Are You Really Listening? Or Stuck Just Polishing?
Have you ever built something new? And knew it was good enough to share, but you kept tweaking anyway? Design. Build. Polish.That’s the natural rhythm of creating something new. Roman architect Vitruvius said any lasting creation must have firmitas (strength), utilitas (usefulness), and venustas (beauty). The principle is timeless: build a solid foundation, make it useful, then refine it and polish it until it inspires. But here’s the danger: polishing can trap you in perfectionism. Take Henry Ford. In 1908, he revolutionized transportation with the Model T. But then he got stuck. Obsessed with making it perfect, he ignored feedback. His engineers threatened to quit. Competitors raced ahead. Ford’s market share collapsed. Even the greatest innovators can get trapped in endless polishing. This tension—listening versus polishing—shows up everywhere in leadership and innovation. Startup thinkers often call this the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—launching with just enough to learn what really matters and still move forward. But the point of an MVP isn’t to polish—it’s to listen! I’ve lived this tension. For the past year, I’ve “soft-launched” my book, Fast Track Your Big Idea: Navigate Risk, Move People to Action, and Avoid Your Strategy Going Off Course. It’s an easy-to-follow roadmap to learn the fundamentals of defining and implementing a new strategy to get results faster, and how to embrace and reframe risk to use it to your advantage. Instead of rushing to publish, I treated the first version of book like an MVP and focused on listening. I tested ideas from in 1/2 day Strategy Reboot labs and De-Risking workshops. I shared the book with CEOs, boards, leadership teams, and employee groups, and helped them address risk proactively leveraging me framework, the De-Risk System for Impact. I worked with leaders in some very well-established organizations. And others with a big idea that was still just a twinkle in their eyes. And then I listened to what people said— what they didn’t. Some days, listening felt like progress. Other days, it felt like stalling. But those voices—of leaders wrestling with real challenges— gave me clarity and the opportunity to see where the real value was. I learned: Through the process of soft-launching my book, I learned (again): Listening is about THEM. Polishing is about YOU.Too much polishing can delay impact. Listening accelerates it. The result? In October, I’ll be publicly launching my book, Fast Track Your Big Idea! Not because it’s perfect—but because I’ve listened enough to know it’s time to share the value. I am eager to reach and equip all those visionary leaders with big ideas to solve real-world problems who need it most. Every bold idea lives in tension between feedback and perfectionism.The real question isn’t “Have I perfected it?”—it’s “Have I listened enough to share real value with those who need it?” Because if we wait too long, opportunities pass, momentum fades, and the world misses what we could have contributed. So– are you listening? Or polishing? Welcome to hear what you’re learning. – Susan PS. If you’d like to join me on the book launch journey, I’d be honored! Send me a note for details about participating in my launch team at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com. If your strategy needs a jumpstart, join the next 1/2 day Strategy Reboot or contact me about leading a custom session for your leadership team. You’ll get under the risks of your strategy, walk away with a focused action plan—and tackle even the uncomfortable fewer missed conversations. Learn more at strategyreboot.com. This article is part of my newsletter, “Fast Track Insights”, providing practical ideas whether you are driving a new strategy or getting one back on track. I want to help you avoid common mistakes. Subscribe+ above to receive practical insights once or twice a month.
