I just came back from a South American country where my senses, my beliefs, my daily habits, my ability to communicate as well as my sense of security were constantly turned upside down and sideways. The new perspectives I gained reminded me of how important it is be uncomfortable and challenge yourself on all things that you think you know. As a strategy consultant, it reminded me that it is particularly important for those of us who are responsible for charting your organization’s future.
In my last post, I shared 10 common planning habits that can lead your strategic plan to fail and number 1 was about the role of leadership.
Strategy is about the future, right? And what do we know about that? Nothing. Feel uncomfortable yet? Most humans don’t enjoy being uncomfortable and that is why the armchair is one of the best-selling pieces of furniture. Ahh, you can feel the comfort setting in. But leaders who want to be great strategists must resist the desire to be armchair planners. You must seek the edge of your comfort zone and cross over regularly into the prickly unknown.
Here’s why leaders should get uncomfortable:
- Keeps our sense of urgency, keeps momentum and encourages us to seek new solutions to old problems. A leader that seeks comfort will not be ready when the change comes and will fail to adapt. They will lose momentum and inertia will set in.
- Challenges our urge to become complacent,to stop developing people, advance goals and push limits. Never let stagnation set in.
- Ensures we seek the truth about what our business performance is really doing so that we can hold our self and our executive accountable, take on the hard problems, find root cause and stop pointing fingers. Never turtle!
- Reminds us to never, ever delegate our role of developing and executing on strategy. It is our job to lead the strategic change that keeps our organization successful in an unknown future. It can be hard, but it is our job!
So start now. If you haven’t felt uncomfortable lately, it’s time to find ways to do it – for you and your company’s future.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][author] [author_info]Louise Watson, President of Adura Strategy and a licensed PuMP® Consultant. Working to make your strategy dust-free.[/author_info] [/author][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
