Being a leader is a challenge in itself. And every leadership role comes with its own set of specific challenges. In my work as a leadership coach I have been able to see a wide range of situations that are especially challenging to leaders. Whatever form a challenge takes, it’s best to approach it as an opportunity for you and your team to excel in a high-profile situation.
Here are some of the most common situations that can give you the opportunity to bring out your best in your leadership and team:
When you’re starting something new. Whether you’re launching a new initiative, creating a new product or hiring new people for leadership, new beginnings are challenging. But they also present a clean slate. Make sure you put in the planning and effort you need up front to ensure the new initiative is successful.
When you’re concluding something. As a venture or working relationship ends, it creates change—and sometimes heightened emotions—that can be difficult to navigate. It’s your role as a leader to tie up loose ends and ensure a smooth transition so everyone can move on successfully.
When you’re planning a change. Organizations, teams and people are constantly changing, and most of the time that’s a good thing. You can’t have growth and improvement without change. But even the most positive change sometimes runs into opposition and defensiveness. Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind, and for people who are fearful by nature that impact takes the form of anxiety. For the hopeful it is encouragement; for the confident it is inspiration. It is the leader’s job to be able to handle these mixed responses with grace while getting people accustomed to the idea of change.
When you’re in transition. It’s one thing to plan for change, but when the actual transformation begins, the prospects are high that your leadership and team will face significant challenges and difficulties. Weathering these times of transition takes confidence, thoughtfulness, and careful communication—including lots of listening. This means that at a time when you’re likely to be distracted by a thousand details, you have to stay mindful of keeping everyone strong and moving forward together. For many leaders, times of transition represent the most significant challenges of their careers.
Whatever the challenge, try to view it as an opportunity for you to bring the best of who you are and what your leadership has to offer. To fully leverage the opportunity you have to acknowledge the attitudes and tendencies that get in your way and work to overcome them, work closely and effectively with your team, and do your part to keep steering the organization in a direction that serves its mission. It all starts with effective leadership.
Lead from within: There will always be challenges, and how you show up as a leader will always make a difference. Make you sure your leadership is bringing out your best so those around you can bring out theirs.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: iStockPhotos
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.