Patti Cotton

Executive Coach & Career Strategist

managing

Making Tough Decisions: Why You Need to Build a Strong Business Case

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Making Tough Decisions: Why You Need to Build a Strong Business Case
Image Credit: Depositphotos

In the world of leadership, tough decisions are inevitable. Yet, it’s not just the decision itself that matters; it’s how you communicate and justify that decision to your team.

The true measure of leadership often comes down to how well a leader can rally their team around a shared vision, especially when the choices are difficult. A well-constructed business case isn’t just a formality; it’s a powerful tool that can make the difference between a unified, motivated team and one that is confused, resistant, or disengaged.

To do this, making a strong business case for each of your decisions is vital.

As you read, ask yourself where you congratulate yourself (where you do well), and where you can do better. It will make a significant difference in your team’s alignment and support.

Clarity: The Foundation of Effective Decision-Making

How clear are you with others about what the problem is and why it needs to be addressed?

Imagine a CEO who needs to cut costs by reducing the workforce. It’s a painful decision that impacts lives, yet it’s necessary for the company’s survival. The first step this leader must take is to ensure clarity. A well-crafted business case will clearly define the problem—perhaps dwindling profits or market shifts—and outline the objectives, such as maintaining the company’s long-term viability.

When a leader provides this level of clarity, it aligns the team’s understanding with the leader’s vision. Everyone knows why the decision is being made and what the desired outcomes are. Without this clarity, confusion spreads like wildfire. Team members may misinterpret the decision, leading to misaligned efforts, wasted resources, and a breakdown in trust.

Conversely, you may have known a CEO that has announced layoffs with little explanation. Employees are left in the dark, wondering why some jobs were cut and not others. The lack of clarity breeds fear, rumors, and a sense of injustice—none of which contribute to a productive workplace.

Evidence: Building Credibility Through Facts

Do you have all the facts you need to make a sound decision?

Imagine your company has decided to enter a new market. The decision is bold, risky even, but necessary for growth. A strong business case in this situation would include detailed market analysis, financial projections, and competitive research. This evidence doesn’t just justify the decision; it demonstrates that you have done your homework, considered all angles, and made an informed choice.

When a decision is supported by solid evidence, it builds confidence among the team. They see that you aren’t making a blind leap but is basing the decision on data and thorough analysis. This level of transparency is crucial for maintaining trust.

But what happens when the evidence is lacking? Suppose you decide to enter the new market without proper research, relying instead on gut feeling or anecdotal evidence (I’m hard-pressed to think you would, but just go with me, here!). Your team will quickly sense the lack of rigor. Questions will arise: “Is this really the best move? What if it fails?” Doubts will begin to undermine your credibility, and the team’s trust in you will begin to erode.

Risk Management: Preparing for the Unknown

One area some leaders tend to overlook is to identify the potential risks and impact related to each possible solution.

Every tough decision comes with risks. Leaders who acknowledge these risks upfront and include mitigation strategies in their business case show a level of foresight that earns respect. It’s one thing to say, “We’re cutting costs by reducing staff,” but it’s another to add, “We’ve identified key areas that will remain fully staffed to ensure continued operations, and we have a plan to support those who are laid off.”

Ignoring risks is a recipe for disaster. When a leader glosses over potential downsides, the team is left unprepared for challenges that arise. Take the example of a company deciding to outsource a critical function. If the risks—such as quality control issues or delays—are not addressed in the business case, the team may be blindsided when these problems occur, leading to crisis management rather than proactive solutions.

Strategic Alignment: Connecting the Dots

Does your decision align with the company’s strategic goals?

For a decision to resonate with the team, it must be clearly linked to the company’s broader strategic goals. A robust business case doesn’t just justify the decision; it connects it to the company’s mission and long-term vision.

Consider a leader who decides to invest heavily in technology to automate processes. A strong business case would demonstrate how this investment supports the company’s goal of becoming more efficient and competitive in the market. It shows that the decision is not just about saving money or keeping up with trends but is a strategic move aligned with the company’s future.

