Lead with Intention and Purpose:

Make a Decision

How comfortable are you making decisions when you don’t have all the information? As challenging as this is, most of the time, we won’t have the whole picture and still need to decide what to do next. It helps to recognize that decisions are not based on certainty but on probability. As leaders, our role is to take the information available at the time and make the best-calculated guess we can. We look at the benefits and the costs associated with the decision. We look at possible risks and see how we can mitigate them. Then we decide and move ahead. The worse thing we can do is not make a decision and thus take no action. As a result, we not only become stagnant and don’t develop our decision-making muscles, but our team gets frustrated and stressed from lack of direction. The project loses traction.

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Redefine Failure:

Most often, the reason for not deciding is fear of failure. What if there is no failure? What if there are only two possibilities: the intended outcome (win!) or we learn and realize we need to pivot or adjust the strategy. This is an opportunity to re-evaluate, make changes and try again. That learning may be beneficial in many ways and point us in an even better direction. This is what builds experience.

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Decision-making Process:

Decisions don’t happen as automatically as we think they do. There is a process to making decisions. Sometimes this process occurs quickly in our mind, and other times it needs to be on paper, so we see things clearly. Crucial decisions often require the latter. Below is one process to consider:

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1. Take into account the outcome or result intended. This is key. Most focus on the problem and get stuck in a narrow focus. We open up our focus to see more possibilities by thinking of the result. We are also more likely to consider the stakeholders involved and affected.

2. Think of the situation as a challenge and not a problem. Reframing reduces stress, keeps us motivated and helps us think more clearly.

3. Stick to the facts, not the story. The story gets emotions involved, and this can cloud our thinking. Write down the facts without opinions or judgement.

4. Understand why you want this outcome. This step helps align the decision with our vision and purpose and helps keep us on track. This also keeps everyone motivated.

5. Define success. How will you know you were successful? Understanding how success is measured is key to staying focussed and on course.

6. What information/resources do you have or can you get to help make this decision?

7. What are your options, and what are the benefits and costs of each option? How significant are these to the outcome? By doing this part of the exercise, you gain a better perspective and can increase confidence in the decision. How can you reduce or eliminate the risk?

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“As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears.”

— —Rumi

Decide

Once you have this clarity, then decide on the best option and create a plan to carry it out. Course correct as you go and keep your focus on the outcome.

The more you do this process, the more innate it becomes. For minor decisions, the process might all happen in your head. For significant decisions, use paper to capture these steps.

A structure to your decision-making process will help you lead  and live with intention and purpose.

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Wondering how coaching can help you? Email info@salimashamji.com to schedule a discovery call.

New to Leadership?

8 Strategies to Help You Navigate With Confidence

Leaders, like captains, steer a ship, crew and all, towards a future vision or destination. Leading well through the waves of uncertainty, volatility and complexity, is difficult. For first-time leaders, the challenge is even more pronounced. There's so much that you don't know. You feel you have so much to prove. All the skills that landed you here may not be enough for this role. It's very much like being a parent for the first time: there's no recipe book to tell you what to do and how to do it well.

 I remember this feeling well. In my first role in leadership, over a decade ago, I was overwhelmed. I was the medical director of a program that was on the edge of change - big change. There were so many things going on simultaneously: the program was expanding, the space was limited, there was planning for renovation, the staffing needed to increase, the budget was limited, and it seemed like everyone wanted answers. All decisions felt urgent. It seemed that everyone wanted to influence my decisions and wanted me to do things a certain way. Looking back, I wish I'd had some key pieces of advice to help me get through those first few months to establish my core values, the meaning I brought to the role and my cadence. With that in mind, I've collected seven strategies to help new leaders start with confidence.

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1. Define your leadership principles:

Your values and purpose establish the principles that help to guide your decisions and actions. Without them, you don't know what you stand for, are more likely to be reactive and swayed by many. This behaviour can appear as a lack of consistency or commitment and can confuse your team. Guiding principles help you define who you are and how you want to approach situations as they arise. What are the fundamental values from which you want to lead? Trust? Integrity? Optimism? Service? What does this role mean to you? What's the greater purpose? Answering these questions can help you lead with more clarity. Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney, writes about the many principles that helped guide his leadership and rise from his first position at ABC to the CEO of Disney in his book "The Ride of a Lifetime." For example, he felt it was essential to lead with courage and writes: "Don't be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness." He also valued optimism, fairness and integrity. So ask yourself what top three values are essential to you? What do you stand for? Consider putting them on a sticky note and let those be the filters for your decision-making. 

