A CEO client of mine has a problem with someone on his team. He’s talked to him about the issue, but hasn’t really held this player accountable to the standard. I asked what he was going to do about it and heard the usual – I just don’t have time to do it. I called bullshit. You don’t have time NOT to do it. This player is in charge of one of your biggest initiatives and right now you’re carrying more than your fair share of his duties. What are you going to do about it this week? He got clear. Time to have a CCD conversation and consistently hold him accountable. Level up or exit stage left, in short order.
AND he realized he couldn’t do this alone. Needed the help of another player – the CTO. Great, bring her in right now and get her up to speed. The CTO also had some lousy excuses. She’d tried to hold him accountable and it hadn’t gone well. Got tired of trying so she stopped. I called bullshit again. What kind of leadership is that? He didn’t do what you wanted so you took your ball and went home. What would a better leader do? Keep at it. Call out the the avoidance. Speak truth in love. Relentlessly. Great, now go do it. The two of them connected and got clear on next steps.
My job is not to tell my clients what to do. My job is to 1) help them get clearer (be curious) and 2) get them to do what they already know they need to do (be challenging aka call bullshit on their bullshit). Both of these two knew what to do, and as soon as I called bullshit they smiled and got clear on what they needed to do. The transformation happens when they go do the work. I believe they will.
BUILT TO LEAD 