How to Get an ROI on Mistakes
I was sitting in a room of executives from around the world, reviewing our results. Some people’s numbers were pretty good, but many of us had performed below target. It was awkward. Suddenly, our leader stopped, and said, “We’re going to change things up today. We’re going to talk about mistakes.” The room got quiet. People looked at the floor. You could almost hear the fight-or-flight reflexes kicking in. He continued, “Our new strategy requires we do things we’ve never tried before. Inevitably, we’re all going to make mistakes. Our biggest return on investment from these mistakes is going to be our learning. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, all we do is incur costs. If we can share what we’re learning from our mistakes, all of us can start applying these learnings faster, we can get a better return on investment for each mistake. So today, each of us is going to share one mistake we made this past year, and what we are learning from it. I’ll start.” And so began one of the best leadership development sessions I’ve ever been part of. Each person went through their biggest mistake, the decisions that led them there, the pain, and the scars. We talked about how that learning might apply to each of our own areas of responsibility. We started to see ourselves as scientists, learning together. Have you heard that it’s good to “fail fast”? The “fail fast” concept is used in business, technology, and innovation circles to encourage rapid experimentation. Instead of avoiding failure at all costs, failing fast encourages people to take calculated risks, test hypotheses, and learn from the outcomes, whether they are successful or not. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, famously said, “We need big failures if we’re going to move the needle — billion-dollar scale failures…And if we’re not, we’re not swinging hard enough.” But there’s one problem. Failing feels really bad! When we make mistakes, our brains release stress hormones. We feel disappointment, embarrassment, even shame. Our “fight or flight” reflex makes us want to run and hide. We’ve been taught since childhood that mistakes are bad. Flipping that idea on its head and seeing them as investments – ( and even celebrating them as imperfect action!) — can help you get less attached to perfect outcomes. Failing fast requires getting okay with making mistakes. Are you? Is your team? Why not try holding an “ROI on Mistakes” conversation with your own team? Soak everyone’s brain in a little dopamine, the “happy hormone.” as you celebrate what you’ve learned. You will be surprised how this kind of open communication can build trust, align your team, and prepare everyone to bounce back from mistakes and move forward. I’d welcome your thoughts – and some of your scars! — Susan Schramm This article is part of my newsletter, which equips and energizes leaders with practical ways to move forward, whether leading a new strategy or getting one back on track. Subscribe if you’d like insights like this one or twice a month. Explore my website, www.gotomarketimpact.com, to learn more about my upcoming book, “FastTrack Your Big Idea!” as well as my offerings to help you and your team clarify your strategy and get results faster. Or message me, and let’s connect! susan.Schramm@gotomarketimpact.com.
When I Realized I Was The Problem
Are you leading a situation where everything seems to be falling apart? • Funding for a big project has suddenly dried up? • A critical event didn’t go as planned? • Your new offering is a flop? • A key leader just quit? In moments like these, our “leadership” instincts kick in: We feel pressure to fix it. To be the superhero. To have all the answers. But here’s what I’ve learned: That might be the worst thing you can do. I learned this the hard way. When one strategic initiative I was leading started to unravel, I went into overdrive. • I held daily “war room” reviews, frantically analyzing the data, solving problems, and trying to hold it all together. • I was exhausted. My team was stuck. • And honestly, I was wearing myself out trying to plug every hole. I turned to a mentor, expecting a little sympathy. Instead, he said something I’ll never forget: “Honestly, YOU are the problem.” What??????? He continued, “Look, there’s a hole in the dike, and you’re using every finger and arm to stop the flood. You need to find someone with the fattest thumb to plug the hole while YOU go find people with buckets of concrete.” That was my lightbulb moment. I’d been feeling like a noble martyr. But I suddenly realized I was NOT an adaptive leader. I was NOT building an adaptive team —I was standing in their way. What Adaptive Leadership Really Means Adaptive leadership doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means helping your team find their own. It means creating a space where people can face challenges honestly, use their strengths, and think creatively—without fear of failing in front of their boss. It means asking powerful questions instead of providing ready-made solutions. Questions like: • What strengths can we use to tackle this? • What haven’t we thought of yet? • How could this challenge actually help us grow? When you shift from fixing to facilitating thinking, everything changes. Your team gets stronger. Ideas get better. And you stop being the bottleneck. A warning: Creating an adaptive team doesn’t mean encouraging chaos. You still need to keep people on the same page, aligned around purpose and outcomes. But keep people aligned by engaging them: • Spell things out. Be honest about what’s happening and the risks and why it matters. • Open up—even if it’s uncomfortable. Create a comfortable environment for uncomfortable conversations. Enable people to share, explore, and even challenge assumptions. • Stay grounded. Make sure your new direction still aligns with your mission and strategy. You’re not just solving the problem—you’re teaching your team to navigate change with clarity and courage. Letting Go of the Need to Know Everything Here’s the part no one tells you: letting go of having all the answers is freeing. When you stop trying to solve everything yourself, you create space for others to step up. You unlock collaboration. You help your team build real muscle around problem-solving, not just firefighting. And that’s what separates adaptive leaders from reactive ones. If you’re navigating a high-stakes strategy, and things aren’t going well — you CAN help move people to action and keep your strategy on course—even when the winds change. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be the hero. You just have to create the conditions for your team to thrive through uncertainty and emerge stronger on the other side. Have you ever realized YOU were the problem? Welcome your thoughts! — Susan PS. I share more about how to avoid common mistakes when leading new strategies in my half-day virtual Strategy Reboot Workshop, where you’ll receive an advanced copy of my upcoming book, ” FAST TRACK YOUR BIG IDEA! Navigate Risk, Move People to Action, and Avoid Your Strategy Going Off Course. Join us! This article is part of “Fast Track Insights”, a newsletter providing practical ideas once or twice a month — whether you are driving a new strategy or getting one back on track. I want to help you avoid common mistakes. Why don’t you subscribe?