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2. Understand who your stakeholders are and what they expect:

The other challenge I had in my role was understanding how all the stakeholders were impacted by my position. I didn't make an intentional effort to understand but learned on the go. The default can be to focus on our direct reports, our boss and our department. We may not consider all those influenced by our role from customers to other departments. What if I had intentionally taken time to get to know and listen to the issues at the level of service delivery? In medicine, leaders are often still part of the service delivery and may assume they know the problems. The truth is, we only know our role. This issue reminds me of a recent talk I attended by Hubert Joly. In his first month of taking over as CEO of Best Buy, I appreciated that he spent the first few weeks on the floor with the employees. He listened to them, learned what was going well and what wasn't going well and asked for help to understand what might make things better. With this knowledge, he was able to decide on required changes in the supply chain that helped the company's cost structure. Understanding stakeholders' expectations and challenges enables you to see the fuller impact of your decisions and may even help you discover novel solutions.

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3. Ask for help:

I think as leaders, we often think we have to have all the answers. In reality, great leaders are the ones that inspire others to do great work towards a shared vision. They don't have all the answers. They do know how to leverage the knowledge and experience of those around them towards that vision. Hubert Jolly also writes about the benefit he received from coaching, reflecting that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a tool to help one get better. He compares leadership to elite athletes who still have coaches to help them improve. Asking for help was also echoed during my interview with Lisa Diane Kastner, Founder and Executive Editor of Running Wild Press. After our conversation, she had a meeting scheduled with her coach. She expressed that "It's OK to be terrified!" As leaders and particularly as founders, you are breaking new ground. You can't always know the answers. She also suggests surrounding yourself with others in similar roles you admire to build a support system of mentors and colleagues. Asking for help can elevate your leadership game to the next level.

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“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”

— Simon Sinek

4. Define your vision and key priorities:

As a coach, I often see leaders have too many "priorities," making building a clear strategy and staying aligned to it more challenging. A key for successful leadership is defining what you will focus on to allow for a clear path to that destination. Priorities are another area that Bob Iger empathized. As he was interviewing for the CEO position, he realized that he needed to have a few (not many) priorities and a clear strategy. He clarified that his priorities for Disney were to "invest in creativity," "embrace technology," and "grow globally." This set the stage for how Disney would do business.

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5. Create a culture of engagement:

Another consideration for leaders is to create an environment that fosters engagement and creativity. First-time leaders move from positions where they have managed every aspect of their work to one where they need to learn to let go of the reins. As Daniel Pink points out in his book "Drive", people are not motivated by micromanaging. They are inspired by autonomy: a sense of ownership over their work, mastery: the ability to excel at what they do, and purpose: the meaning they have for their work. Letting go of the reins to enable employees to do this can feel uncomfortable when you are used to achieving results by controlling everything. Micromanaging is something that many leaders fail to acknowledge in an attempt to create a specific outcome. Over-managing also becomes an issue during chaos and uncertainty when used to create a sense of control. Yet, this coping strategy results in a disengaged team that is less effective at achieving the ultimate goal. You have a team that is good at what they do. Let them do it.

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6. Communicate effectively: listen more and set an intention:

I was fortunate enough to connect with Daniel Pink recently and asked him what advice he would give to first-time leaders. He said: "Talk less, listen more. Most leaders stink at listening. For the great ones, it's their superpower." He also added: "Assume positive intent. Start with the assumption that people are decent and hardworking rather than the reverse. That won't always be true — but it will be true a lot — and it will make you more effective." I think this highlights the foundation of good communication, especially when things are not going well. It's easy to jump to conclusions and react when things are moving quickly in times of chaos. By slowing down, assuming positive intentions, asking questions to understand the situation, and then really listening, we are more likely to see opportunities for improvement and creative solutions.

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7. Develop peer relationships:

During chaotic times, leaders often need peer support, yet they have usually focused on the relationships above and below without giving much thought to their peer relationships. I recently connected with Greg McKeown, author of "Effortless" and "Essentialism," who said the "most common mistake in the first 30 days is not investing in your peer relationships. New managers focus on their new boss and their new team members but forget their peers. A little investment there can go a long way." The importance of this was echoed in my conversation by Liane Davey, author of "The Good Fight," who noted that leaders often wait until a crisis to reach out to peers or horizontal relationships. "Don't wait until you're thirsty to dig a well," she warned. It's essential to build that relationship and trust with your peers from the start. Cultivating these horizontal relationships with other departments helps you understand your role in the larger company and enables you to seek support, resources and gain different perspectives that may not otherwise be available to you.

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8. Prioritize and plan your time wisely:

Liane brought up another area that leaders neglect, and that is prioritizing your time. I recall all the balls I was juggling as a new leader, and Liane reminds us that "all the balls aren't glass… some are plastic." It is crucial to identify your priorities to not react to each with the same urgent nature, resources and time. Liane also notes that leaders often know what is required to stay resilient but don't make time for it. Leaders need resilience to lead with "courage, patience and empathy," she says. As Stephen Covey has said, it's important to schedule the "big rocks" in your week so you have time for them, and they are not an afterthought. Liane and I also discussed that this means scheduling in time to plan and think. At least some part of your week needs to be ring-fenced for reflection, thinking, strategizing. Prioritizing my time better is something I wish I had done 12 years ago in my new role!

