You Know It's Time to Go When...

We've all seen them.

Maybe at one time or another we've been them.

You know, that guy or gal who has been at the company too long, and really does more harm than good these days. How do you recognize this phenomenon in yourself, or others? In my experience, it sneaks up on you with little or no warning. One day you are not only drinking the organizational Kool-Aid, but guzzling it and happily sharing with others, but the next day you find that you are not that thirsty.

Then, over the next few weeks and months you don’t even think about drinking it anymore. You unconsciously start looking for something new to drink, or loudly bemoan the fact that the taste of the organizational Kool-Aid just isn't the same as it used to be. And yet, you consciously try your hardest to make it taste the same, regardless of whether or not your co-workers agree with you.

I have worked in the nonprofit community for almost 30 years now, and in that time I have known – and at one time was – one of those people who truly needed to find something else to do professionally in order for the organization to thrive. Here are three examples of behavior that literally scream it’s time to go:

Living in the Land of UsedToBe
Believe it or not, the Land of UseToBe has an enormous population, and that’s not good for any business, for- or nonprofit. These people are not only unhappy with changes in the organization, but are absolutely livid about them. They will do whatever they can to show the leadership team that this new idea, structure, policies, or whatever they don’t like coming down will not work; even if it means sabotaging customer service and quality.

I have seen this behavior several times over my career, and each time I have been amazed at how once-fantastic leaders have clearly lost the vision of the mission for which they once had a passion. Their focus is no longer on ensuring the organization provides quality products or services to those they serve, but on preserving their perceived fiefdoms.

Once your focus is no longer on the mission of the organization, but on fighting changes to preserve how you think the organization should operate and how these changes make your work life miserable, it’s time for you to go.

The Work No Longer Excites You
A friend of mine once told me that she knew it was time for her to find a different job when one of her subordinates brought her a fabulous idea that could be a solid stepping stone to help move the organization to the next level. However, my friend did not see the idea in that light until someone else pointed it out to her. She could not see the proverbial forest for the trees because she had lost her excitement for that particular job.

Luckily for her and the organization, my friend was able to see her predicament as soon as it was pointed out to her; many cannot or will not ever see the writing on the wall. If you find yourself continually saying, “No, that won’t work,” or “No, that would be more useful in the XYZ field,” or even worse, “No, that is the worst idea I have heard in years,” then it’s time for you to go.

Major Personality Conflict Escalates
Most people can get along and work with most people. However, at one time or another, everyone has that one person in their work life with which they have a personality conflict. Generally, if you have a personality conflict with a co-worker, you do your best to work with them when you have to and find ways get along that does not escalate the friction.

Once that conflict reaches the point where interaction, or lack of interaction, adversely affects your co-workers and the every-day functioning of the organization, it’s time for you to go. After all, they probably live in the Land of UsedToBe.

Share Your Ideas on Knowing When to Go
There are many other ways to recognize when it’s time for you to go, and I would love to see a discussion on the topic. So, please, share your clues that it’s time for you to go!

Photo Credits: Bing Images

Before founding her own consulting firm in 2013, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and women’s healthcare fields for 25 years. She holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Management from American Public University, is a contributor on LinkedIn, and the author of the Management in Motion blog.

Dawn currently serves as the Past Chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Women’s Council, and volunteers with the American Red Cross. As an infertility survivor she has been a featured speaker within the Fertility Community, and written numerous articles on the topic of childfree living.

The Challenges of New Leadership

Change is a good thing, right?

Businesses and organizations refine and adjust their strategy based on many things, including the changing needs of their client-base and the market place. One of the most significant catalysts for change is new leadership.

Once the announcement of a new leader is made, the change process begins. 

And then, all the people say, “Oh, joy; a new leader who will want to change everything.”

As they say, change is never easy. There are multiple upon multiple studies showing that just the idea of change causes fear and stress for those involved. However, sometimes new leadership is not just necessary, but also vital to organizational growth and, even perhaps its very survival.

