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No Leader is a Master of Everything
Business leaders, CEOs and business owners often find themselves in situations where they are expected to do things they have little knowledge of or experience with. With the multitude of things that can occur in business, it is unreasonable to assume anyone can be well prepared for every situation.
The Pressure to Perform
Leading an organization requires many skills and strong emotional intelligence; it is not for the faint of heart. Battle-weary, you press on toward that ultimate goal of growing revenue and increasing profit. You invest your blood, sweat and tears into your organization and employees day after day only to be challenged with a never-ending stream of new situations and circumstances.
CEOs and business owners find themselves in situations where they are regularly asked to make choices based on experience and knowledge, and expected to execute those decisions with confidence and strength. All too often CEOs and business leaders will avoid the necessary due diligence and make bad decisions simply because they are unwilling or unable to say they just don't know. This is when the real danger is at its peak - when the greatest damage can occur.
Once a poor decision has been made, it is much more difficult to correct the mistake. Rather, they will continue to make poor decisions that often make a bad situation worse. Gaining third-party expertise can add tremendous value to you and your company through hands-on advice, experience and expertise.
Be Productive, Seek Advice
Step 1. You must understand what is and is not expected of you and believe that no mere mortal has all the wisdom and intelligence to solve every problem on his/her own.
Part of leadership is knowing when you don't have an answer and finding ways to get the information you need to make an intelligent decision.
Step 2. Talk to your team and your advisors and ask them for advice. Allowing others to participate in critical conversations is a sign of strength, not weakness. As the leader of your organization, asking for input from the right person(s) will enhance your ability to make profitable decisions.
Step 3. A strong business advisor typically has tackled what you are dealing with multiple times and has sound advice. While no one person is likely to have all the answers, business advisors have gone through many problems you are going through and are dedicated professionals in helping CEOs and business owners. Asking for outside help is not a sign of weakness or vulnerability; it is a sign of strength and wisdom.
Step 4. As a leader, you must recognize that there is no such thing as perfection, and mistakes will be made by you and your staff. So long as you get most of the decisions right most of the time, you will be ahead of the game. When the stakes get higher, it is time to eliminate emotion from your thoughts and rely on facts, logic and outside expertise - things that often escape us when we are acting under pressure.
Contact CEO Advisor today for a free consultation at (949) 759-8676 or email MHartsell@CEOAdvisor.com.
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