No, I don’t”! This was the response in the very current and active story I brought you in last week’s blog “Purpose Clarity Shapes How You “See” People”. The ongoing story, over the last couple of months since that strong declaration, is one of hope and inspiration.
For the moment, let’s hold that thought.
Here’s the “rub” for you and me. As we engage with…
- Team members who are challenged to “show up” well,
- Clients who are less than “having a good day”, and
- Suppliers that are under tremendous pressure to meet the demands of their own companies…
What do you do? What is the helpful approach?
As this senior leader has discovered, “powering up” on people; shutting them down, driving on and/or demanding compliance may work for the time being. It may even ‘work’ for the long haul – with a negative cost!
For many of us, the pressure of getting things done and engaging well with people feels like mutually exclusive issues. It feels like you are pushing rope through a pile of rusty old chains.
It’s brutal.
It’s discouraging.
No-one is enjoying the process.
The results needed are far too hard to get.
You know that this is NOT sustainable!
But what do you do?
Try talking about the idea of a sustainable stream of high quality leads that convert well into predictable revenue, from repeatable clients who love to buy from you. It sounds too good to be true!
Yet, I suggest strongly that it doesn’t have to be that way. Ask the senior leader from the original story and he will agree. In fact, if he continues in this hopeful and very pragmatic direction, which he is determined to do, I say….
Look out!!
Already, much good has been taking place. There is…
More alignment;
More passion;
More clarity;
More focus;
And a greater team drive to hit the business metrics that were so needed.
So what did this leader do?
It was actually quite simple a concept – yet so very challenging to implement. He was not only willing to make a shift in perspective, he was committed to doing the difficult work to make the shift. He chose an operating view of people that was as outlined in last week’s blog “Purpose Clarity Shapes How You “See” People”.
With this “new” view of how to truly ‘see’ people, he set out to invite his team to the table. He invited them to join him and provide feedback so that he could become a better leader.
He is starting to experience as I have written in the past….
This leader chose to humble himself and go to each key team member and ask 3 very simple, yet profoundly powerful questions. The 3 questions are based on a frame that I learned a long time ago – START STOP KEEP
- What do I need to START doing that would help you?
- What do I need to STOP doing that would help you?
- What do I need to KEEP doing that is helpful?
Shortly, we will be putting a plan in place for him to work on areas identified from his team.
The apostle Peter invites us to engage the way this leader is learning how to engage. Look at 1 Peter 5:1 – 11 and see how the apostle Peter is inviting you and me to lead.
This leader has been doing the hard work of re-aligning motive and skill. He stepped into some tough discussions where he knew that the feedback would not be pleasant. It hasn’t been easy or straightforward. At the same time, fruit for the effort is beginning to show itself.
Are you willing to ask these 3 questions? More importantly, are you willing to do the work that will come from the answers to these 3 questions?
A Deliberate Application:
- Reflect on last weeks’ blog and this one.
- What inspires you?
- What challenges you?
- Read 1 Peter 5:1-11 and ask God to show you where your mindset needs to shift as you look at leading people?
- Who will you share this with?
