Don’t Lose Your Way

As a coach, you will regularly be put in situations where there is no easy answer; this is part of being a leader. What can be frustrating, sometimes infuriating, is when people (including those close to you) offer oversimplified solutions to the situation you are facing. Most of the time it is well-intended, but rarely do they have a full appreciation of all the factors underlying the circumstance to provide useful input.

The farther you are from a situation the simpler it looks, but as you get closer, the more complex and personal it becomes.

The challenge you face as a leader is that many problems involving your team will be complex and personal. So, who do you turn to for advice when there is no one who can truly appreciate the situation you find yourself in? I would argue, you turn to YOU — but not your current self. Your current self, under these conditions, is trying to unpack and understand a variety of different factors while emotionally connected to the situation. As such, it is often difficult to make the best decision when you are this close, making it much more likely to lose your way.

“What was I thinking?”…“How did I get here?”…“Why did I do that?”

In these situations, the YOU that you need to turn to for advice is the best version of yourself; and that perspective can be found in your leadership philosophy. The power in having a leadership philosophy is that it reminds you of what you stand for and how you will lead. It is simple advice, without emotion, coming from the one person who knows you best and wants the best for you, regardless of the situation.

You may choose not to follow your leadership philosophy, being that the current situation is not that simple, but you are making a conscious choice to do so. It’s like a compass telling you to go North but the current terrain requires you go East. You have consciously decided to take a different path under the current circumstances. The advantage it gives you is that it prevents you from getting lost. You know where you are, where you are going, where you are deviating, and how to get back. It is your leadership philosophy that helps you stay on course when there is a sea of voices, including your own, steering you in different directions.