Popular or Effective. Pick One.
Having to make the choice between being popular and being effective is one reason why so many leaders are slow to make necessary changes to their leadership teams, even when the need is obvious.
Having to make the choice between being popular and being effective is one reason why so many leaders are slow to make necessary changes to their leadership teams, even when the need is obvious.
CEOs are often frustrated by their executive team’s lack of leadership ability and/or their capacity to take on new assignments. The solution often requires both bold decision making and taking action.
Leaders who are driven by the need to impress or compete with others may find their work increasingly less meaningful. Conversely, leaders who are “inner directed” are able to set a direction for the organization based on their authentic values and experience. This “inner directedness” is where the courage to act in the face of criticism and self-doubt comes from.
When faced with a problem that seems too hard to solve, leading-edge executives and coaching practitioners replace fear with a “growth mindset.” It is not about how much you know. It is instead about how committed you are to learn and grow on a continual basis.
When executive teams show symptoms of dysfunction, some leaders ignore them, hoping they will magically go away or get fixed on their own. The way to resolve these team challenges is to face them, identify the root causes, and work together as a team to fix whatever is wrong.