This month has been challenging despite so many exciting and new initiatives. I’m distracted due to the poor health of my dog Reagan. He’s been in and out of the vet and today after two days in the hospital we’re bringing him home hopefully to rest comfortably and enjoy the outdoors. He’s my bodyguard in my recording studio; protecting me from invaders or the UPS truck outside and challenging any bird or squirrel to step foot on our property. It’s times like these that I think joyously about his life and sad that it may be coming to an end soon. It’s hard to remain inspired in my work and to keep inspiring others. However, I’d like to impart a few thoughts this week to help you as I too navigate through some challenges.
Starting a project or initiative for most leaders is easy and the energy of forming is exciting. When teams start to delay their deliverables, stop showing up to meetings or provide more problems than solutions, we see the signs of lost inspiration. It’s nothing that anyone has done wrong, but to be recognized as a natural part of the process for which your leadership is needed to help them through it.
I offer a few brief suggestions for you to use to re-engage and get your initiatives over the finish line:
Reconnect with your team: Take a time out to ask how they’re feeling; what is working well and what are the barriers. Do this outside of the regular meeting agenda to simply show you care and to check in. You will glean so many insights about how to empathize with the team and ways to re-engage them.
Market the team’s successes: So often teams just execute the work without recognizing that internal marketing is a way to re-energize teams. With a small investment of time, people will feel a sense of pride in the work they’ve done in the past and it will motivate them to perform again. Consider a newsletter to share with others, an internal podcast interview series, share best practices with other teams and let your people shine in the delivery.
Watch for the signs of inspiration: A leader needs to turn up their rader to start seeing and hearing the signs their team is motivated again. When you see an email praising their work or a team member sharing that they were invited to present their results at a meeting, these are the signs you need to celebrate and show your leadership. People love their work, but they love to have a sense of pride which needs nurturing. Your role as a leader is more than the work, but helping to elevate the confidence and pride of your team
Coming back to my dog Reagan, I’m inspired by his strength and stoicness for which he’s not complained much. We received mixed reviews about his recovery, but now more than ever I have some clarity. He needs to come home to be here to protect us; that’s where his source of pride is and will remain until he can no longer. I want to support him and give him what he needs to finish his mission.
But now I turn to you and your leadership…
While the concept is simple, it takes courage to pause, reflect and create a plan to move you and your team to remain engaged and inspired. I simply want to see you succeed and I’m here for you.
Now is the time for you to collect your thoughts and take action.
Maybe you simply need a support system to apply these new insights. I find leaders simply need a place to talk through the challenges and that’s why I created The Drop In CEO Collective, a forum for C-Suite leader support. To learn more about our next event, you can visit our page and register.
Would you rather have a quick 1-2-1 to discuss your specific challenge? Could The Drop In CEO be your support system? Direct Message me on LI or contact me via my website and let’s have a conversation. Until then, I wish you much success.