This Isn’t How I Thought Things Would Go”—Now What?
You had a vision—a new strategy, a career move, a relationship—something that really mattered. And now, it’s not going the way you thought it would. That moment can feel like a gut punch. It’s disorienting. Frustrating. Discouraging. In the past few weeks, I’ve heard a refrain: “This isn’t how I thought it was going to turn out.” People navigating very different crossroads have said this—after the loss of a loved one, a health crisis, a divorce. And then there are the work-related stories: The Biggest Risk to Your Strategy In my consulting work, I’ve been thinking a lot about why great ideas don’t always succeed. What I’ve found is that the biggest risk to most strategies isn’t a flawed plan—it’s that the people you will need to take action… don’t! Even the best ideas, the most well-thought-out strategies, and the most compelling visions can stall when the right people don’t engage, align, and move forward. Understanding why this happens is key to overcoming it. The Hidden Traps When things don’t turn out as expected, frustration sets in. But beneath that frustration are three powerful forces: 1️⃣ Assumptions – These are the unstated beliefs we take for granted about how things are. They often operate in the background without us realizing it. 2️⃣ Expectations – These are explicit beliefs about how things should be. They involve a sense of cause and effect—we anticipate that certain actions will lead to specific outcomes. 3️⃣ Reality Check – The outcome doesn’t match what we pictured, creating a gap between what we assumed, what we expected, and what actually happened. It’s easy to get stuck here—blaming external factors (“This isn’t fair!” or “People just don’t get it”) or abandoning the effort altogether. But neither of those responses moves you forward. What to Do Instead: The Compass Approach Rather than feeling like you’ve lost your way, think of this as a moment to adjust your internal compass. When explorers get lost, they don’t sit down and give up—they recalibrate, look at the world around them differently, and find a new route. If you’re hitting a wall, here’s how to shift from frustration to forward momentum: 1️⃣ Acknowledge Reality The faster you recognize reality, the faster you can adjust. Instead of resisting the unexpected, accept it: “This isn’t what I planned. I don’t like it. But I’m not done.” Shifting how you think about setbacks changes how you respond to them. 2️⃣ Reconfirm Your Destination Step back and breathe. Ask yourself: ✔️ Is this goal still worth pursuing? ✔️ Is the outcome I desire or the problem I’m solving still relevant? ✔️ Does this really matter right now? 3️⃣ Reevaluate Your Map & Challenge Your Assumptions If your destination still matters, the challenge isn’t to start over—it’s to find a better path. Ask yourself: ✔️ What did I assume about how this would work? Were my expectations of cause and effect valid? ✔️ Which of my assumptions were off? ✔️ What adjustments do I need to make? And most importantly… ✔️ Who needs to take action for this to move forward? And what’s stopping them? This last question is critical. If people aren’t taking action, it’s often because they’re confused, skeptical people aren’t aligned. If your outcome still matters, then your next step is to actively engage, align, and mobilize people—not just tweak the plan. 4️⃣ Explore a New Path The biggest mistake I see leaders make when trying to get a stalled plan back on track is applying the same approach and expecting different results. Instead, ask: “What’s another way to get there?” Mountain climbers facing a sheer cliff doesn’t quit climbing—they look for another way up. The same applies to your challenge. What alternative strategies could get you closer to your goal? Often, the solution isn’t a major pivot—it’s making small shifts: ✔️ Clearer communication to ensure alignment. ✔️ Engaging the right people to create momentum. Resetting expectations so people know what success looks like. ✔️ Because at the end of the day, even the best strategy in the world won’t work if the people who need to act… don’t. Your Next Step Progress isn’t always a straight line. The key is recognizing that detours aren’t failures—they’re just part of the journey. Give yourself the gift of stepping back and thinking strategically. Take at least 10 minutes today to reflect on these questions. Write down one concrete step you can take to move forward. You may not be where you want to be. But a different direction is only one action away. I welcome your thoughts. -Susan P.S. If you are leading a high-stakes initiative and struggling to get people aligned and moving forward, join me for the next Strategy Reboot—a half-day session to get clarity, identify the risks and roadblocks, and build a plan for what’s next. Check out the details. Think of this as an investment in yourself as a leader. Or sponsor a leader you believe in who could use a fresh perspective! (This article is part of my Fast Track Insights, providing practical ideas whether you are driving a new strategy or getting one back on track. I want to help you avoid common mistakes. Subscribe to receive practical insights once or twice a month. And get updates about my upcoming book, “Fast Track Your Big Idea! Navigate Risk, Move People To Action, and Avoid Your Strategy Going Off Course“. )
Is Going Faster Really Better?
