Winning in quicksand
A rising tide lifts all boats. When everything was growing, it felt like we all were doing well. Even if it wasn’t easy, it felt like momentum and winning. So what happens when we all get mired in a sludge of stagnation??
3 things to consider as a leader:?
Mind your own mindset. Stay above the line.?
The body’s threat response, honed over millennia of evolution, are rarely needed in today’s modern world. “Fight or flight” mode actively narrows your field of vision and blocks your access to creativity and possibility. The Conscious Leadership Group defines this natural threat response as being “below the line”. In contrast, when you’re above the line, you are curious, open to new possibilities, collaborative and committed to learning.?
Know where you are at, at any point of time. If you want to lead your people through these tough times, you have to yourself first stay ‘above the line’. ?
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Redefine ‘winning’
In growth mode, the measures of winning are easy to identify. Revenue growth. New product launches. New customers acquired. Growing contract sizes. Headcount growth. In a shrinking or stagnant world, defining what “winning” can look like is much more nebulous. Protect core customers. Control burn. Strengthen foundations and fix tech debt. As Jocko Willink and Leif Babin describe the Navy Seal Hell Week in Extreme Ownership, in the face of adversity, sometimes “winning” is just enduring the storm.?
Clearly define what “winning” looks like for your org, based on where you are, and rally the troops around this new goal.?
Focus on inputs and do the reps
When the external environment is such that you can’t control outcomes, focus instead on the inputs. Hone your process. Raise the bar of your talent. Build a pipeline of activity. Advance your product. Focus on brand. Deepen your strengths, so that you’re ready to leap when the opportunity arises. If the outcomes aren’t controllable, they’re just noise.?
Make the inputs your goals, and do the reps.?
#ceo #founderculture #growthstage #startupculture #sparkyourleadership #winning #abovetheline #consciousleadership?