You know the classic definition of insanity – “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It makes us laugh a little, but perhaps there is some truth in this when it comes to your leadership today.
I frequently encounter owners-founders-CEOs who are harboring just a bit (or a lot) of frustration just below the surface as they go about their day to day work. You may be one of them. You may feel this frustration because you don’t see the outcomes in your business changing fast enough based on what you believe you are investing (time, energy, decisions, money). If you are indeed experiencing this, it is time for a “reset” to align this input and the outcomes you should expect – it’s time to get perspective.
There are certainly a variety of possibilities that may be root cuases:
- You are investing in the wrong decisions and activities.
- You are investing in an “un-winnable” scenario (the larger problem of product/service alignment with the market).
- You are actually not investing enough yourself (decisions are too slow, you are controlling vs. empowering, you are not investing enough in talent and systems).
- You are investing in the wrong people.
How do you find out? Do you actually want to find out? The fastest and smartest way to discover the answers is to get outside perspective. You can read management books and get inspired. You can network with others and get some limited perspective to rub off on you. However, to affect change that is meaningful, you are going to need to invite someone (or a group of peers) to intrude upon your ego and view of self to ask you some hard questions.
Join a peer group (a group of CEOs that walk in your shoes as a leader). Hire an executive coach. Find a mentor willing to give you the time. Whatever you do, find that person or those people that will force you to examine yourself and, if necessary, discuss the emperors lack of clothing! Or, you can keep doing what you are doing today . . . and . . .
If you want to start somewhere, I welcome the opportunity to talk about gaining perspective.
