Getting with the Program

I am forgetful. At times I know people take advantage of this, but that's okay - its my responsibility to be on top of my stuff.

But, it has taken twenty-odd years to realise I am not the only one. The stereotype of being the tall goofy-clumsy-docile-dopey-kinda-funny guy was the part I portrayed as a self-protective and apologetic way to navigate my constant imperfection. 

In fact, the reality is forgetfulness is one of the most common elements of being human. Our memory is as fallible as we are. And, that I have come to realise is okay.

Unfortunately, wondering around flippantly missing details and losing thoughts is inevitably met with layers of accountability from all angles of our social and professional lives. Roads have lines, rivers have banks, plants have pots. We have deadlines, competitors, client expectations, and budgets.

So, we have no choice but to set up systems to 'keep it tight'.

Sales professionals use CRM systems to track clients and house details. Operations teams use dashboards of all kinds to keep tabs on moment-to-moment activities. Families use blackboards and apps to organise shopping lists and chores. Most come with roles and responsibilities, task lists, and tracking. 

These are all programs we set up to ensure most (if not all) of the 'important stuff' gets done and gets done well.

So, it makes sense to set up programs in the way we work to lead our teams and clients.

In my last month of work I have been observing my clients to see which programs are the most critical and where the gaps often are. Here are a few high impact programs many are missing in their weekly/fortnightly/monthly leadership regime:

Coaching

In a recent workshop an IT company founder had grown his business over a two decade period commented, "I learnt there is no other way".

His point is that over many years he learnt that telling people what to do doesn't work. To lead teams without coaching them a majority of the time is to restrict and constrain progress and capability improvement almost all leaders crave in their team members.

Those investing in their Coaching Program create an unstoppable flywheel. Practicing this skill always has and always will be the smartest leadership act any professional can implement. Most can do it better and more.

Confrontation

I get it - no one likes confrontation. But, are we building it up to be more than what it is?

As leaders I see it as one of our primary jobs to confront the funky, clunky, wonky, and shonky stuff. If not us then who? And, what happens if not confronted? I call it 'drift'. People and tasks simply drift into the ether and important work does not get done. Cue resentment, incriminations, and what many describe as interpersonal conflict.

In short, any sense of accountability evaporates. And, without accountability there is no feedback, little learning, and a lot of p*ss taking. Those confident and capable of confronting what needs to be confronted accelerate their careers and their business.

Facilitation

One of the biggest gifts in my career was to become a professional facilitator. To be the person providing a platform for groups to collaborate is not only enjoyable but greatly valuable. Facilitation is the act of helping groups to solve problems. Is there anything more valuable in our modern workplaces for a leader than for teams to come together and problem solve effectively?

Build this program into how you lead and attend meetings. It creates quality progress quicker than any online tool or AI bot on the market.

There are many other programs leaders can set up for themselves. Many others. But, those brave and willing souls investing in setting up these leadership programs are giving themselves every opportunity to create and provide the value our rapidly evolving workplace (and job market) craves. This takes upfront effort (usually coming in the form of pain we put ourselves through to change our internal operating systems), but yields exponential growth (with little effort). 

I may forget or lose my keys in almost every meeting I attend (really gotta sort that out!), but I know that those running the aforementioned programs over the past few decades has been a deciding factor on business successes.

What are your programs yielding your successes?

What are the programs you can add?

What are the missing programs your leadership desperately requires?