We live in a world of skeptics ready to scrap a new idea at the first sign of trouble. This can stifle innovation and risk-taking.
There is nothing wrong with being a bit cynical, wanting some degree of safety to ensure something doesn’t go terribly awry, jeopardizing precious assets, including money, time and energy. Going all in on the wrong project can also squander your bandwidth for other promising initiatives. On the flipside, a leader must also be an optimist, as being too risk averse will make a company stagnant and eventually irrelevant in the marketplace, failing to attract the best and brightest talent.
Today, more so than ever, it seems that not only businesspeople but, to a greater degree, politicians want rock-solid evidence that an idea is viable. This is an iffy strategy, particularly for companies that want to challenge the status quo and become disruptors. Management must have the skill and confidence to take prudent risks, particularly those risks with potentially oversized paybacks.
A strategy that has worked for me as a CEO is to create a “show me” approach, the state slogan of Missouri adopted in 1899. A “show me” mindset is not a negative but instead a series of checks and balances constructed to keep an undertaking on track at each development step. When it is not obvious that something is working as intended, it is good business to ask those involved to “show me” their rationale, underscored by facts, figures and past experiences of others, including competitors. Just because a competitor failed at getting it right doesn’t mean your company can’t learn from missteps and devise workarounds.
As it’s been said, if a solution doesn’t kill you, it will make you better. The best leaders have had their own near-death experiences, only to persevere and eventually succeed.
A leader must be able to question, inspire, hold people accountable and, at the same time, be sensitive to the team’s needs, current psyche and potential emotional pitfalls. A big mistake is to use shaming to punish and humiliate, thinking it will set people not pulling their weight on the straight and narrow. This only builds resentment and frustration, and undermines objectives that require collaboration and respect.
One important caveat to avoid is the gotcha method of managing, taking great delight shining a bright light on team members’ faux pas. Missteps should lead to a one-one-one teaching experience.
Also, don’t put those who were not initial believers in the penalty box, excluding them from celebrating crossing the line and the organization’s win. Teach your team how to use skepticism as a positive tool. It can be a catalyst to beating the odds, overcoming obstacles, taking a last look and digging deeper to discover an even better way to fine-tune the undertaking. It is not uncommon for a distractor today to be converted to a collaborator and advocate tomorrow.
Visit Michael Feuer’s website www.TipsFromTheTop.info to learn more about his columns, watch videos and purchase his books, “The Benevolent Dictator” and “Tips From The Top.”
