the important thing is not to stop questioning. curiosity has its own reason for existence. one cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. it is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. never lose a holy curiosity – albert einstein
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Navigating The Problems Maze
Problems are one of those things you are never going to completely avoid. They vary. Some are worthy of your attention, some are not. To manage your time and other resources well, you must decide which problems are worth your attention. Decide before they arise. Take a problem inventory; in retrospect, what have you experienced as a leader and organization? Which of your problems are recurring? How many of them need your attention as the leader? How many of them need to be delegated? Some problems can be solved once and for all time by putting in place clear systems. It is folly to keep watch for fires that you know are going to start instead of dealing with their source.
Crisis is often a result of our reactions and not the problems per se
How you look at the problem will determine your ability to solve it. The attention you give to problems is what determines the extent to which they will be magnified: greater or smaller. It’s your call! There are times when the problems we face are not really much of an issue. The way they actually become serious problems is because we make them that way. Crisis is often a result of our reactions and not the problems per se. Some problems may require urgent but not immediate attention. Effective problem solvers are comfortable with parking some problems to deal with ones worthy of attention. Parking a problem for a moment may also be necessary for getting a good perspective. Complications arise when you react to a perceived problem without first understanding it.
Be careful not to react out of the frustration or fear your team expresses when they encounter a problem. You cannot effectively lead your team out of challenges if you get caught up in the same anxiety as them. Keep in mind you lead yourself before you lead your team. How you lead yourself directly affects your team or organization. In fact, there will be many times you have to lead yourself out of frustration and helplessness before you can lead your team. Problems will appear solvable to your team when they hear you and see you act that way. Your team gets their cue on how to respond to challenges from you. Panic and they will too. Be honest and vulnerable, but do so with conviction you will not only survive but thrive beyond the problem and they will too.
illustration by joncandy, flickr (cc)
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What are some of the things that leaders need to take into account, in relation to their team, when they encounter problems?
The Double-edged Sword Of Branding and Communication
Worldviews are shaped by a myriad of dynamics. Hence one message can mean different things to many people. Fact! We do not have control over the forces that shaped the outlook of those we lead or communicate with before we met them or made initial contact. It would be spitting in the wind to challenge anyone’s outlook without first understanding what shaped it. You must be willing to understand before challenging them to change. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to walk a journey with people to challenge their outlook so that they are more receptive to the messages you send.
not all the people you will convey a message think like you
A delivery truck (picture above) I saw in traffic talked to me. (Don’t worry I’m not losing my sanity) It becomes imperative that you consider the many messages different types of people can draw from your marketing or brand campaign. Communication within your team or organization is included in this.
As you work on a new brand, marketing campaign or a vision communication strategy remember that those you desire to reach do not have as much background as you do. Some campaigns were dead before they were delivered because the campaign managers simply released the tail end of their internal conversation. You know what I mean… You know when someone has a conversation all by themselves in their head and they blurt out their conclusion? That’s exactly what I mean.
Other things to consider are the many other different ways that people will perceive your communication or brand. Because you have the background to your campaign it will be much easier for you to get the gist of your resultant slogan etc. Take the picture above as an example. My initial thought on what the brand was about would not be something considered as “clean” by some. (Think about it “Bull Brand”) In addition, I thought was odd was that nothing else clearly told me what the organization does. I thought they supplied beef or their business was livestock and could not come up with specifics. (It turns out Bull Brand actually supplies beef and allied products!)
For effective branding and communication you do not need to be too elaborate or vague. Your logo, billboard or other forms of communication must not be at the expense of what they are supposed to communicate. People must not get hung up on the logo rather what it represents. When you come up with your communication strategy always keep in front of you what you want people to remember and the action you want them to take. On the other hand, as in my case, if your “billboard” does not get anyone’s attention then there is no way a message can be conveyed. Your campaign must illuminate its object not draw attention to itself. You can think of numerous instances where people liked the campaign and did not “see” the product. Remember that the branding and communication sword is double-edged!
Random Thoughts On Excuses
Excuses are as old as humanity. Everyone is using them in one area or another. You’ve used them and chances are tomorrow you may use a couple without even realizing. They have become a normal part of our lives. Either we hear them, accommodate or use them. In all cases we interact with them. Here are some of my (random) thoughts on excuses:
- Significance: they never built anything significant: Simply put, excuses are the reason something was either not done or could not be done. They can be very logical and valid. Excuses make it easy for people to get hung up on why something cannot be done instead of why we cannot afford to do it.
- Nowhere: It takes as much energy to think of some excuses as it is to think of solutions. They are not always easy to conjure and often burn up energy that could be used for progress. Using and entertaining them keeps you from moving forward. Your biggest obstacle at the moment is that you’re paying too much attention to excuses. Only when you start looking beyond the why-it-cannot-be-done excuses do you get on track to significant achievements. Excuses are the main reason why things stay the same or deteriorate. They will take you nowhere worth going!
- Keep from: Excuses are what people use to keep themselves from God. It gets worse, by so doing they rob themselves of a life or purpose and significance. They have also kept people from dreaming and achieving with God. Another sad fact: some of the excuses people conjure sound very ‘spiritual’ that others start buying into them. What excuses have you bought into that are keeping you from God and or achieving with Him?
- Creativity: Excuses are wasted imagination and creativity. Like I’ve said it’s not always easy to come up with excuses. Fabricating them is often not seen as time and energy wasters but more as the means of not using energy, creativity and time. On the contrary, it is.
I actually had more random thoughts but thought that I’d leave this open to give you room to add yours… What are some of the common excuses people use? What’s your take on excuses?
When Sharing Dreams Or Goals
It matters who you share your dreams, goals or aspirations with. This means you must be well prepared for truth or perspectives that will not necessarily match yours. As difficult as it may be, it also means you need to be an objective listener and not listening only for what you want to hear but what you need to hear. Sharing your dreams and goals is important to keep you accountable as you pursue them. It will also protect you from worthless pursuits and or false starts. The people you share your dreams with will determine:
- Pursuit: They will affect whether you pursue your dream or not. Some may validate it. Others will challenge and strongly recommend you don’t pursue it any further. I am not suggesting that you use this as a way to determine whether to “chase” or not… You need to have a balance in perspectives before you pursue anything and decide for yourself. Thus whoever you share your aspirations with, will encourage or discourage you, lead you to your demise or your blossoming.
- How: Whoever you share your aspirations with may, to a great extent, shape how you pursue them. With this in mind, do your best to find people that have a clue or have walked a similar journey. There is an African proverb: You ask for the way from those that are ahead. [almost literal translation, but you get the gist] In other words seek out those that have walked the road. If you cannot find someone to help you map the way forward, find someone that is willing to help you find it.
Therefore, carefully consider with whom and how to share your dreams and goals. Make sure you are clear on what they are. Be objective as you share and listen to other people. You cannot follow everyone’s counsel, but ensure that you have enlisted counsel with different views; either from different people or an individual that will fairly assess the pros and cons.
What are other things one must remember when sharing dreams or goals? Any other thoughts?
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