As Dale Carnegie said, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” How you react to unexpected expectations and circumstances can directly affect your business and how your employees, shareholders, investors, etc. perceive you.
Unmet Expectations
None of us has made it to where we are without being handed “lemons” or, as I prefer to call them, “unmet expectations” or “circumstances”. There are times when things flow smoothly for a while and “bam” you get hit with something unexpected. It is these times I find people have the most difficulty with. Those who get hit with circumstances on a more frequent basis may have better developed the skills with which to handle these situations more effectively. Regardless of your situation, however, prior to reacting to circumstances it is imperative to remember one critical factor; we all have circumstances in our business (and everywhere else in life). The question you must ask yourself is, “Am I going let my circumstances manage me, or am I going to manage my circumstances?”
How Effective are You as a Leader?
The most effective leaders make a practice of managing their circumstances. They have taken the time to learn how to best manage situations that take them by surprise or don’t look like they think they should. Effective leaders can “bob and weave”. They have the ability to look at the “lemons”, assess them, and act accordingly. They have the ability to speak to their staff in a way that gets them working together. They look at what will best work and what’s not working. They don’t blame, point fingers, or attempt to diminish anyones’ self esteem. They work towards solutions that are best for the company and its employees.
Being an effective leader takes work and self-exploration. The most effective leaders use the work they’ve done to make this process look simple. It’s a commitment and it pays off in the health, brand and revenues of your company.
