Blog

Duck and Run

Sometimes the world of work gets…well…complicated.  What was once a smooth operation suddenly isn’t so smooth anymore.  The team that appeared to be on top of the many moving parts of daily corporate life aren’t quite as sharp as they once were.  And the person at the top needs to do something about it.

Yes, I’m talking about us.

It’s Not a Blame Thing
Far too often when the inevitable winds of change disrupt our work lives we start looking for a scapegoat.  Who can we blame to quickly deflect any responsibility from ourselves?  Well, that’s not how it works.  It works by evaluating our own performance first, the decisions we’ve made (or not made), and putting together a plan to steer the ship back on course.  Just because the team, the policies, the strategies, and the flow of work once was smooth does not mean it will stay that way forever.  Nothing does.  It is imperative however that when we realize that the environment has truly changed, we must take action.

Avoidance is Not an Option
One of the “leadership” behaviors I’ve seen far too many times over the years in my HR practice is the avoidance approach taken by weak or inexperienced leaders.  Let’s be honest, confronting issues or people is difficult.  But avoiding issues that must be addressed results in much more work, much more stress on everyone, and usually impacts the organization both operationally and financially.  Don’t be “that leader” that doesn’t step up when life gets difficult.  It gets difficult for everyone from time to time.  You and I are no different.

How About You

When have you faced a change to your world that required tough decisions to be made?  Did you make them in a timely manner; or, did you try the classic duck and run strategy that left everyone wondering where you were hiding during a crisis?

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
pic courtesy of acda