As a new leader, there is a lot to learn to be successful and effective. These building blocks will provide a great foundation to help first-time leaders navigate through rough waters with more confidence in those first few months.

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Wondering how coaching can help you? Email info@salimashamji.com to schedule a discovery call.

Immunize Yourself Against Burnout!

 Stress and Recovery

Ah, stress… there seems to be plenty around these days! Yet, it's only a problem when we don't allow ourselves to recover. Think about it: stress is good if you are being chased by a tiger or trying to meet a deadline. It helps you focus, gets your muscles ready to move and creates many other changes that help your body to deal with the challenge. Tiger gone? Met the deadline? Great! Now you can relax and wait until the next time you need to jump into action. Your muscles relax, heart rate and blood pressure come down, your digestion kicks in, and you are in recovery mode or "rest and digest." So why are so many of us having such a challenge with stress if it's not "so bad"? The reason is we are missing the recovery period. Think of the analogy of an elite athlete: they train hard and stress their body a lot to reach that peak potential. But any elite athlete will also tell you their recovery periods are just, if not more, essential for their overall performance. If they miss recovery time? Well, then, poor performance, injury and illness take over. So recovery is vital!

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Burnout

I’ve been fortunate to coach many clients across many professional sectors. One of the main challenges I notice is not recognizing the importance to recharge, recover and re-energize every day, every week, and every month. Just like those elite athletes, we need to recover from the day-to-day stress and the havoc it causes on our bodies, minds, and emotions. In fact, it's vital to prevent burnout. 

Burnout is defined most simply as a combination of 3 symptoms: feeling exhausted, cynical, and incompetent.

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3M Framework to Prevent Burnout

So how do you go about fitting in recovery? I recently learned of a great framework called the 3M framework through my favourite meditation app, Headspace. The 3M framework is a way to think of when to schedule in those recovery periods. It goes like this: to prevent burnout you need three types of breaks :

MACRO breaks - a half a day or a full day once a month, 

MESO breaks -1 to 2 hours a week and 

MICRO breaks - daily moments scattered throughout the day. 

Yet, I often observe that many don't realize the need to schedule time for all three types of breaks. It's very much like planning car maintenance and not waiting until the car breaks down to do something. It may seem like, "I'm overwhelmed and don't have time!" I think you would also agree that you don't have "time' to be seriously ill either! It's more important to recognize that these recovery pauses actually help us be more productive and efficient in the long run.

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Schedule in Recovery

Let's begin! 

Step 1. Look at your calendar a month ahead and pick a day to spend half a day or a full day doing something fun. Fun is the keyword here. It's essential to recognize that when you're taking these breaks each week and each month that you're doing something to really let yourself unwind and have some fun. This could be spending the day with friends or family hiking and then enjoying a picnic meal or practising a hobby. Recently I've been scheduling golf and dinner with some friends of mine. There's definitely a lot of laughter. If you saw me golfing, you'd understand! 

Step 2. Weekly, schedule in 1-2 hours to recharge. Think of something that really lets you detach from any work or responsibilities. My husband and I like to take an hour or two on the weekend and go cycling or play tennis. This helps us get in some physical activity and enjoy the outdoors, which research has also shown brings so much benefit to our overall health. This is especially true when we are used to working all day indoors. 

Step 3. Finally, we have daily breaks. With my clients, I've developed a framework for this called 3X3. 3X3's help clients remember to fit micro breaks in three times a day and bring in a component that recharges their mind, heart (emotional centre), and body. The work of B.J Fogg, James Clear, and others on habit-forming shows that it's best to start with something small that you can attach to something else to create these habits. 

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The Daily 3x3 

So how do these 3X3's work? First, pick three times a day to incorporate a break, adding it before or after an activity you already do. For example, you can choose before or after eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Next, at the scheduled time, take three minutes, (yes, even three minutes will make a difference) to do the following:

• 1 minute doing something to recharge the mind, maybe some mindful breathing.

• 1 minute to do something to recharge the body: how about some stretching or a quick one-minute walk. Your body likes to move! 
  

• 1 minute to recharge your heart or emotional centre. This is where the science of positive psychology (happiness) comes in. Research in the field of positive psychology shows that creating positive emotions is a practice which increases overall wellbeing. It's something that needs to be practiced consistently and daily. So this is your chance to take a minute to think about something you really appreciate or, my favourite, is to ask myself, "what's going well so far?" This turns the focus on the positive and not on what is already so stressful.

The 3 x 3 simply means taking three minutes three times a day to focus on your mind, emotions, and body and help them recover. It helps to pull the plug on the build-up of stress and helps to immunize you from burnout.

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These strategies may seem simple and small, yet they have a powerful impact when you practice them consistently. Remember that old analogy of the oxygen mask on an airplane: you need to put it on yourself first to be helpful to those around you. Good luck with these, and let me know how it goes!

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Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief?  Share this post and spread some joy! ☺️

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Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.