The year is half over. Is your big, high-stakes strategy going too slowly? CEOs and boards often complain that their big idea isn’t moving fast enough. When the stakes are high, it’s understandable that you want to see results quickly. There may be a lot on the line: financial consequences, customer relationships, and even your personal reputation. At this point, many leaders start driving their strategy like maniacs: Before you drive your strategy through a wall or blow everything up, step back and ask: Was I expecting a CHANGE? Or a TRANSITION? In your detailed spreadsheets and timelines, have you underestimated what people will actually require to leave their old ways of doing things and embrace a new one? As organizational expert William Bridges framed it: · Change happens TO us, even if we don’t agree with it. It could be a new set of tools or processes, a new regulation, a merger or acquisition, or a new market entry. It is external. · Transition is INTERNAL It’s what happens within our minds as we deal with change. Change can happen very quickly, but transition occurs more slowly, and it is all about mindset. Every single person you expect to take action to make your new strategy a success will have to undergo a transition. Some will shift faster than others, but everyone has to go through it— including you. It can be frustrating when you don’t see results fast enough. It takes courage to challenge your thinking about what might need to change. But you don’t have to blow things up. The takeaway? Sometimes, you need to slow down to go faster. Fast Track Tip If the idea of “change versus transition” resonates, I recommend that you leverage the Bridges Transition Model to help people move forward. The model frames three phases of transition every human being has to go through when confronted with change: Now consider: · Which transition phase are YOU in personally? · What about your leadership team? Your board? · What phase are your managers and front line going through? · Beyond your own organization: what about partners, suppliers, customers, and members? Share this model with your team and be vulnerable. Explain your own journey through this process nad the reasons you become comfortable movign from one step to another. Once a quarter, check in with the team and use this model to help them talk about the challenges they are dealing with. Let me know how it goes! I welcome hearing your thoughts and learnings – Susan This article is part of my blog, “Fast Track Insights,” providing practical ideas and tips for getting results faster, whether you are driving a new strategy (or getting one back on track). I want to help you avoid common mistakes. Subscribe here to receive practical insights once or twice a month. To learn more about the De-Risk System for Impact℠ workshops and custom engagements, as well as my upcoming book, explore my website at www.gotomarketimpact.com, or message me at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com.
