A message from Chris Swistro
As I mentioned last month, the economic, political
and social climate has brought us all to a moment
of reflection. For senior leaders, that moment of
reflection may feel more like stress, worry and
paralysis. Maybe you've been through layoffs
AND
budget cuts BUT this year's goals remain as
ambitious as last year's. Some of your team is
gone. So what will you do with the rest?
Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see
in the world." How will you be the change you want to
see at work?
Take a breath, get focused, and take
action.
Rekindle your "executive presence," and people
will follow.
You are as skilled and effective a
leader today as you were yesterday, before trouble hit.
So act on that belief. In his recent article "Executive
Presence: What is it & How to get it," Stephen Long
emphasizes the importance of two things: emotional
intelligence and authenticity. It's easy for executives to
forget the power of these leadership behaviors when
the fear of uncertainty and remorse about tough
decisions (like layoffs) takes hold. Long paints the
picture: be the person who, when you walk into a
room,
people think, "Now something good is going to
happen."
Make a plan and take action. What's
stopping you? The expense? Don't know who to call?
No time?
Clients of mine know that it you
can start fast.
~ A few hours is all it takes
to
pinpoint your essential areas of focus, those places
where you will concentrate the efforts of the talented
people remaining on your team.
~ A few days is
all
it takes to flesh out your plan of action, that sequence
of high-impact steps you'll take to deliver on your
goals for the year. Rest assured - your team members
want to help. They're looking for a deeper engagement
to ensure the long-term health of the organization.
Neutralize their worry and activate their talent. Make a
plan to engage them.
~ And 3 months of
disciplined
attention -
one quarter of the year - is all it takes to see results.
Take the next step.
Swistro Advisors
offers a structured, lightweight, efficient and highly
effective process of action planning followed by
tailored implementation support and mentoring to
ensure you attain the business outcomes you're
looking for. It all starts with a conversation and a brief
issues assessment - and that part's free - so
why not start today?
Let's talk. To schedule an initial conversation and
issues assessment, please call 617-285-0422 or
email
[email protected].