Nowadays and very often, leaders have to improvise and adapt quickly to survive and thrive in the face of the unpredictable challenges of the market.
We don’t have to be afraid to try, and fail, before succeeding. It will be almost impossible to learn and adapt quickly to the changing needs of your customers and the marketplace if you are afraid of failure. We have to take risks, think outside the box, and be willing to face really difficult situations, to find the path that works, all with a smile on our face!
Tell your team what you want, plus why and how. Be explicit about your intent. Team members can’t help you change if they don’t clearly understand where they need to go and how to get there. There is no set formula for change in business, so you need to improvise with a positive message.
Always acknowledge ideas and add to them. Make sure everyone understands the power of sharing opinions and suggestions, and in holding people accountable. Teach them how to actively observe and listen.
Ask, and get buy-in through participation and feedback. By openly requesting and rewarding feedback, you are demonstrating that you value other’s input and you want to include everyone in the decision process. Team involvement encourages everyone to buy in, despite the work it entails, because they feel personal ownership in the business.
Remember that practice makes the master. We see this in the Olympics and professional sports. You and your team need to be well-oiled, and able to work together automatically before you can hope to react quickly to changes in the marketplace. Improvisation does require training.
Leaders must be the example. It is necessary to walk the talk, be consistent, passionate, and accountable for their actions. No matter what happens; always communicating the need for change, and leading the charge to listen, learn, and adapt. Business culture is set by leader actions.
Empower your team to initiate the change process. Ownership is essential in creating an inclusive environment. Empower your team to help you create and protect this culture. Make sure they have the resources and the education to get change done with you, or without you.
Remove those who refuse or undermine the team. A smaller team working well together is much more effective than a larger dysfunctional team. Often, it’s in the best interest of the team, the company, and certainly the people to part ways or move to a new team before permanent damage is done.
Be tenacious to make the required change happen. The leader who is a tenacious implementer of change will always follow up on the initiatives started. All change needs to tie back to the basic principles, values, and objectives of the business.
Finally, consider the reframing of disciplines from one domain to another. This is a great example of the value of thinking outside the box.
Are you using that level of thinking in your business? The future of your business may depend on it.