Without this strategic alignment, decisions can feel disconnected from the bigger picture. Team members might wonder, “Why are we focusing on this now?” If they can’t see how their work contributes to the company’s success, motivation dwindles, and the decision may feel purposeless.

Addressing Concerns: Building Trust Through Dialogue

Are you allowing space for the team to weigh in and express concerns?

One of the most overlooked aspects of decision-making is addressing team concerns. When leaders take the time to listen to feedback and incorporate it into their business case, they show that they value their team’s input. This not only builds trust but also fosters a sense of ownership among team members.

Imagine a leader deciding to restructure the organization. By proactively engaging with employees, addressing their concerns, and explaining how the restructure aligns with the company’s goals, the leader can turn potential resistance into support.

On the flip side, neglecting these concerns can backfire. If a leader pushes through a decision without seeking input or acknowledging fears, the team may feel alienated. Resentment builds, and the decision, no matter how sound, may be met with passive or active resistance.

Implementation: Turning Plans into Action

Sound execution is key.

Even the best business case can fail without a clear implementation plan. This includes timelines, milestones, and accountability. A leader who outlines the steps for execution and regularly checks in on progress ensures that the decision moves from concept to reality.

Consider a leader who has made the decision to launch a new product. A solid business case will include a detailed rollout plan, assigning responsibilities and setting deadlines. Regular follow-ups ensure that the team stays on track and can make adjustments as needed.

Without this, even the most well-intentioned decisions can flounder. Ambiguity leads to delays, missed targets, and frustration. The lack of follow-through erodes confidence in leadership and undermines the decision itself.

The Cost of Neglecting the Process

When leaders skip or rush through the process of building a strong business case, the consequences can be severe:

  • Decreased Trust and Morale: Lack of clarity, evidence, and engagement can erode trust and lower team morale. When decisions seem arbitrary or poorly justified, team members may become disengaged and demotivated.
  • Increased Resistance: Without addressing concerns and providing a compelling business case, team members are more likely to resist the decision. This resistance can manifest in reduced cooperation, lower productivity, and even open conflict.
  • Ineffective Execution: A weak or poorly communicated business case often leads to ineffective implementation. Ambiguity and lack of direction can result in missed deadlines, subpar performance, and wasted resources.
  • Long-Term Damage: Over time, failing to present a strong business case can damage leadership credibility and organizational culture. Teams may become skeptical of future decisions and question the leader’s ability to guide the organization effectively.

Making tough decisions is a fundamental part of leadership, but the process doesn’t end with the decision itself. Crafting and presenting a strong business case—one that is clear, evidence-based, strategically aligned, and responsive to team concerns—ensures that your decisions are not just made but embraced and executed effectively. By investing the time and effort to build a compelling business case, you can turn even the most challenging decisions into opportunities for growth, unity, and long-term success.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Combating Decision Fatigue: Empowering Executives to Make Better Choices

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Combating Decision Fatigue: Empowering Executives to Make Better Choices
Image Credit: Depositphotos

Imagine Jane (a real situation, but fictitious name), a senior executive at a fast-growing tech company. Jane is brilliant, driven, and deeply committed to her role; and her leadership has helped the company outperform its two main competitors.

When I met her, however, Jane was feeling overwhelmed.

“Every day presents a relentless stream of decisions, both big and small. Honestly, it feels harder and harder to keep up. I’m mentally exhausted.”

What Jane was experiencing is decision fatigue, a common challenge for leaders like her, who oversee a volatile and dynamic environment.

Decision fatigue occurs when the quality of our decisions declines after an extended period of decision-making. For someone in Jane’s position, the constant need to make high-stakes decisions, coupled with managing complex issues, exacerbates this phenomenon.

