As leaders we are constantly getting advice about how to take action and get others to do the same. Knowing which actions to take, and in what order, is critical for business success.
We spend a lot of time with our clients creating plans and then supporting the implementation of those plans.
But sometimes, we do exactly the opposite. We urge the business owners we work with to just sit sill for a time before taking action.
As a business owner, it’s wise to pause when the:
- Goal is unclear – Before you embark on any journey, it’s important to know your destination. Lack of clarity can lead to mistakes and internal conflict. Defining goals and setting milestones will keep you and your team on track. Sit still until you can clearly identify and communicate the goal.
- Pressure is high – In a situation where the pressure is high, people do not necessarily make their best decisions or take the most appropriate actions. Stress can intensify conflict and magnify differences within your team. Reason gets replaced with reaction, rather than a more considered response. When you are in the frying pan, you know you need to jump. Sit sill until you know which direction to jump in, so that you do not land in the fire.
- Team is not engaged – Without buy-in from your team, any action you take as a leader is unlikely to be successful. An unengaged team may be actively resisting change by refusing to act or passively resisting by working slowly without attention to results. When your team is indifferent, it’s hard for you to get better or different results. Sit still until you have sufficiently addressed your team’s needs and concerns to eliminate major resistance.
- Risk of action outweighs the benefits – Sometimes the risk of change outweighs the rewards. The cost of action may be primarily financial, where the increased revenue does not recoup the investment required to make the change. There can also be risks to reputation or customer trust, or costs in team morale or well-being. Sit still long enough to make sure that you understand the cost of taking an action and that the benefit will be worth the investment.
Sitting still does not mean that you are not doing anything. While you are sitting still, you keep all of the necessary functions running…pausing in place while you assess the action you are planning to take to make certain that it’s the best decision for yourself, your team and your business.
Adequately preparing for action is as important as taking the action itself. During the pause you take time to make space for the clarity, connection and communication that will see you through the change.
Great leaders pause at the right time for the right length of time so that when they take action, they maximize the likelihood of success.
Before you make your next big move, sit still for a little while. Then go ahead and take that leap.
Happy Landings!
Blessings,
