Are you at a critical time in your business? Maybe your latest product isn't performing as expected. Or your competition is putting pressure on your business and the market. In my organization, for example, we are faced with some compliance challenges of a highly regulated industry. In times like this, how do we, as leaders, react?

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share what it takes to improve your leadership game to get through the tough times.

When times are good, leaders are supported. When times get challenging, leaders feel the pressure. I've known some leaders to go into stealth mode where they aren't visible and tend to keep a low profile within the organization. I've also known leaders to face the challenges and provide as much transparency as possible.

When results are good and challenges are surmountable, it is easy not to look too critically at the effectiveness of your leaders. After all, if things are going well, you must be doing your job well, right?

However there will be times when it is absolutely critical that certain outcomes or results are achieved and leadership is especially critical to the outcome. What is the one essential thing you should do? In essence, it can be described as "step out before you step up."

In times of crisis or urgency, leaders can quickly be pulled into operational aspects of the business. It is easy to quickly become engulfed in detail and stop seeing the forest for the trees. At such times leaders are well advised to:

  1. Step back and take the time to clearly see the big picture.

  2. Identify what success will look like and what it will take for you and the organization to achieve that.

  3. Decide on your specific critical outcomes, and a clear timeframe.

  4. Determine your high-level pathway to success and your specific initial actions.

Investing some time to complete steps these steps will undoubtedly pay dividends in terms of the effectiveness and success of your leadership at such critical times.

So, how do you rate as a leader? Do you take time to look problems and solutions holistically? Do you know the specific outcomes you are trying to achieve and when you want to achieve them? Have you determined the key steps or outcomes it will take to make you feel successful?

Today is the day to identify these key success factors.

Source: Kevin McMahon is a leading New Zealand executive coach and leadership consultant with StepShift. He works behind the scenes with clients in the private and public sectors in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand. He coaches CEOs and executives to get the best from themselves and their people, and deliver commercial success. He also consults with organizations on people and performance.