Factors contributing to decision fatigue most often include the following:

  • Volume of Decisions – Jane faced an endless array of decisions daily, from strategic directions to operational details.
  • High-Stakes Nature – Each decision carries significant consequences, adding immense pressure.
  • Lack of Rest – Jane rarely took breaks, leading to mental exhaustion and diminished cognitive function.

Effect on the Team

As I talked with members of Jane’s team, it was clear that they were eager to support her and at the same time, concerned with how her leadership was taking a turn.

“She always seems tired, and when I present her with an issue, she seems to struggle to think clearly,” said one.

“True,’ said another. “She was quick to make choices that are straightforward, but they seem overwhelming, now.”

All agreed that Jane now became easily frustrated over minor issues. “I’m not even sure when to bring things to her attention,” said a third. “I’m starting to lose confidence in our ability to pull things off.”

It was clear that decision fatigue didn’t just affect Jane—it rippled through her leadership and organization, as it always does.

  • Jane experienced decreased productivity and heightened stress, edging towards burnout.
  • Jane’s impaired judgment and indecisiveness undermined her leadership effectiveness.
  • Her team’s morale and performance suffered, as they lost confidence in her decision-making.
  • This decline was starting to impact the company’s overall performance.

Internal Shifts and External Changes

To address decision fatigue, Jane had to make both internal shifts and external changes.

First, Jane had to recognize the real problem.

She initially perceived that she was simply overwhelmed by the volume of decisions. However, the real issue lay in her lack of effective decision-making strategies and self-care practices. Without these, the cognitive load became unmanageable.

Jane’s inner shifts included prioritizing self-care and mental health with regular exercise, enough sleep, and mindfulness and stress management techniques. This helped to recalibrate her nervous system and scattered thinking, and to replace this with a solid sense of calm and the ability to focus well.

She also needed to create a decision-making framework to simplify her process by categorizing decisions and delegating lower-stake choices.

These were simple shifts, but they required initiating new habits. As we worked on these, we also worked on some key external changes, including reviewing where Jane needed to delegate decision-making and how she might develop the trust to do so.

We also worked with her team to implement structured decision-making processes to ensure consistency.

And finally, Jane acknowledged that regular breaks and time off would be vital to helping her recharge. She recognized that this would be important for her team, as well, and they came to a mutual decision to implement this team wide.

What did this ultimately do for Jane and her company?

As I shared in the beginning, today, Jane’s company is out in front of her two main competitors with the lion’s share of the market. After establishing norms for decision-making, along with mental health and self-care, she was able to focus on developing a supportive work environment and to lead in the way that only someone in her role could.

What does this mean for you?

Jane’s story illustrates how decision fatigue can affect even the most capable leaders. By understanding its causes and impacts, and taking proactive steps to mitigate its effects, executives can enhance their decision-making capabilities.

Implementing both internal shifts, such as self-care and mindfulness, and external changes, like effective delegation and structured processes, can empower them to lead more effectively. This not only improves their well-being but also ensures their teams and organizations thrive.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

The High Costs of Not Delegating

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The High Costs of Not Delegating
Image Credit: Depositphotos

You are buried at work. You keep digging through urgent problems and you are frustrated. It doesn’t stop.

Will you ever reach a point where you can focus on the things that matter most?

And how much stress are you carrying because of this? What is its impact to you? To the organization?

The bottom line is that you will always be confronted with the urgent and unexpected. So, if you are saying things to yourself like, “Once I get this out of the way, I’ll be able to..,” think, again. You have a choice: you can decide to keep doing what you are doing and anticipate the same results, or you can make the hard decision to stop the madness and make a change.

In the high-stakes world of leadership, delegating effectively is one of the most powerful things you can do to work more effectively and make greater impact.

When you consider the high return, what is holding you back?

In working with senior leaders, I have found that the top five reasons they struggle with delegation all come back to fear.

What are you afraid of?

Here are five client scenarios. Each made the shift from overloaded and overwhelmed to focus, ease, and what matters most.