Making a decision — even when it feels risky
“We’ve spent an entire year trying to get this launched, and we’re nowhere! Maybe I have the wrong team.” The CEO’s exasperation was palpable. I had been brought in to do a postmortem for a high-stakes initiative that had gotten derailed. Turns out, it was an A-team of smart talented people. Lots of them knew for a while there was a problem. Some even had ideas to solve it. Yet, the problem remained unaddressed. The reason? No one had the authority to make a decision. Or at least, they didn’t think they did. It felt risky. Sometimes, making a decision without authority doesn’t seem worth the risk. When you’re driving a high-stakes strategy, the risk feels even bigger. But if it’s not clear who can make a decision, even a GREAT strategy will get stalled. I find that the Decision Tree Model can help. Author Susan Scott came up with the Decision Tree Model to help executives who were getting stuck in the weeds, micro-managing instead of focusing on strategic priorities. I find it can also work well to clear things up when hands-off C-Suite execs just assume their leadership team will “somehow” work things out. There are four categories of decisions. The model helps you clarify which types of decisions can be made independently, and which types of decisions need more involvement and approval. I’ve found the Decision Tree Model is especially helpful when you are launching cross-functional efforts, onboarding a new employee — or striving to raise independent kids! Here is how you might talk through the four types of decisions with people you want to feel more comfortable when making decisions: Leaf Decisions: “I want you to make this type of decision and act on it. You don’t have to report back about the action you took. You are trained and ready and have the resources to execute. I have confidence in you — go for it!” Branch Decisions: “You can make this decision, but our whole team needs to learn from what happens. So regularly communicate what you’re doing on this and what you are learning. Can’t wait to hear how it goes!” Trunk Decisions: “You are closest to this issue so your recommendation is crucial. But we’ll need to be fully aligned as a team to pull it off. So, before you implement, let’s talk through your decision and make sure we’re on one page. Root Decisions: “This is a very significant decision. The consequences of this type of decision would impact our entire organization. When you see the need for a decision like this, bring it up quickly! We need to get this type of decision right — together.” In my own experience using the Decision Tree model with individuals and teams (and families!) I’ve found that I need to make sure I am clear on three things: 1) the assumptions we are making, 2) the risks involved (the upside as well as the downside), and 3) the competencies and experience of the individuals involved. Even low-risk decisions for an organization will need more oversight if the individual or team involved has no experience with a specific type of assignment, or has never worked together as a team before. Even very competent people who’ve worked together can get derailed when they are not aligned and make very different assumptions or don’t see the risks the same way. PRO TIP: Just the process of talking about these different types of decisions upfront can help you and your team avoid surprises and get results faster. And even better, you can develop stronger leaders who are more confident to step up and make a decision when it counts. It’s worth the risk. Welcome your thoughts! — Susan This article is part of my newsletter, “Driving a New Direction,” to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move forward, whether you’re leading a new strategy or getting one back on track. Subscribe below if you’d like insights like this once or twice a month. Explore my website to learn more about how you might leverage the De-Risk System for Impact℠ workshops, and about my upcoming book “FastTrack Your Big Idea: De-Risk, Align People, and Communicate Your Strategy to Speed Results.” Or message me and let’s connect! susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com
Taking the Risk to Adapt (Again)
I just returned from biking in Croatia. The trip provided an unexpected lesson about dealing with the risk that things might go wrong — whether you’re launching a new country or a new high-stakes strategy. Croatia is full of surprises. It has more than 1,000 islands dotted along the Adriatic Sea. We biked across islands with rocky cliffs and shorelines, fields of olive trees and vineyards, thousands of years of complex history, and proud welcoming people. But I also saw sobering evidence that war casts a long shadow. Even the smallest town had a story of centuries of invasions and fierce fights to exist and be independent. And it wasn’t all ancient history. There were fresh flowers for fallen heroes of the Homeland War (Serb/Croatia 1991-1995). Bullet holes in homes and schools that have never been repaired. Empty towns from which hundreds of people fled and never came back. We talked to many 30- or 40-somethings who were children during the Homeland War. Some remember living in the basement for years to avoid shelling. Their parents’ generation bore the brunt of the stresses of that war but raised them to feel a sense of calm despite the chaos. Their grandparents and ancestors led families and communities through disruptive conflicts over and over again, with tenacity and grace. Whatever the age, I found these people incredibly optimistic