Last weekend my son played in a soccer tournament — in the mud.
In the rain and cold, we watched him work his way down
the field, somersaulting in puddles and slipping on what
was left of the field.
To make matters worse, his team lost all their games.
Conditions are never just right to play your game,
whatever that might be — growing your business, managing your team, competing in new markets.
In fact, you may have many factors working against
you — poor cash flow, insufficient resources, changing market conditions.
Sometimes that's more reason to keep playing — to see what you can do,
with what you have right now. You know it's not everything you want or
will have in the future, but you play all out anyway.
Here are a few points to keep in mind when you're playing in mud:
* The situation is temporary. Conditions will change and you will be able to play to your advantage over time.
* You still have people — team members, stakeholders, customers/clients — on the sidelines who believe in you/your business and who cheer you on.
* You're developing new skills and perspective that will help you in the long run. You'll emerge stronger. (At least, that's what my mother always told me.)
* You'll work together better as a team if you pay attention to what you're learning, especially in adversity.
If you're like my son, you might think the mess makes the game more fun. Like anything else in life, the key is how you view the situation.
Leaders who are waiting for just the right time or conditions will
hold themselves and their teams back.
Sometimes you can't wait for the clouds to clear, for the politics
to simmer down, for the perfect new hire. You know you have to act
or you may lose an opportunity. You have to make a risky decision. Go!
Mud is part of managing.
Every manager I've coached has to do something they dread. Or they've
had to prepare themselves for dealing with a person or situation that
makes them very uncomfortable.
While some love leading, there are still aspects of their role they
would happily give up.
Whether you're running a team or your business, you'll get dirty.
Accept that muddy conditions are a normal part of business.
Mud comes in different forms.
For example, you may have to learn things you don't have an interest
in or work with people you don't care to. Do what you can to minimize
the mud and focus on what gives you strength and energy.
The most challenging experiences in my own work have made me more
emphatic about doing work for which I am the best fit and working
with people I really enjoy.
Don't worry about losing a game. Trust that you'll play your best
under any conditions.
You're preparing for a bigger game in the future.
How will you and your team move forward when you're in the mud?
What's the bigger game you really want to play?
On the Lighter Side
Everybody ought to do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice.
~William James
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About Gayle Lantz
Gayle Lantz is a leadership expert and president of WorkMatters, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders think and work smarter.
She is author of the award winning book, Take the Bull by the Horns: The Busy Leader's Action Guide to Growing Your Business…and Yourself.
A sought-after consultant, coach, facilitator, and speaker, Gayle works closely with executives and leadership teams to expand their vision, think and act strategically, and inspire change. Together, they increase business results and help make work matter at every level of the organization. Find out more at: https://workmatters.com