  1. Perfectionism and Control

Sarah, the CEO of a fast-growing tech startup, was known for her meticulous attention to detail. Her perfectionism drove the company’s high standards but also meant she often redid work done by her team.

When Sarah called me, her need for control had set her up to crash.

“I spend countless hours tweaking presentations and reports. It doesn’t seem like anyone else can meet my standard of excellence. I find myself working late into the night, and I can’t focus on the strategic initiatives we have targeted that will propel the company forward.”

After talking with her, it was also clear that beyond her overwhelm and stress, her team felt like they could never do anything right. Motivation was low.

“I’m just not sure my team is capable of getting it done properly,” Sarah said.

“Let’s put this to the test,” I responded.

I asked Sarah to begin delegating less critical tasks with regular oversight so that she could assess this. As she did so, she noticed her reports were eager to help and more engaged. This process built a foundation of trust for her in her team’s capabilities.

Sarah learned that part of the reason others were not meeting her expectations was that she needed to communicate them more clearly and to provide feedback to help the team improve. Over time, this approach helped them to learn how she wanted things done, and it freed her to concentrate on more significant responsibilities, enhancing her leadership effectiveness. Her team felt more valued and empowered, leading to greater talent retention. A win-win.

  1. Lack of Trust

James, a CFO, struggled to delegate financial reporting tasks. Missed deadlines and errors made by his team had eroded his trust in their abilities. He would end up handling most of the reporting himself, leading to immense pressure and stress.

“I feel like I babysit and chase when I delegate,” James said. “Wondering if someone will deliver on time and have it right – well, I just don’t have the patience.”

James’s lack of trust stifled his team’s growth and development. Talented employees felt frustrated and disengaged, as they were not given opportunities to take on challenging tasks. This mistrust also hampered the team’s ability to innovate and adapt to new challenges.

As James and I talked through the situation, I discovered that he had not set up an accountability process with his team. For example, when he gave a directive, he did not provide clarity. Further, he did not give a deadline as to when he expected to see drafts. And finally, he admitted that some of the team was overdue for training that would support their ability to perform at higher levels.

The problem was not his team – it was the need for a shared process.

Building trust required transparency and gradual delegation. James let the team know that he wanted to empower them to do more, and that he would be providing training, as well as a better way to communicate clearly about deadlines and review drafts. He started by delegating parts of the financial reports, closely monitoring progress, and providing constructive feedback. As he took this approach, and invested in training and development, it enhanced his team’s competence, gradually rebuilding his confidence in their abilities.

  1. Fear of Losing Authority

Laura, a senior VP, believed that holding onto critical tasks reinforced her authority within the organization. She feared that delegating would make her seem less indispensable and diminish her influence.

Laura’s reluctance to delegate limited her team’s ability to grow and take on more responsibility. It also prevented her from focusing on strategic initiatives that required her expertise. Over time, this behavior led to a stagnant team and missed opportunities for the company.

Things came to a head when the CEO called Laura in. As she reported to me later, her CEO had noticed the underperforming team – not her ability to achieve a lot. Further, he felt she was not focusing on what mattered most. That’s when they decided to call me in to help.

In working with Laura, it was clear that she needed to shift her perspective on leadership. This took time, but it allowed Laura to gain the confidence and clarity she needed to focus on what mattered most in her position. And by delegating effectively, she was able to focus on more strategic initiatives, demonstrating her leadership in driving the company’s vision forward. Mentoring her team and empowering them to succeed enhanced their capabilities and also reinforced her role as a visionary leader.

  1. Time Constraints

Mark was a COO who was always pressed for time. He believed it was quicker to complete tasks himself rather than delegate and review them. This mindset left him overwhelmed and unable to focus on strategic priorities.

Not surprisingly, Mark’s inability to delegate effectively led to chronic stress and burnout. He was constantly firefighting, unable to step back and take a strategic view of the business. His team, meanwhile, remained underdeveloped and dependent on his constant input.

