Project Success
by, Tom Berliner
I am the Director of the MBA Program at Aurora University. When that position was offered to me, I considered whether or not to take it for quite a while before deciding to accept it. The deciding factor was what I thought I could do to take the Program to the next level…from good to great, to coin a phrase.
These last few months have confirmed that decision. Everything that I envisioned our being able to do has either come to fruition or demonstrated a clear path for doing so. It hasn’t been a perfectly smooth ride. There have been expected and unexpected obstacles. But, when push came to shove at each crossroad, the right elements came together in a coordinated manner.
I could spend the rest of this article extolling the benefits of our Program…and there are many. Instead, we should reflect on something more universal, a template you can use in undertaking any assignment of substantial magnitude. Let me explain.
Major Milestones
Over the course of my career, I have done a fair amount of executive and team coaching. The older I get, the more I realize that successful leaders line up the entire putt, so to speak. They don’t just see the cup and hit directly to it. Rather, they assess the entire terrain before determining where to send the golf ball and with what speed. Additionally, they consider the consequences of various strategies. Maybe striking it hard takes the bend out of the putt but does missing the hole send the ball to a much more difficult position?
Although it sounds somewhat simplistic, many of the same elements that go into the decision about putting a golf ball apply directly to making any significant decision. [And to those of you who are more-than-avid golfers, trust me when I say that there are some decisions that are even more significant than making an eight-foot putt.]
There are six steps to take into account. If you truly take the
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time to think about these six, you will place yourself in the best possible position to succeed in virtually any undertaking. You need only be DIRECT.
D.I.R.E.C.T.
- Define the challenge. Completely understand it. Don’t accept any blind spots.
- Investigate what is involved. Make certain to assess all the elements, not just those with which you are familiar and comfortable. Know the situation’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Reach across the spectrum to determine all alternatives.
- Elect one of the options. Eventually, as a leader, you have to make choices. Do it.
- Commit to your choice. Playing the ‘what if’ game at this point just weakens everyone’s resolve.
- Track your progress. Any undertaking needs adjustments, from small to substantial. See both the forest and the trees.
Platitudes
You might challenge this with something on the order of: “Aren’t you master of the obvious?” Yes…and no. Yes - This isn’t rocket science. Innovative leadership approaches aren’t new; they’re packaged to meet specific audiences. No - Successful leaders only look for effective approaches, not radically different ones. Leadership is sometimes a straight line, sometimes something much more complicated. Start with the straight line before making things more difficult for everyone involved.
A meaningful challenge deserves consideration. Successful golfers don’t just walk up to the green and hit the putt in a continuous motion on the way to the next tee box. They spend time DIRECTing. If success is important, DIRECTing is essential.
Perhaps that means that you create space for yourself to consider the situation. Perhaps, instead, it means that you involve others in looking at the DIRECT steps. A minute here will save you a millennium of headaches.
Not Easy
It’s tough when you are faced with a challenge, be it an opportunity or a problem. In this day of fast everything, you want to cross the finish line immediately after the starting gun goes off. Hey, if it was that easy, anyone could do it. You can either take immediate, reflexive action and likely head off down the wrong path or take an extra moment to effectively and efficiently use your resources.
Makes sense, doesn’t it? That being the case, make it a routine and you will move up to the next level of leadership excellence.
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