iQoncept - stock.adobe.comHank came to see me wearing his anxiety like a neon sport jacket. He had just terminated an employee he considered a friend. Hank knew it was the best thing for his organization — and likely his friend, too, in the long run — but it wasn’t an easy task.
At Correct Craft, we call making the right, albeit difficult, decisions “doing the hard things.” The value of doing the hard things was reinforced for me recently when I was preparing for a marathon. I struggled with training through the hot Florida summer, when the most successful athletes are willing to tolerate discomfort. Being willing to tolerate discomfort was a game-changer for my marathon training. Of course, it can be a game-changer for leaders, too.
The best leaders are willing to do the hard things. The short run may be more challenging, but the long run will be better.
Adragan - stock.adobe.comWhat are some of the hard things?
Necessary endings. No matter how hard we try to make a relationship work, there are times when we need to go separate ways with an employee, vendor, distributor or other associate. This is hard for me; I have sometimes taken too long to make an essential change. But waiting only hurts your team, you and, usually, the person or organization that needs to be changed. Henry Cloud’s book Necessary Endings helped our leadership team at Correct Craft be more effective in this area.
Confronting problems. Leaders often find it much easier to ignore problems. Dealing with problems is hard; it takes a physical and emotional toll. In addition, many leaders worry about how people will react. However, avoiding problems allows cancer into your organization, eventually destroying it.
Being a fighter pilot. My leadership style is to mutually agree with our team on goals, and then let them work toward achieving them. I don’t think anyone would accuse me of being a micromanager. However, there are times when a leader must step in, manage assertively and make tough calls like a fighter pilot. Maybe the best example of this is during an economic or market downturn, when the leader must protect the organization.
Creating clarity. Providing clarity is a difficult task. What is apparent in the leader’s head may not be clear to the listener. When there is a communication problem, it is the leader’s fault, every single time. Leaders must provide clarity on the company’s mission, vision, reason for being, strategic plan and budget. Once you create clarity, you will be surprised by how well things get done.
Energizing your team. Leaders set the tone for an organization and provide emotional fuel for their team to get things done. If a leader feels grumpy or angsty, it hurts the team’s energy level. Sharing a bad mood with your team may feel good, but your organization is paying a high price when you do.
Being a learner. Being a learner is hard because most of us are not wired for it; we are wired to be knowers. A knower views information through a paradigm that tries to validate what they already think. A learner seeks truth, and that’s hard. Good leaders try to see things from contrary perspectives and gather information from as many viewpoints as possible. They also create a learning culture at their organizations and set an excellent example for their team of being a learner.
Avoiding emotional hijacking. I have heard that emotion always trumps logic. It is often hard to hold back our feelings, especially if we frame them as passion. However, the best leaders ensure that they make sound, logical decisions. Passion is good; emotional hijacking is not.
These are just a few examples of the hard things that leaders must do. When something feels difficult, it should signal that it is likely necessary and needs immediate attention.
When I promote someone to a president role at one of our companies, I always tell them they are unprepared. This statement usually results in a quizzical look, and I explain that it is way easier to second-guess what a leader should do than it is to make the tough decisions. Knowing that your choices will affect your organization and people’s lives, for better or worse, can be stressful. However, if a leader is going to be successful, he or she must do the hard things.
The best leaders are willing to tolerate discomfort and do the hard things. So don’t procrastinate. Do them today.
Bill Yeargin is CEO of Correct Craft and the author of five books, including the best-seller Education of a CEO.
This article was originally published in the January 2023 issue.