New leaders, be they CEOs or mid-level managers, certainly bring their own personality and management style to the top of the table. If they come from outside the organization, the most valuable asset they bring is not their education or years of experience, but a perspective quite different from those on the inside.

Good leaders know that recognizing and utilizing differing perspectives to make decisions about what must be changed is crucial. The difficulty in implementation comes from team members with the “We’ve Always Done It This Way” mentality, and those mired in GroupThink. Without trudging down the rabbit hole discussions of those two issues, I think it is safe to say that they have their own particular challenges which require situation-specific actions to address.

When I began my career in the early 1980’s, organizational leaders based decisions on input from their division or department heads, who gathered data from their subordinates in a very controlled fashion. Employees worked 8am – 5pm (or 9am – 5pm), Monday through Friday, and spent evenings and the weekends with their families.

Thirty years later, more Millennials are moving into positions of leadership, and facing an ever-evolving multi-generational workforce with different, and often competing, demands for engagement and working conditions. The younger generation not only expects, but demands to have a seat at the table and expects to move to another company in a few years to take the next step in their careers. They also don’t want to watch the clock, or be constrained by having to be in an office every day.

Older workers, such as those from the Greatest Generation and my Baby Boomer generation need to feel respected for the knowledge and experience for which we have worked so hard for many years to earn. We also need a seat at the table, or at least know that the new, younger leadership has heard and acknowledged the issues we bring to light. Like the younger crowd, I love working from home, but I also like the idea of having evenings and weekends free.

The leadership challenge with a multi-generational work force is finding a way to meet the differing needs, while building a cohesive and open organizational culture that allows and encourages employees to be passionate about their work and their organization’s success.

In the words of former Secretary of State Colin Powell from his book, My American Journey,

"The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."  

Stepping into a new leadership role is an exciting experience. It is an opportunity to develop a vision for excellence and innovation, and to share that vision with an actively engaged organization. All leaders face challenges, however, it is their response to those challenges that determines their success.

If you have been a new organizational or business leader, what words of wisdom would you share with those who want to be, and one day will be, a new leader?

NOTE: This post also appears on LinkedIn.

Before founding her own consulting firm in 2013, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and women’s healthcare fields for 25 years. She holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Management from American Public University, is a contributor on LinkedIn, and the author of the Management in Motion blog.

Dawn currently serves as the Past Chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Women’s Council, and teaches health and safety classes for the American Red Cross. As an infertility survivor she has been a featured speaker within the Fertility Community, and written numerous articles on the topic of childfree living. 

What Are You Waiting For?

Last Thursday, October 16^th, I celebrated my 2^nd National Boss’ Day as my own boss. When I opened my own consulting firm in May 2013 I was excited about the possibilities that lay ahead, and began building on that lifelong dream of owning my own company where I could make a difference in the daily lives of others.

It was a daunting goal, with many, many steps along the way, but I knew I could do it; I wanted to do it.

Since that time, there have been many positive steps forward in fulfilling my strategic plan, and a few steps backward. Some steps forward were planned, and others presented themselves unexpectedly. As I came upon those unexpected opportunities, the loudest voice in my head was that of a friend who constantly asks those with whom they come in contact – what are you waiting for?

What are you waiting for, indeed.

Recently, another friend announced that she was taking the same giant leap of forming her own company. As we talked about the courage it takes to make that decision and move forward, I found myself asking her many of the questions that were asked of me almost 2 years ago.

• What products or services are you offering?
• What is your target customer base?
• How will you reach/communicate with them?
• What makes your company different from all of your competitors?
• What will your brand look like?
• Tell me about your strategic plan and goals

Quite honestly, the decision to do something – anything – is the easy part. It’s the strategic planning and then execution that takes all your time, effort, and resources.

This is also the easiest place for you to get bogged down, and eventually question your decision to strike out on your own in the first place (or whatever the decision may be). Getting mired in the minutia can easily provide 101 reasons why you can’t do something today, next week, or next month.

