(this is the 2nd post in a series on the need for  “________…in the Face of  Fear”)

Over the last few weeks of the current pandemic I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the phrase – “I don’t even know what day it is any more, they all flow together.” … it feels like regular routines no longer apply, social interactions are completely different, free movement is constrained…

As I was thinking about this challenge I was reminded of a practical testimonial I recently read in a prominent business journal. It was about a CEO who said that the simple habits, like beginning each day by making his bed every morning, gave him a sense of grounding, control and rhythm for the day…even if he knew the rest of the day might include significant uncertainty.

While the habit of “making your bed” might seem very trivial at face value, the idea of “regular rituals & routines” underscores a key principle –

“in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty, taking control of ‘what can be done’ is often the key to finding the answer to ‘what should be done’.”

It highlights the critical importance of establishing routines to counter feelings of being lost, drifting or fearful, helping the mind to regain a sense of focus and have clarity for the task at hand. Things like – making the bed, when to drink coffee, time for exercise, when to look at the mail, when to clean the house, meals with the family, time for breaks, when to read, etc…

 Why are these seemingly mundane routines important? Here are some of the reasons they’re so beneficial:

• Focus – while habits don’t guarantee an outcome, they exponentially increase the likelihood of them (ex setting aside “time to communicate with coworkers” doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have healthy relationships, BUT it’s certain you won’t have healthy relationships if you don’t make time to communicate)
• Effectiveness – they provide structure to make sure priorities get done
• Rhythm – a cadence for the day that gets you up, moving and into a sense of flow
• Peace of mind – habits are stress reducers, as predictability reduces anxiety about the “what and when”
• Space – including regular “non-working times” means that rejuvenation will actually happen
• Boundaries – regular start/stop times to mitigate the overflow of something at the expense of another (ex work, rest, etc.)

 So, when you look at your agenda, your routine, you’re day…where do you feel lost or stressed?…where do you see gaps? Where might these be symptoms of a need for rituals and habits that might begin giving you control over “what can be done?”

picture: www.pexels.com

It’s stating the obvious that many of us are in a significant state of uncertainty, upheaval … and even crisis. Things change from day-to-day (or hour-to-hour), there are more questions then answers and the future is anything but clear.

Considering recent history, it’s certainly not the first time, nor will it be the last (…consider 2008 downturn, Great Depression, World Wars…). With ambiguity swirling and the inherent dynamics of a crisis, it’s impossible for leaders to have absolute answers on “the right solution.” However, in absence of clarity on “the what,” there’s pressing urgency on “the how” i.e. what followers need from their leaders.

With this in mind I was inspired by a recent statement by Jim Clifton, Chairman & CEO of Gallup, as he reflected on some of their most significant research (Gallup is world leader in research & analytics):

“The world’s 7 billion citizens demand that leadership and institutions lead our nations and the world with (1) compassion, (2) stability, (3) trust, and (4) hope and inspiration for the future, according to our biggest global study of what followers want.”

While these powerful insights are certainly true of those mentioned in the statement (leaders of nations and the world), I’d like to resist the potential temptation to criticize or deflect this mandate only to the “the higher ups,” but rather challenge ourselves to think of our role as leaders – of companies, of teams, of families, of children, of friends…

What does it look like for you to:

• …lead with compassion – letting others feel authentic empathy and that you’re there to help through word and action?
• …lead with stability – despite the noise, providing calm and a steady hand within the storm?
• …lead with trust – inspiring confidence that you are fighting for them, have their best interest in mind and will be truthful?
• …lead with hope and inspiration for the future – encouraging, resisting negativity & passivity, pointing out the good wherever it is, and projecting unwavering faith that there is a brighter future ahead?

…as I recently did for an executive team…I challenge you to except the challenge, grab a pencil & paper, and think about what each one of these concretely looks like for your various leadership roles. You’ll be surprised what comes to mind…and remember, it’s not about your image or a nice-to-have PR-tactic…it’s “what your followers want!”

Picture: www.pexels.com

Recently our consulting-team was working with a large organization innovating on a significant initiative they wanted to move forward. Everyone was positive and engaged, but we became concerned about maintaining momentum, especially as we considered the backgrounds and possible tendencies of their leadership…many came from large organizations, operated in a significant amount of bureaucracy – i.e. long budget cycles, layers of approvals, many stakeholders, committees, etc. There was a clear risk of thinking too big too soon, getting bogged down, analysis paralysis, and failing to take the next small step forward.

Throughout the process we had been applying our “customer-focused innovation approach” (aka design thinking), in which we really pushed the idea of fast & lo-fidelity “prototyping”, doing small incomplete experiments for the sake of iteration and learning fast. However, we were still concerned that the words (“prototyping”) and the approach were still too theoretical. To breakthrough this mindset and bring it down to earth we thought of using the well-known illustration of the “lemonade stand itself.”

We loved the vividness and simplicity of the example, as well as the tension it creates…First consider “what it does” (attributes) – it’s fast (an afternoon or less), temporary (not built to last), incomplete, intensive focus on customer interaction (waving kids, cardboard sign), requires some but minimal skin in the game (customers pay ten cents, Mary sits for 2 hours, mom provides the lemonade powder & cups)….In short, all elements are focused on the shortest & minimalist path to “selling” (aka desirability!) and assume away the broader system of what it would really take to do it.

Consider “what it does not do” (we jokingly call it the “MBA perspective”) – what about funding/budgets? P&L? CEO/management team? marketing plan? strategic road map? regulations?…..and on and on…the lemonade stand doesn’t help much.

Does it mean these many concerns are not important? The answer is: “it’s a question of time” – when you’re first starting, all you care about is the quickest and lightest way to learn…specifically about your customers’ needs and whether or not your solution meets those needs. Later on, the focus evolves and “the MBA questions” indeed become critical, but can often still be approached in small, fast learning steps.

So as you consider the project you have in front of you right now…what does your “incomplete lemonade stand” look like? – fast, focused, temporary, scrappy, minimal, incomplete, intensive customer interaction, some skin in the game…. Remember the point is speed and targeted learning that informs the next critical step…the rest can come later.

Picture: www.pexels.com