Be Smart Enough to Ask the 'Stupid' Questions
A few days ago, I was sitting across from a top executive at a leading fashion retailer. He was lamenting the fact that the CEO always came back to the executive team during or right after the holidays with a three-page email about the company's direction and greater purpose.
It wasn't that this exec didn't want to address those issues. Rather, he felt continually thwarted in his efforts to do so because: 1) the other members of the team just wanted to agree and move on, whereas he seemed to be the only one challenging the CEO and asking the "dumb" questions; 2) the vision and values of the company were just pleasant platitudes that nobody particularly connected with; and 3) who has the time, anyway?
This scenario is all too common. Leadership takes a timeout from all the noise and hears a deeper call to reflect and consider the important questions, such as:
Why do we do what we do?
What drives and motivates our people?
Where are we headed?
That is, until quarterly fever sets in and those "nice-to-think-abouts" are put back on hold until the next August or December slowdown.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Here are three simple strategies to remain aligned with your company's mission while staying focused on results:
1. Begin Where You Are
You can't get where you're going next if you don't know where you're starting from. Taking a simple inventory of the areas of your business that matter most will give you a baseline to continually assess your progress.
This inventory doesn't need to be difficult or involve 100-page reports. There are dozens of ways to quickly assess the health of an organization and use that snapshot to support more effective decision-making. One simple method to start is to gather an anonymous, quantifiable survey that measures associates' satisfaction, commitment, and engagement levels.
Remember: This survey will show where your business and its leaders are right now. What's working? What isn't? Using very simple methods to quickly get to an understanding of how you're performing in the areas of your business that matter most will set you up for the next strategy.
This is where you'll start to create a more sustainable vision for your company.
3. Focus Your Energy for Results
Cortney McDermott is an award-winning writer, TEDx speaker, and strategist to Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurial leaders, and think tanks around the world.