Dear reader: I’m mixing things up a bit. After writing roughly 250 long-form articles over the last 5 years, I’m playing with a different “quick hit” format. For the next few weeks, you’ll notice that I’m writing three short mini-articles instead of one longer one. Let me know what you think!

The Right Answer Isn’t Out There

A great challenge of leadership is the question, “What is the right path?”

Leadership, if you are genuinely leading, is a lot like chopping a new trail through a dense jungle while being followed by those you lead.

You probably know where you want to get to, you might have an idea of how to get there, but you may not be able to see very far ahead right now.

From your perspective, there is no path. You are trying to build it. And you might be afraid you are building on in the wrong direction.

There is (almost) never a right path. There are better paths and worse paths. Faster and slower paths. Smoother and rougher paths. But rarely is there a right path. Looking for the right path usually results in no path at all.

Look for helpful paths: Don’t ask, “Is this the right path?” Instead ask, “Is this path helpful for (achieving our vision? Taking care of our people? Accomplishing our goals?).” Examine alternatives and ask, “Is Option A or Option B more or less helpful?”

Choose the more helpful option. If you can’t tell, then you either don’t have enough information (go get it) or both options are probably fine. Just pick the one you prefer.

Signs of Helpful Paths: Helpful paths tend to be in alignment with your values and vision. They clearly move in that direction. They tend to take care of people (create guidance, growth, safety, etc.). They tend to create clarity. They tend to take the underlying interests of others into account.

---

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The Mindsets That Produce Growth

Growth is important for all organizations. When growth stops, it is a sign of something going wrong. Eventually, a price is paid for the inability to grow.

It’s just how it is.

Growth doesn’t have to be numeric: More people, more money, more locations.

It can be any or all of those three. But it can also include growth in skills, reach, expertise, reputation and so forth.

The point is: Is there something new? Is there some kind of expansion?

The way leaders of growth organizations think is different than other leaders. Here are the key mindsets that I see that are different:

• Courage vs fear: Leaders of growing organizations are courageous. They may feel fear or uncertainty at times. But it isn’t the ruling emotion in their life. Instead, they take appropriate risks, tackle tough conversations, engage challenging relationships and step into unknown futures.

Fear is probably the primary issue that holds leaders back. It’s far more common than you might think.

• Effort vs Magical Thinking: Perhaps the second biggest mindset of growth is the willingness to put in the effort. The opposite of that is magical thinking, where people assume that of course their business will be popular, or everyone will support their cause or buy their book.

Most success is the result of incremental growth over a long time: the result of perseverance and hard work.

• Internal vs external comparison: Internal comparison means comparing my growth today to where I was at yesterday. External comparison means comparing myself to someone else. In fact, this perspective drives a lot of growth (competition and envy are great motivators) it tends to burn leaders out or cause them to overreach. In some cases, it causes leaders to not even try because of the belief that “I need to be like (someone else) if I want success.”

 Leaders who have the greatest resilience and longevity seem to be those who are primarily focused on making tomorrow’s self better than yesterday’s self.

• Happiness is a choice vs happiness is a reward: Leaders who understand that they can choose and create their happiness vs feeling they need to earn and win it tend to also be more successful.

It’s a form of contentment that neither promotes apathy nor does it bowl them over when life gets hard. It’s a way of staying grounded.

Happy leaders can make it when it’s difficult. Leaders chasing happiness rarely find it – even when achieving what they thought was “success.”

• Progress vs Perfection: Trying to be perfect or right will kill you. Especially as a leader when you feel that you cannot make a mistake. Or in most situations where there is no right answer.

But knowing how to keep moving forward, learning and growing, that’s the key. Grow, learn, make progress. Don’t worry about perfection.

---

Why Most Team Training Is the Wrong Answer to The Right Question

My phone rings. “We are looking for someone that could help provide team training. Could you help us?”

As a consultant, I receive this call frequently. Team training is an easy sell. It’s a great way to build a consulting business.

Except that team training is nearly always the wrong answer. It won’t answer their real question. Which they haven’t asked yet.

When we explore their situation a little bit, the real question emerges. It sounds something like this: “What will help this team work together better and be more effective?”

That’s a great question. Which seems obvious when written out like that. And they never ask it. At least not right away.

But underneath whatever they initially ask, is their real question. And it needs the right answer.

Training is probably not it.

Click here to discover what the right answer is.

“You aren’t going to make us do trust falls, are you?”

In my article recently published in Training Industry,  I describe:

• Why team training usually makes team problems worse.
• The 6 primary issues behind any team problem.
• The 4 solutions to those issues.
• The 1 core reason why team challenges don’t get resolved.
• The 3 occasions where team training is the right answer.

So, what’s a leader to do?  Click here to read my article in Training Industry.

Take good care,

Christian

---

Opportunities                                                                             

Did someone send you this article? You can receive it, free, directly from me each week.  Click here to sign up. You can unsubscribe any time. I won’t feel too hurt.

Free Resource: How To Accomplish More Without Doing More is a workbook I created to walk leaders through a process of helping you own your calendar, liberate you time and still get more done. Download it for free!

Executive and Leadership Coaching: Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you not getting the results you expect from the effort you are putting in? Do you find yourself facing similar challenges time and time again? Would you like to change specific ways of relating or reacting? If you would like to experience predictable, measurable growth Contact me.

Profitable Exit Strategy Workshop: Are you a business owner or partner? Are you over 55? Are you starting to think about exiting your business or active management in the next 3-5 years?

• Are you curious about what your business might be worth?
• Would you like to discover the specific steps you need to take to increase its value and become highly attractive to a buyer?
• Are you planning on handing it over to family or employees and you want to ensure long-term success?

If so, contact me now.