about their future. They weren’t full of blame, bitterness, or victimhood. Their comments reflected their mindset: “War is created by politicians, not by neighbors.” “That was then; this is now.” “We decided to take the risk and work to rebuild trust”. “We simply adapted and moved on.” As I listened to them, I was reminded of lessons I’ve learned driving high-stakes strategies that didn’t always go smoothly. Lessons from working with clients, in my research, and from my own experience. Risk is simply about unknowns. Sometimes the unknowns create results that are delightful. Sometimes those unknowns create bumps in the road. Sometimes uncertainty results in head-on collisions. Even wars. Creating an adaptive advantage is the only way to thrive. In nature, there are many species like the chameleon whose bodies are equipped to quickly adapt to new situations. But how well do organizations quickly adapt to a changing environment? It turns out, not very well. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) observed, “Most companies haven’t built the capabilities to manage, much less thrive, amidst uncertainty.” They may say they are agile, but uncertainty can cause them to freeze. I’ve learned over time that despite how agile they might claim to be, many companies actually lack two key ingredients they need to deal with uncertainty: adaptive leaders and an adaptive mindset. – Adaptive leaders do NOT try to have all the answers! Instead, they are open about what they do not know and invite people to shape the future WITH them. They challenge people to courageously face a new problem with curiosity, to understand it, and then move forward and take action to solve it. As Joerg Esser in his Harvard Business Review article posed, adaptive leaders write “the ability to adapt and transform into the company’s DNA.” – With an adaptive mindset, a team ( or ecosystem or country!) learns to evaluate disruption objectively and to align quickly so they can adapt TOGETHER. Instead of freezing up or blaming others when disruption occurs, these teams come to EXPECT that they will have to continually adapt. They also EXPECT that they will survive and even thrive. As I biked along, I realized that this understated, matter-of-fact optimism I was seeing was in fact an “adaptive advantage” being played out across a culture and across generations. It was as if Croatia was whispering to me: “Sure there’s a risk that there will be more uncertainty in your future. But the REAL danger is NOT taking the risk to adapt (again).” As I came back to headlines screaming with new uncertainties every day, I appreciated the reminder. Do YOU find the risk of adapting (again) a challenge? How have you created your own adaptive advantage? Welcome your thoughts. –Susan This article is part of my newsletter, “Insights for Driving a New Direction,” to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move forward, whether you’re leading a new strategy or getting one back on track. Subscribe if you’d like insights like this once or twice a month. To learn more about De-Risk System for Impact℠ workshops and custom engagements, and my upcoming book, explore my website at www.gotomarketimpact.com, or message me at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com.
Overwhelmed by Growth? Four Ways to Scale Your Strategy
The demo went smoothly and they came to the last slide. The CEO asked, “Are there any questions?” After a long pause, a skeptical voice in the back said: “Yea, looks great. But can it SCALE?” When you’re looking for funding, whether from outside investors or from inside your organization, the question is often the same, “How can your big idea actually SCALE?” In my work with CEOs and boards driving high-stakes strategies, scaling quickly is often the goal. What exactly IS scaling? And why does it matter so much? I’m speaking about what it takes to scale at the Nehemiah Best Practice Conference at the end of the month, with entrepreneurs and investors coming together from all over the world. To prepare, I ran an informal poll this week. The majority of people I asked to define what it means to “SCALE” responded with the word “GROWTH”. Sure, growth can be a juggling act. Even if you’re past the risky start-up stage, growth can be overwhelming and exhausting. But GROWTH and SCALING are DIFFERENT. WHY DOES SCALING MATTER? Scaling is a STRATEGIC approach to drive impact, create profit and sustain a healthy organization over time. By scaling, your organization can deliver more value. According to McKinsey & Company,”While most companies tend to focus on LAUNCHING new businesses, the real value comes from being able to SCALE them up. Based on an analysis of U.S. venture-capital data, two-thirds of the value is created when a company scales up to penetrate a significant portion of the target market.” SO HOW DO WE SCALE? Growth requires a BIG VISION. But scaling requires we GET READY for the implications of that vision — to plan for “WHAT IF?” across four dimensions: Purpose, Product, Process, and People. This is not a new idea. · Thousands of years ago, the Israelites and their leader Moses were advised to get ready for growth, even while they were wandering around in the desert. God guided, ‘’Enlarge the place of your tent; Stretch your tent curtains wide. Do not look back.