3. Execute Necessary Endings: Learn when to have realistic hope and when to let go. Some relationships, projects, or ventures may not be salvageable. Overcome resistance to change and create a sense of urgency.

?? Leadership Seed ??: Courageously address situations that require endings. Communicate clearly, provide support during transitions, and focus on what’s essential.

I love the rosebush pruning analogy, as it blends well with my thoughts and explains why I named my coaching and leadership development firm The Leadership Seed. More will follow in my new book, ?? Leadership Seed ??, coming soon.

Here are some specific situations that you may encounter as a leader and some thoughts on planning and preparing to execute well on necessary endings in your life or business.

1. Employee Performance

Situation: Recognize when an employee consistently underperforms or exhibits toxic behavior.

Action Item: Have candid conversations, provide clear feedback, document well, and set performance improvement goals. If necessary, please make sure to part ways amicably to allow both parties to move forward.

Potential Failure Points: Not setting clear expectations, not training or equipping well, failing to document conversations, coaching, expectations, performance, etc., and lacking the courage or ability to provide "tough love" or have hard conversations, particularly when working in a family business with a sibling, a close friend, or even a co-founder. Leading takes courage, and this is where you must walk your talk as a leader.

2. Product Lines or Services

Situation: Some products or services may no longer align with market demand or organizational goals.

Action Item: Please regularly evaluate your offerings. If a product/service isn’t profitable or relevant, consider discontinuing it. Redirect resources to more promising ventures.

Potential Failure Points: Not being willing to sacrifice sacred cows or kill ideas early that do not bear expected fruit or returns, letting a key customer drive you to maintain an unprofitable product to keep their business, not having a regular process and defined metrics to facilitate objective, data-driven decisions related to your product or service portfolio.

3. Strained Relationships:

Situation: Not all relationships are healthy or productive.

Action Item: Assess professional relationships. If a partnership consistently drains energy or lacks mutual benefit, consider ending it respectfully. Focus on collaborations that yield positive outcomes.

Potential Failure Points: Not having or establishing health boundaries (another great book from Dr. Cloud - "Boundaries for Leaders," a riff on his classic original "Boundaries" book), being unaware or willing to accept that a relationship may be unhealthy or productive because it may meet other needs you may have.

4. Projects and Initiatives:

Situation: Everything in life has some sort of cycle, including projects. They need regular progress reviews, and some need closure.

Action Item: Build and execute a regular project review process with discipline. If a project isn’t meeting objectives or consumes excessive resources, consider ending it. Celebrate achievements and learn from failures.

Potential Failure Points: Lack of process or defined decision points, a culture of scope creep and ever-expanding project timelines and budgets, "pet projects" consuming more resources than required or useful, lack of definition of "who owns it" when it comes to resource prioritization decisions.

5. Leadership Roles:

Situation: Leaders evolve, teams evolve, companies and organizations evolve, and sometimes transitions are necessary.

Action Item: Reflect on your current role as a leader. If you’re no longer effective or passionate, consider planning your own transition, stepping down, or passing the torch. Prioritize the organization’s success over personal success and pride.

Potential Failure Points: Organizational politics, lack of effective governance structures, leaders who serve their own needs and desires above all else, and lack of organizational succession planning and leadership development structure and investment.

Call to Action | Let's Plant Some ?? Leadership Seeds ?? Together

If you are facing tough decisions or transitions or need to plan or execute some necessary endings, I am here to help. Together, we can develop tailored strategies to navigate any situation and prune effectively for the health of the team or organization. Contact me on LinkedIn or visit The Leadership Seed to learn more. I would love to discuss how I might help you develop, nurture, and grow your ?? Leadership Seed ?? in dealing with difficult decisions and necessary endings.

If you found this content useful, please feel free to drop a comment with your thoughts in a post. As the first reader to comment and share, I will happily send you your own copy of "Necessary Endings" or any other book from the Dr. Cloud library.

#Leadership #NecessaryEndings #Decisionmaking #Coaching #ProfessionalDevelopment

* https://readingraphics.com/book-summary-necessary-endings/

* Cloud, H. (2010).?Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward. HarperBusiness.

Learn, grow, and lead well,

Thank you for reading ?? The Leadership Seed ??. I appreciate you investing time to learn, grow and lead. I hope you found the content helpful. If you did, please:

1. COMMENT | Share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with the community.
2. SUBSCRIBE | Never miss an issue or insight.
3. SHARE | Pay it forward to other leaders who are hungry to grow.

★ Connect with me to join the conversation, collaborate, and share networks.

★ Follow ?? The Leadership Seed ?? or visit our website for more great content.

★ Send me a note directly at [email protected].

★ Schedule some time to chat.

#leadership #character #results #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoaching #mentoring #theleadershipseed #entrepreneurship #careertransition #learngrowlead

Copyright ? 2024 by The Leadership Seed. All rights reserved.