How often we do leadership the other way round. We focus on what isn't working, on what is't good, on what frustrates us, or cripples us or is driving us crazy! For many, the default setting is that we focus on the negative, allowing at tmes the positive and what is working to inform us or encourage us. But that way of leading is a slog. It's hard draining work, with waining energy levels and growing frustrations.
The answer is focus on the positive... To look at what is going well, look at the positives that are occurring, what is working, who is showing up, who is contributing, how far have we come, how important that small change was. But of course, for an accurate picture we need to be informed by the negative (the weaknesses, the insufficientcies, the issues). If we silence the negative from our thinking our leadership gets reckless and disregards crucial and important areas. But if we allow the caution of others, the struggle we're in, the problems we're facing not to dictate our mood, energy, or momentum, but to channel and focus these things toward that which is positive. Then we set ourselves us to build momentum, authority, strength and passion in our own leadership and in the leadership of others.
Try these questions...
When looking at the situation you lead in do you recall to others more of the reasons why something won't work, than why it might?
When reflecting on those you lead with do you naturally focus on their deficiencies and not their strengths?
When facing a challenging situation do you look to why it won't work or hasn't worked in the past or to why it may work this time?
It's important to know the answers to these questions, but then to deliberately shift your mindset to a positive approach, whilst knowing, understanding and being informed by the threats, weaknesses, worries, problems and challenges that are present.