…”. And when Moses was getting burned out, he tapped capable leaders to help him make decisions. · In the 1770s, George Washington led American revolutionary forces to victory despite horrible conditions. He organized a process to get food and supplies to frontlines to survive the freezing winter. He tapped Alexander Hamilton as his right hand to get day-to-day decisions made faster. And when he became President, Washington planned for his own succession right from the start. · In the 1920s Thomas Watson believed technology could solve the world’s problems. So he became General Manager at the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, the result of a messy merger with lots of silos and little trust. Watson quickly streamlined operations with standardized components and manufacturing processes and established clear lines of communication across departments and with customers. Watson invested in training for every employee and manager, focusing not only on products and processes but on doing business based on shared ethical values which later became “The IBM Way.” Say we invited Moses and George and Tom to be on our Advisory Board. Don’t you think they’d be urging us to start NOW to get ready to scale? I can just hear them: It would be hard to ignore the sage advice of this brain trust! I believe the PEOPLE aspect of scaling is the most complex. Scaling sounds GREAT when you’re talking about software. One line of code can support one customer — or millions! But how can PEOPLE scale? At the conference, I’m going to be talking about three considerations for scaling when it comes to people – and cloning isn’t one of them! What have YOU found works to help PEOPLE scale? I’d welcome your thoughts! This article is part of my newsletter, Driving a New Direction to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move people forward, whether you’re leading a new strategy (or getting one back on track!). To get notifications of new articles (and updates about my next book!) Subscribe below. To learn more about workshops and other support to fast-track your strategy, explore this website, www.gotomarketimpact.com or message me at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com
A Strategy For Bouncing Back
Being laid off is painful. Laying off employees you care about hurts too. I’ve done both. As daily waves of layoff news waft over us, my heart goes out to those on both sides of this tsunami. The question is: what’s going to be their strategy to bounce back? Individuals ( and their families) are being thrown into a tailspin as the jobs and incomes they counted on are pulled out from under them. And though they know intellectually it’s “just business” – it feels personal. Managers who are forced to make difficult decisions about people and projects they deeply care about are in pain too. They struggle to figure out how to get the work done with fewer people as they adapt their strategy to a new economic reality. And deep down, they worry they will be next. The good news is that organizations — and individuals — can survive tsunami-sized disruptions. But only if they have a strategy to bounce back. A friend of mine taught me this personally, during an earlier season of big tech layoffs. Though he was encouraged by some to spend all his time looking for the next job, my friend recognized he was in a weird middle space. He was leaving an old chapter behind but not yet firmly planted in the new one. He decided to USE this liminal space to bounce back stronger. So he created a 5-POINT PLAN for how to spend his time. He committed to doing 5 things EVERY DAY: 1. EXTRACT LEARNINGS: He reflected on the last chapter and journaled ( and updated his resume!) to reflect on what he’d learned and the new value he could bring. 2. STAY CURIOUS: He enrolled immediately in courses and certifications on topics he was genuinely interested in, especially where he saw disruptive trends. 3. HELP OTHERS: He volunteered to make a difference in his community and in doing so discovered new skills or ones he had forgotten. 4. CONNECT: He reached out to his network to catch-up and genuinely contribute and share ideas — not just to let others know he needed a job. 5. DEFINE THE NEXT STEP Yes, this definitely included researching and applying for new jobs. But it also meant looking for opportunities in new industries and new companies and new roles. The funny thing about my friend’s 5-point plan — he was having FUN! Despite not having a new job yet, my friend was focused and energized and growing, grounded in the fact that he had a bigger plan and a bigger purpose in this world. You could just FEEL the momentum as he worked his plan to bounce back stronger. I felt inspired just being around him! I ended up applying this 5-point plan during my own layoff journey, and have encouraged many friends and employees to put their own 5-point plan together… even BEFORE layoffs occur! You and your organization – or someone you know — may be in a painful uncomfortable middle space right now. Or you may be driving a high-stakes strategy and shifting direction, no longer in the former place but not yet in the new. It can be scary. Why not use this liminal time to implement a strategy to bounce back? You may end up having more fun than you ever expected! I welcome your thoughts. –Susan This article is part of my series, to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move people forward (whether you’re leading a new strategy or getting one back on track!) To get notifications of new posts and updates about my next book about how to fast-track your strategy, subscribe. And don’t be shy about sharing, leaving comments, or dropping me a private note with your reactions or ideas. I can be reached at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com – and I would love to connect!