So, how do you guard against the “I can’t do it right now because…” mindset? It’s easier than it seems; really. 

Whether you are your only employee, or you have 1,000+ employees, it is vitally important that you build a team around you that gives you the support to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.

You need a team of friends, colleagues, peers, and staff that will ask, “What are you/we waiting for?” You need people who are supportive of your efforts, and are not afraid to let you know that you may have taken an unnecessary or possibly detrimental side trip off the strategic path.

We’ve all heard that nothing worth-while is ever easy. However, that does not mean that every step forward has to be like pulling teeth from a dinosaur.  In truth, sometimes you just have to make yourself take that step. Sometimes you just have to tell yourself, “Today is the Day,” and move forward.

In 26 days I will achieve the half-century mark in age.  I’ll be 50. Whoohoo!!! I’m excited about Life After 50, and all the possibilities ahead. So, in writing this particular blog today, I once again have to ask myself, “What am I waiting for?”

What are you waiting for?

Before founding her own consulting firm in 2013, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and women’s healthcare fields for 25 years. She holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Management from American Public University, is a contributor on LinkedIn, and the author of the Management in Motion blog.

Dawn currently serves as the Past Chair of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Women’s Council, and teaches health and safety classes for the American Red Cross. As an infertility survivor she has been a featured speaker within the Fertility Community, and written numerous articles on the topic of childfree living. 

Why Kindness Matters in Business

In the 1970’s, singer Nick Lowe lamented (quite successfully) that being cruel to be kind is a good thing.

While that may be true when ending a relationship, and I’m not saying it is, kindness – not cruelty or meanness – most assuredly matters in business.

I recently observed examples of both kindness and meanness in business situations, and for the life of me, I could not understand the necessity of, or reason for, the meanness that was exhibited.

Yes, in business, the goal is to get ahead of the competition and to reach or exceed your goals. However, believe it or not, how you get there is also vitally important.

Professionally, your most valuable asset is not your education or experience; it’s your reputation.

If your actions or in-actions lead to the presentation of a mean person or organization, your reputation within the business community will quickly begin to reflect that demeanor, whether or not it is actually true.

Clipart from Bing Images

As Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as saying, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.”

Think about the businesses you work with, or the products/services you purchase. Do you spend your hard-earned money on businesses and people with good reputations, or those with bad reputations?

Have you ever stopped using a product, service, or business because they were involved in a negative incident? I know I have, and I know many others who do as well.

We've all heard, and probably said at one time, “Business is a dog eat dog world.” Yes, it certainly is.

In my "Who Am I?" blog, I referenced the “It’s not personal, it’s business” philosophy as exhibited in the movie, You've Got Mail. Yes, again, it’s business.

However, being kind to the person or people you are doing business with takes less effort than being mean. By being kind, I don’t mean ignore the business opportunity your competitor doesn't see or cannot take advantage of that is also right in front of your face.

It means simple things like promptly returning emails, phone calls or texts. It means letting people know that you received the information or request they sent to you, and providing an approximate timeline for a response.

It also means not embarrassing, demeaning or belittling your competitor or colleague in front of others – ever.  These behaviors are not only unprofessional; they are mean and uncalled for.

In the words of former First Lady Barbara Bush, “Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way.”

Editor’s Note: This post also appears on LinkedIn.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is a contributor on LinkedIn, the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

The Great Escape - Ingenuity & Determination

Editor's Note: This blog post also appears on LinkedIn.

Photo shared from the story
posted on www.breitbart.com

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word Ingenuity as “skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems.” 

As the World War II allies celebrated the 70^th anniversary of the D-Day invasion that started the liberation of France over the weekend, an 89 year-old British D Day Veteran living in a care home that was told he could not go to the celebrations used his gift of ingenuity and simply walked away.