Mark actually had to take a 3-month sabbatical for severe stress. During this time, he did a lot soul-searching and reached out for help. When he was ready to get back to work, we talked frankly about him taking time to invest in developing his team’s skills. Although this initially filled most of his calendar, it paid off in the long run as his team became more self-sufficient and acquired a greater understanding and ability to contribute. Clear communication of expectations and regular check-ins ensured tasks were completed to a high standard without his constant oversight.

  1. Previous Negative Experiences

Nathan, a VP of Sales, had a bad experience with delegation in the past where a critical task was mishandled, leading to the loss of a significant client. This experience has made him wary of delegating again.

Nathan’s reluctance to delegate hinders his team’s development and creates a bottleneck in decision-making processes. His inability to delegate critical tasks means he is perpetually overworked, and his team is left feeling undervalued and under-challenged.

Nathan can start afresh by identifying team members’ strengths and delegating tasks that align with their skills. Implementing a robust review process and maintaining open lines of communication can mitigate risks and rebuild his confidence in delegation. Learning from past experiences and making necessary adjustments can turn previous failures into opportunities for growth.

The Impact on the Team

In all these client experiences, it is important to note that, when there is a lack of appropriate delegation, team members can feel unrecognized, devalued, and disengaged. This is demotivating. Underperformance certainly follows, in addition to the lack of contribution they are able to make because they are not included.

Longer term, team members that are not provided with someone who cares about their development, and not provided the stretch experiences to learn and grow, will miss career opportunities, which is life changing.

The Broader Impact on the Company

The reluctance to delegate not only affects individual executives and their teams but also has broader implications for the entire company. Here are some of the key impacts:

  • Decreased Innovation: When executives hold onto tasks, their teams lack the opportunity to innovate and bring fresh ideas. This can lead to stagnation and a failure to keep up with competitors.
  • Inefficient Use of Resources: Executives spending time on tasks that could be delegated leads to inefficient use of high-level talent. This misallocation of resources can impede the company’s growth and agility.
  • Low Morale and High Turnover: Teams that feel underutilized and undervalued are more likely to experience low morale and high turnover. This not only disrupts operations but also incurs significant costs in recruiting and training new employees.
  • Strategic Neglect: Executives bogged down with day-to-day tasks often neglect strategic planning and long-term vision. This can lead to missed opportunities and a lack of direction for the company.

Moving Forward: Practical Steps for Effective Delegation

In sum, to foster a culture of effective delegation, executives can adopt the following strategies:

  1. Build Trust and Competence: Invest in training and development to enhance your team’s skills and build trust in their abilities.
  2. Communicate Clearly: Set clear expectations and provide the necessary resources and support for your team to succeed.
  3. Empower and Mentor: Shift from a control mindset to an empowerment mindset. Focus on mentoring and developing your team.
  4. Prioritize Strategic Focus: Delegate operational tasks to free up time for strategic initiatives that drive the company forward.
  5. Celebrate Success: Recognize and celebrate your team’s achievements to reinforce the value of delegation and boost morale.

By addressing the underlying reasons for hesitation and taking these first steps, executives can overcome their reluctance to delegate, leading to a more empowered team and a higher-performing, productive company. Delegation is not about losing control; it’s about multiplying your impact through the strengths of others.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

How Do You Sustain Necessary Change?

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How Do You Sustain Necessary Change?
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You’ve made the changes. You have your business imperative in hand to keep you focused. You’ve aligned and coordinated your executive team around this business imperative. You’ve had some tough conversations to clear the air (and the plates), and you’ve identified the leadership behaviors necessary to support your team in making this happen.

But your team is scared. Or worse, they are at a point where they don’t trust this will work.

Michael, a well-respected CEO, had just led his executive team through these same steps. He was sick and tired of being in the weeds, feeling as though the company wasn’t meeting its business potential.

But his team was scared.

Sandra, his VP of marketing, spoke up. “We’ve gone through the exercise one too many times, and the changes sound great. We start out strong, then fizzle out. The changes we try to make don’t stick. I can’t even muster up the courage to try, this time.”

