Gone Sideways and Self-Help For Your Efforts
Have you ever felt like the project took a wrong turn? Have things gone sideways? Maybe you don’t even notice it, yet?
Committed people sometimes do some very strange things. Onlookers wonder why the commitment sticks even when there is evidence clearly illustrating it’s failing.
In all likelihood, there are multiple angles or points of view. One of the common yet somewhat unrealized traps is staying committed because of all the effort already put in.
It’s often hard to make the right choice. Someone wants to abort the project early and someone else wants to hang in there because, “We’ve already invested so much.”
Everyone recognizes hindsight often tells a different story, either way.
The right now is not hindsight and it’s also not foresight.
What should you do?
Gone Sideways
For the customer, you need to do the right thing. For the team and even your community, you must do the right thing.
Yes, even for yourself, you must make a good decision now.
Many people believe that every day they are in a tactical firefight at their workplace. So many things happening so fast, so many loose ends, and so much drama.
What do they do?
They fight the fire. They address problems as emergencies and face the wrath of whatever unfolds next.
Problem-solving is a key skill for leadership. If you are good at it, you should be proud. However, when tactical firefights are so commonplace that you fail to execute strategy everyone loses.
The project gone sideways either needs to stop, start again, or redirect. Stuck won’t work and neither will additional wasted effort.
The same is true with poorly performing employees.
Learning from the past is powerful. It goes hand-in-hand with knowing when to pivot.
A strategic focus needs a tactical approach.
Tactics only, without a vision for the future, are sure to send you sideways.
You don’t have to believe it now, but you will when you check your data.
Commit to the strategy. The tactics of getting there may need to be adjusted.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