His story, now being billed as the “great escape,” speaks volumes about his determination to reunite with his fellow D-Day veterans, and to honor those who gave the ultimate price for freedom. Telling care givers that he was just going for a walk, while accurate, did not convey the totality of his walk about, as Britons would say. He simply didn’t mention he was going to walk to a specific location to catch a bus, and then a ferry, to attend the ceremonies on the beaches of Normandy because “it was the right thing to do.”

I have always been awed by the Greatest Generation, and found myself awed once again while watching Queen Elizabeth II placing a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves ceremony on Friday, when I realized that most of those attending the event were most likely small children or had not even been born yet when D-Day took place. She, on the other hand, was training and serving as a driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. Even as sheltered as she was as a Royal, she wanted to do her part because “it was the right thing to do.”

What does “the great escape” and Queen Elizabeth’s services during World War II have to do with business, you ask? 

Simply this: at times, true leadership requires ingenuity and determination to motivate a team, enlighten those who don’t yet see the vision clearly, and lead the charge onto the metaphorical business beach their organization is charged with taking to achieve their goals. 

It also requires leading with courage and valor like that shown by the Allied soldiers who participated in the D-Day event, because "it is the right thing to do."

Reflecting once again on the enormity of the ultimate price paid by those on the beaches of Normandy in 1944, I am thankful for not only the freedom their sacrifice provided, but also for the examples of ingenuity and determination that generation still exhibits 70 years on.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is a contributor on LinkedIn, the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

Missed Opportunities

Editor's Note: This blog post also appears on LinkedIn.

Conversation Overheard Between 2 Friends in December 1992

Bob: “I’m buying some stock in the Snapple Company. The company is doing really well, and I think it’s going to take over the market. Want to spend that $5,000 you have on $15 a share and join me?”

George: “I think the beverage market is really over-crowded, so I think I’ll pass. Thanks for thinking of me and asking though.”

Fast Forward to 2014

Today, the stock purchased for $5,000 in 1992 would have split several times and now be worth over $40,000. What a huge missed opportunity!

Many times over my life I have been presented with an opportunity and passed for one reason or another. Some decisions proved to be the right one, while others were later identified as a true missed opportunity.

Common business sense suggests significant research and data to support the options considered. After all, intelligent business decisions are made based on data, right?

What about gut feelings or intuition? Several times over my career, data suggested one action while my intuition suggested a totally different – and way out there – action. For the most part, the data-based decisions provided the expected results, but every once in a while, my gut reaction proved to be the better path instead.

So, how do you tell which opportunities are worth the effort and which ones aren’t? What if there is no data to support your intuition? As a business leader you have to make that call, taking both the credit if it works and the responsibility if it fails.

What happens if you don’t make a decision? Well, that’s a decision in and of itself.

There are several common reasons leaders choose to not make a decision or to do nothing about an opportunity:

• We don’t have enough capital right now
• There’s too much going on in the company/market place right now
• We don’t have the right people in place
• I’m the only one who wants to do it

What commonality do you see in each of those reasons?

They are all simply excuses for not leading.

So you don’t have the capital – get it. There’s too much going on – great! Your competition won’t expect you to do anything and you’ll gain a competitive edge. Don’t have the right people? Get them or hire contractors.

Last, but not least, no one else wants to do it. Really? Then refine the message of your vision and actively share that vision with your team. 

Just like Bob and his friend George above, perhaps they aren't buying the opportunity because you haven’t sold it well.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is a contributor on LinkedIn, the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

The Definition of Success

Success as defined
by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster defines the word ‘success’ as 1) the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect or fame; and 2) the correct or desired result of an attempt.

For some, achieving wealth, etc., is the only correct definition. It is the only goal on which to focus, and those who don’t embrace this truism will always be less than they could be. In essence, nothing else really matters except increasing the financial bottom line and personal prominence.