“Frankly, I’m skeptical, too” said Max, the COO. “We’ve tried and died quite a bit.”

“Patti,” Michael turned to me, “I may as well pack it up. If the team won’t commit, we aren’t going to make any progress.”

“Team,” I said, “Hold tight. There’s a last critical step in the process that ensures that you stay on the path. Most companies miss this step – and it makes all the difference.”

“I’m all ears,” said Candace, the CFO. “Because if this doesn’t work, I’m not sure I can retrieve any muster to move forward. At all.”

The room was quiet for a moment.

“I understand,” I said. “Change is hard. And unless we approach it in a way that supports its success, the discouragement is overwhelming. But hang on, please. Your track record is about to change.”

What did we do?

We created a system of accountability to hold the changes firmly in place. Because a change, no matter how big or small, requires a supportive system to allow it to become the norm.

And here’s how we did it for Michael’s team.

“Team,” I said, “You have taken the first 4 of 5 steps to make this work. Michael has created the company’s business imperative to set the direction (see Article 1 in this series). He has worked with you all to create and align your own business imperatives to support the larger one (see Article 2 in this series). You’ve surfaced some critical conversations that needed to be addressed in order to move forward (see Article 3 in this series). And you have identified how you need to work as a team in order to reach these goals (see Article 4 in this series). Now, it’s time for step 5: putting a system in place to keep you all on the path as you move into greater excellence.”

“I’m all ears, Patti,” said Candace. The others nodded.

“We are going to ask ourselves five questions as we review your goals and the changes you have identified that you need to make,” I said. “This will help us to create a system to hold the process – and ourselves – accountable. It will help us stay on track.”

Question 1: What are we measuring?

We worked to identify what we needed to measure in order to know that we were on the right path and moving at the right pace. What would we look for that measured success? We broke it down by quarter, and then by month, so we could course-correct in a timely manner if something was not working.

Question 2: Who needs to know?

We then identified key stakeholders for each initiative. Even though the team knew who was in charge of what, they did not always communicate to others who might be affected by the work. The team also identified how and when the stakeholders would communicate with each other and built this into their regular meeting agendas. Michael would review each team member’s progress for their area during their 1:1 meetings.

Question 3: How do we check on progress?

Michael took charge of this and built into the executive team’s monthly agenda discussion time to review the team’s alignment and coordination as they worked on goals. What was working? What needed refining or redirecting? The team looked at other feedback loop opportunities to make sure they could tap into needed information at any time.

Question 4: How do we support upgraded leadership behaviors?

The team recognized that working together at a higher level required higher skill-building. They asked me to work with them individually to break through any roadblocks holding them back, and to help them step into more effective leadership behaviors.

Question 5: What are the conversations we need to have now?

We agreed that I would also meet once quarterly with the team to work with them on any trust issues, as well as critical conversations and needed relational skill-building. Without this fifth step, a team does well at best, but never reaches its peak performance.

I’m happy to report that Michael and his team made incredible progress company- and team-wise in that first 12 months. And so, we decided to repeat this for Year 2, knowing that things would only continue to reach new and exciting heights. It is Year 3 for them, and they have established themselves as a leader in their industry.

Where in the process I have described above do you and your team excel? Where do you need to put a system in place, or to strengthen this so that it works well for you?

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

To Upgrade Your Leadership, Uplevel Your Leadership Behaviors

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To Upgrade Your Leadership, Uplevel Your Leadership Behaviors
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How do you as CEO stay on top of your leadership game? Many think reading the latest books on this will keep things fresh. Others rely on bootcamps or CEO peer groups to stimulate their thinking about leading, and to work through business challenges.

Books can provide great insights. Bootcamps can certainly inform you of leadership trends and approaches you might want to consider. And peer groups can bring fresh ideas, community, and accountability.