Leading Your Strategy When You Don’t Have All the Answers
He was the Shell Answer Man, and he had all the answers: How to change a tire. How to drive in snow. How to avoid getting your car stolen. How to save gasoline. For about two decades, through the 1990s, he was the face of Shell, the brainchild of the Ogilvy and Mather advertising firm. As I was growing up, the Shell Answer Man was the picture I had in my head of what a “good leader” looked like. Calm, credible, and had all the answers. If you’ve been tasked to lead your strategy, it is likely others have that image of you. You have a strong track record and have built up quite a lot of expertise. Others trust you. You just “know things.” But — what if you don’t? What if you are leading your strategy and have more questions than you have answers? In my work with leaders driving a new strategy, or getting one back on track, I often see a sudden change force leaders into an awkward and unfamiliar place. Maybe your market or your business model has changed suddenly. Your organization may have just been merged with another. Maybe the founder of your company, or a senior leader who always had the answers, has just retired or passed away. You and your organization are in a “liminal” state: you are no longer where you were, and you are not in the new place yet. You’re on the threshold, in between. Organizational structures, processes, and systems that worked before now seem awkward. Questions are coming from everywhere, “What do we do about…”? And no one – not even you, the leader in charge – knows all the answers. It can be frightening. Leading in this “in-between” state requires a new approach. And it starts with acknowledging to yourself that it’s okay to NOT know the answers. In her book, “ How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going: Leading In a Liminal Season”, author Susan Beaumont talks about going “from Knowing to Unknowing.” You may be used to leading by casting a clear vision, lining everyone up, and confidently looking like you know what you’re doing. Instead, leading a new strategy in this liminal state requires that you openly acknowledge that things have changed and that you’re NOT going to have answers. This is not about just tolerating not knowing but getting really comfortable with it — and actually helping your organization get comfortable with not knowing too. As Steven Hawking observed, “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” The pandemic offered all of us an opportunity to stretch our muscles while living without answers. None of us had been in a situation where the world suddenly shut down because of a virus. CEOs were humbly acknowledging on earnings calls, “We never saw this coming and we’re still figuring it out.” Front-line employees in retail stores and hospitals and schools realized their bosses didn’t have answers and were taking the lead to change processes overnight. Parents were making it up as they figured out how to work at home and manage kids learning how to do school virtually. It became normal to not have the answers. How can we leverage this experience so that we are all better at leading in uncertainty? In an unknowing environment, I’ve observed three approaches that seem to help leaders navigate more successfully: a) Listen without having to give answers. Sometimes the process of verbalizing questions can help people sort out what they are thinking, even when answers aren’t easy to come by. Just allowing people to be heard, and acknowledging that the question is valid, can be a gift that helps an organization deal with not knowing. b) Share the truth without making it pretty. People are suspicious of “spin.” In a liminal state, they won’t believe your pretty answers anyway. Talk frankly about the situation you’re in, what you know and what you don’t know. Acknowledge the risks and talk openly about what-if scenarios. The more facts people have, and the more they can openly discuss possible scenarios, the more prepared people can be to make on-the-ground decisions of their own. c) Get okay with imperfect action. In uncertainty, people freeze. Adapting requires fast learning. Saying yes to pilots and beta tests or smaller “let’s see if this works” efforts can help your organization move forward and learn without having all the answers first. This is a better use of everyone’s energy than getting stuck trying to get things perfect. Simply taking action can create an energy of its own and build people’s confidence, especially when the context is framed as “Let’s see what we can learn.” These are three examples of leading WITHOUT having the answers: Co-existing with uncertainty and unvarnished truth. An open-handed approach that allows other leaders to step up. When it becomes evident there isn’t a quick fix, walking alongside people as they self-organize, and let a new way emerge. ———- Are you finding yourself in a liminal state as this new year unfolds? You may lead a whole company or a team, a church or a nonprofit, or a community. Usually, you’re the one with the answers. But today, you have a lot more questions than you have answers. You may be feeling uncomfortable and even a little scared. But take heart. You can be EXACTLY the right person to lead your organization in a time such as this. Simply by allowing yourself to get GREAT at NOT knowing! I look forward to hearing your thoughts. — Susan Schramm This article is part of my series, Driving a New Direction to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move people forward, whether you’re leading a new strategy (or getting one back on track). I write about once or twice a month, and would welcome your subscribing below! Your mission is too important. Don’t let it get derailed!