For others, achieving the desired result of an attempt is the ultimate accomplishment, regardless of what that attempt entails. For instance, many people feel successful because they are able to live simply with relatively little stress and have sufficient funding to support that lifestyle. It is the simple pleasures in life, rather than driving the top of the line 2015 Audi to a multi-million dollar home, that defines success for them.

The definition of success 

is different for everyone.

Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with either opinion (after all, that’s really what it is). 

The fact of the matter is that the definition of success is different for everyone based on many different factors such as personality, life experiences, and exposure to, or opportunities for, resources to not only set, but to also achieve goals.

For instance, the difference between a nonprofit organization and a for-profit organization is simply the main focus of their efforts. Both want to be successful (whatever that means to them), but they go about it in different ways.

Nonprofits focus most of their efforts and resources on achieving their mission. However, none of that can be done without identifying and soliciting funding/donations to support the programs and services it provides. 

In some nonprofits, the development team is larger than the other organizational teams combined simply because the amount of funding needed to support the mission is so great. While increasing the financial bottom line is a measure of success for a nonprofit organization, it isn’t the most important one. The mission is always Priority #1.

For-profit organizations also have a mission to fulfill, but the most important measure of success for these boards of directors and stockholders is achieving an ever-growing financial bottom line. 

Just like their nonprofit counterparts, for-profits cannot provide programs or services without funding (stockholder and sales) support, so in this case, product sales and stockholder satisfaction are the highest priorities for the team.

Again, neither one is better than the other; they are just different.

For me, the definition of professional success includes the achievement of my academic goals (PhD) and sufficient client-base activity at Dawn GannonConsulting to support my family at or above a specifically-defined (and private) financial level. I have been somewhat successful in reaching these goals, and I know that only time, resources and hard work will make them happen. Without a doubt, there is still much to be done.

However, like everyone else, I also have a personal definition of success. For me, that includes family, friends, good health, and peace of mind. For the moment, I’m doing well there, but there is always room for improvement.

The closer I move to the magical age of 50 (6 months from now!), the more I understand that the underlying key for success for any person or organization is simply the definition. Once you are happy with the definition that meets your needs, all that remains is the journey to get there.

So, I ask: What is your definition of success? What words of wisdom can you share from your journey toward that goal?

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected project management and administrative operations professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

Time Management, Blah, Blah, Blah

It seems like everyone has something to say about time management these days. 

“If you manage your time right, you can get everything done on time.”

“Time management starts with determining your priorities; determine what is most important and go from there.”

Yeah, well, blah, blah, blah to you, too. As the Geico commercial points out, “everybody knows that.”

After being inundated with information on time management this week, I did just what they all wanted me to do: I started looking at my own time management practices.

Granted, life is always busy for one or more reasons, so taking a look at your time management process and practices every once in a while is not a bad idea. I equate it to reviewing your strategic plan periodically to ensure you are on the right track. If you need to make adjustments, you can, and then keep on moving along.

No man goes before his time – unless the boss leaves early.

–Groucho Marx

One of the more interesting articles I saw this week included one from Sue W Chapman and Michael Rupured at the University of Georgia, who listed 10 strategies for better time management:

     1. Know how you spend your time

     2. Set priorities

     3. Use planning tools

     4. Get organized

     5. Schedule

     6. Delegate

     7. Stop procrastinating

     8. Manage external time wasters

     9. Avoid multi-tasking

   10. Stay healthy

After taking a look at their list and comments on each one, I can now see where my time management issues are. I just need to move #6 up to #1 and get going.

What about you? 

What works for you and what would you suggest to someone who came to you for advice on managing their time better?

I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions, so please comment!

I Quit!

Your VP for Research and the Associate VP of Marketing have both resigned in the last 30 days to take positions with different competitors. 

Disappointing, yes; but nothing to worry about, right?

However, your HR Director just left your office after sharing startling statistics on employee retention, which suggests that very few stay with your company for more than 2 years, especially in the Research and Marketing departments.

What is going on, and why hasn’t this been brought to your attention before now? Or, has it and you just didn’t understand what was actually being conveyed?