But statistics show that none of these by themselves (or all together) yield the relevant changes that are most important. In other words, if you are spending significant amounts of money on your leadership in the ways we’ve just mentioned, you may be gaining some good value – but you are still leaving a lot of your leadership potential on the table.

How do you actually sharpen your leadership in the areas that matter most?

To strengthen your leadership, you need to know which areas of your leadership are ready for upleveling, and how to actually make these shifts in order to make lasting change.

Which of your leadership behaviors is ready for an upgrade?

You won’t really know what you need to change until you get good feedback.

As CEO, you may have a fair idea of those areas you need to sharpen. But as a human being, you also have your blind spots. And you can’t see your blind spots, because, well, they are blind spots.

Michael, our CEO in the last three articles, was given some feedback. As you will recall (see last week’s article “Confronting”), Michael was highly motivated to rise above the weeds once and for all, and to bring his team along with him. They had done some important work in establishing a company business imperative with top priorities over the next 12 months, and also identified what this meant for each executive team member’s focus and energy.

When it came time to identify what the team needed in order to accomplish these things, you may remember that the team members shared what they needed as to systems and processes, but also in behaviors – team behaviors together, and leader behaviors from Michael.

“I had no idea some of my behaviors were getting in the way of team effectiveness,” he confessed.

“The good news is, Michael, that you are well respected by your team. You received some good feedback, and we need to use it. Let’s talk about what you heard.”

“Well, I heard that I disempower people by allowing their employees to come directly to me – and I may counter what their supervisor has instructed them. And I also heard that I tend not to listen to the perspectives of the other executive team members when making decisions. Those are pretty big.”

“And I agree with you,” I responded. “Those are the two main behavioral shifts I heard, as well. Do you agree?”

“I agree. I’ll stop doing those things. Today.”

“Not so fast,” I countered. “That’s not the way it works. At least, if you want the change to be effective and to last.”

“Okay, I’m listening,” he said.

You need to identify upgrade behaviors for those you want to replace.

“Explain, please,” said Michael.

“You may know what you need to stop doing, but your brain needs a picture of what it needs to do, instead. For example, if you need to stop allowing employees to come in and work around their supervisors to get a better answer from you, what should you do instead?”

“Ah,” said Michael. “Okay. I need to redirect the employees back to their supervisors.”

“Now you have it!” I responded. “And what about being open to and listening to the perspectives of others?” I asked.

“Well, that one is harder,” Michael mused. “I thought I was open, but evidently I don’t appear to be so.”

“May I give you some feedback?” I asked. “I noticed in our team meeting that, when others gave a different opinion than yours, you acknowledged them, but then went right back to your own perspective. In other words, you didn’t ask them to tell you more, allowing them to share a different point of view, while listening carefully instead of waiting to jump back in.”

“Phew,” said Michael. “This may be tough.”

“True,” I said. “In fact, these kinds of behaviors take up to a year to shift so that they are lasting.”

“Well, how do I stay on track with that?” He asked. “I don’t have a lot of time to spend on this – but it’s key and I know it.”

“Fortunately, the third step is what keeps you on track,” I answered.

Track your progress regularly by getting feedback.

“Your team has given you great feedback. They can also provide you with info on your progress.”

“Like I said, I don’t have a lot of time,” he said.

“Oh, this is a one- to two-minute check-in about once monthly to see how you are doing. And of course, your regular coaching meeting with me to discuss how it’s going, what we need to do to break through roadblocks, keep moving forward, etc.”

“I see,” said Michael. “So, I’ll just be working as usual – only I’ll be integrating upgraded behaviors. That should not take more time – it’s just doing things differently.”

“You are getting it!” I said. “I’m happy to sit with you and put together a plan.”

Michael beamed. “I’m ready,” he said. “I think we are getting the formula for staying on top of the things we want most. If I can rise to the occasion with my leadership, I can bring the others along.”

What in your leadership needs upgrading? How do you know? Reaching the most important goals successfully starts here.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.