Why do some businesses and teams get hit with so many more roadblocks?
One of the strangest skills I have developed over the years was the ability to walk backwards for prolonged periods of time. This peculiar skill was first honed when I was a camp counselor. During this time, I had to frequently guide 10–20 kids in a single file through crowded community centers and chaotic field trips. And to make sure none of my kids sneak away, I had to keep my eyes on them all the time; while walking backwards.
Even though I can generally predict if I am going in the right direction, based off of my surrounds, I would inevitably end up backing into very strange and painful obstacles along the way. I have backed into unsuspecting bystanders, painfully collided with cement pillars, and knocked down a fair share of flimsy cardboard signs. And each time, my line of kids would erupt into roaring fits of laughter. And at the end, there would always be some kids who would firmly scold me and say, “Sam, walking backwards is dangerous!”…. But I never listened to them. I still kept leading them forward; while walking backwards.
Even though walking backwards sounds so ridiculous, so many of us leaders do the exact same thing while leading teams in our workplaces. We do this when we anchor our reference point in planning to the past. And if we spend most of our time reviewing and making adjustments based off of our company’s past performance, we run the risk of hitting multiple unseen obstacles that are coming our way.
If we don’t want to have such a reactive style of leadership, we need to have the courage to turn around and adjust our planning with the future in mind. When we foresee and anticipate what dynamic obstacles are coming our way, we can proactively plan and adjust our team’s trajectory more accurately. As a result, we will end up bumping into a lot less obstacles as we lead our teams forward to their next destination.
Are you a reactive leader who tends to lead and plan based off of what you see in the past? Or are you a visionary leader who adapts your plans to the ever-changing and dynamic future?