Perhaps you should talk with your remaining leadership team members, and ask your HR Director to initiate an employee survey to ascertain employee satisfaction and solicit feedback for improvements. 

Based on the information already provided, it seems certain that an organizational strategic change initiative is in order. Maybe it’s the politics, or the culture, or the work process itself. Maybe it's a little bit of all of those, and more.

For example, a friend came to me recently for advice on how to deal with some issues she was facing at work. Since we have been friends for a very long time, she knew I had faced similar challenges, and wanted validation for the options she saw as viable for her particular situation.

It seems the politics in her organization have completely taken over good management practices. Until now, she has done her best not to participate in the games her colleagues seem to enjoy and clearly benefit from based on the promotions and frequent public “at-a-boys” they receive, while she and her efforts are overlooked. 

Regardless of her qualifications and superior work performance, her unwillingness to play the game has cost her two promotions and given rise to the perception that she is not a team player. 

As we see it, her options are: 1) start playing the politics game and build additional strategic relationships within the company so that she is seen as a team player and can start getting the recognition for her efforts, or 2) find a new position with a different company.

Now is not the 

time to be complacent

Based on the resignations noted at the top of this blog and like my friend’s situation, could politics and a culture that supports promotions based on the participation in cliques be the core issue in your organization?  

Before you shake your head and say, ‘of course not,’ make sure that the survey conducted by HR includes questions about culture, politics, upward mobility and team cohesion.

Better yet, contract an organizational development professional to provide an unbiased company evaluation, and then work with them to design a strategic change initiative to address the issues revealed.

While it may appear that the culture of promotion via politics is widely accepted, it really isn't. In fact, it is patently toxic to the success of your organization!

Now is not the time to be complacent, thinking that these resignations and the data from HR are just small bumps in the road. 

Now is the time to lead by example, to take action to ensure your organization becomes the one everyone wants to work for; not the one they use to get experience and then leave for better opportunities.

  

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.

When All Hell Breaks Loose

“We have to make quick decisions or all Hell will continue to break loose. I can’t believe we didn’t see this coming!”

I suspect all of us have been in this situation more times than we care to admit, whether we were leading the effort or simply a cog in the decision-making wheel. 

You have been there a time or two. What did you do? 

Either way, the answer brings to mind two additional questions:

• How did you make your decisions?
• Did they turn out to be the right ones, or should you have done something else?

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of blogs and research articles on how the quality of leadership affects the decision-making process. I realize that it seems to be obvious that a good leader makes good decisions, while a poor leader makes poor decisions. One of the more interesting articles I have read on this topic lately, found in the Harvard Business Review, expands on this theory while exploring the question of how a poor leader affects his/her subordinates and vice versa.  

While the authors present some interesting conclusions to their research, I find that I need to delve a little deeper, and ask the elephant-in-the-room question: given the same information and resources, what causes a leader to make a good or bad decision when all Hell breaks loose?

Is it a lack of training or support from upper management or the Board? Is it a slight hesitation due to a fear of choosing the wrong option? Or, perhaps choosing to do what has worked before – although safer – did not adequately address the needs and requirements of the current situation.

Regardless, as you are putting out fires and salvaging what you can from the ruins, making good decisions require good leaders to:

• Identify and focus solely on the exact issue. There will be many other side issues that appear to be important, but are really only manifestations of the core challenge.
• Identify and evaluate your options, both inside and outside the proverbial box. Although your gut instinct will generally point you in the right direction, you need facts and figures to support your decision.
• Just do it. Do not hesitate; make the decision and let it go. The old saying, “timing is everything” is just as true in business as it is in life.

In short, good leaders focus on solving the actual problem and make fact-based decisions quickly when all Hell is breaking loose. Poor leaders hesitate and make decisions without adequate information to support their choice of fire companies to put out the flames.

 Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is the author of the Management in Motion blog, and has written a number of articles for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association on the topic of childfree living.