Making Mistakes Work for You

Ever wondered how true leaders emerge from the chaos of a crisis? Get ready to uncover the secrets behind transforming high-stakes pressures into stepping stones for growth and innovation. In this episode, we engage in a riveting conversation about the art of steering the leadership helm during stormy times.

Discover how to spot and manage stress behaviors to keep your leadership compass pointing true north. We also highlight the surprising benefits crises can have on revealing your team's hidden strengths, providing you with tangible strategies to leverage these assets for the prosperity of your organization.

In this episode, we discuss the following:
1. How executives handle pressure and stress behaviors.
2. Reframing crises as opportunities for growth and innovation.
3. The importance of viewing crises as learning opportunities for individuals and teams.

This episode is sponsored by LucidPoint
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CONNECT WITH SUSIE:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susietomenchok/

CONNECT WITH JAMES:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/capps/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

Welcome to the Quick Take podcast, the show where you get targeted advice and coaching for executives by executives. I'm Suzy Tominchuk.

Speaker 2: 0:24

And I'm James Capps. Give us 15 minutes and we'll give you three secrets to address the complex topic of issues that are challenging executives like you today.

Speaker 1: 0:36

Welcome to Quick Take. I'm Suzy Tominchuk, along with James Capps. How are you, james?

Speaker 2: 0:41

I am great. You are just super full of energy today.

Speaker 1: 0:45

I am full of energy. I am full of energy. Well, let me tell you, last week I had a great session with an executive team around important and critical, and I thought this would be a great topic to talk about because the way so I was brought in because there's too much going on in the business. Everybody feels like how do we have any focus at all? I don't even have time. I've never spent so many hours I you know. There's just all of these themes and what was interesting to me and kind of the lens I took on it, is also to look at what. How do you show up as an individual and as a leader under pressure? Because our stress behaviors really dictate how we move through and we need to learn and adjust in, especially in pressure situations.

Speaker 2: 1:33

Right, right, yeah, I think that's that's such an interesting topic too, because I think that people get caught up in the moment, Um, and and I think that, uh, you know, it's always interesting to see the people that are organized become unorganized under pressure, Um, the people that are are thoughtful become unthoughtful under pressure, Um and and, uh, I think it's it's so important, so important to take a look at that and understand that things will go wrong and you have to figure out what's going to happen when they do.

Speaker 1: 2:04

Yeah, the research shows what happens to leaders they micromanage. They become like boss versus coach, because they don't have time Just tell you what to do.

Speaker 2: 2:14

I don't have time, you do have time. It's faster if I just boss them around. Exactly that drives me crazy.

Speaker 1: 2:21

Oh, that's so crazy and then they do things. You know, the research around stress says that you go to something that's easy for you, so that might not be moving the business forward but it feels like you're making progress. So, paying attention to what happens to executives under pressure, especially in the boardroom, right, and this could happen. You could have a low stake situation and then all of a sudden, there's something that happens that creates the stress. So what happens? So you don't make blunders, if you will.

Speaker 2: 2:53

And I think the key is, as an executive team, you have to take a look at the situation right. Certainly, you have to talk to your folks and help them work through those stress behaviors and and that's a that's a coaching element but look, at the end of the day, your, your, your company will go through a crisis situation your organization, your vertical, your, your department, and the key. But what I want to talk about today is how do you turn that crisis into an opportunity? You know, good friend of ours always said never let a good crisis go to waste and said and so that is. I think the responsibility of a leader is to say all right, let's stop the bleeding, but let's also take advantage of the situation, and I think that having that mindset is so important. As leaders run into situations. I think the reality is you're going to have a crisis. Just what are you going to do when it happens? So I think that's super important, that we talk about those things.

Speaker 1: 3:50

Yeah, and our own stress behaviors. When we know those, it's kind of like you have to take a breath. Yes, and you have to do it, but as a leader, it's taking that breath and going. Okay, I'm responsible here. How do I reframe this? So that's how I'm looking at your tips today.

Speaker 2: 4:07

Yeah, I think that's number one is you have to reframe the situation. I think that you know there's plenty of examples. You know, I think Amazon was one of my favorites when the dot com bubble crashed. That was a huge opportunity for innovation. Um, I think that you know. Uh, I've worked with companies who had a product recall and they were able to take advantage of the press and the attention towards their product to say, hey, you know what, we are going to change the way we build that product and increase quality, and that really allowed them to turn the way. That disaster changed the way that people thought about their product. Just that reframing can really make a big difference.

Speaker 1: 4:50

Oh, I love that, because it's a way to trigger you to go okay, right now I need to do this, so reframe it for you and then articulate that to the team as like your way of all. Right, here we go.

Speaker 2: 5:04

Right, and I think it also allows people an opportunity to work on something that is moving the business forward Right, and I think it also allows people an opportunity to work on something that is moving the business forward Right. So often you're in triage mode and, yeah, there is triage that has to be done. But if they, if we can say, look, we're going to do this triage, we're going to stop the bleeding, but then we're going to take advantage of this, we're going to reframe it and do it this way, that is, that is, that's a much more effective use of your team, and I think that gives people an opportunity to engage.

Speaker 1: 5:33

Oh, that's really good. Okay, I love it. Number one reframing. What's the second one?

Speaker 2: 5:37

And the second one is really on top builds on what I was just saying is in those crisis situations. It is now your opportunity to find that hidden potential within your team. You know we talk about how people behave under stress. There may be a time in which that stress behavior of one of your leaders is something that you really never appreciated. You know if, if and if you can empower your team to be part of the solution. I think that's incredible.

Speaker 2: 6:03

You know companies for uh that I know I've worked with have had talent shortages and when they can't hire, the obvious panic is to do the standard things that you do to increase salaries, maybe look for different positions at different locations. What if you were to take your leadership team and had them do some sort of decentralized team, think and identify ways that they could innovate an outcome that is not just simply hiring more people. You know this goes back to Simon Says, like why you know you're solving the problem. Let's go back to why we have a problem. Let's get our teams aligned in a different way to help identifying ways that they can be part of the solution.

Speaker 1: 6:47

Oh, so when you said that, this is what I envisioned Like you might have one person on your team that has high energy and like oh kind of gets frantic. You might have somebody else that goes to what happened and the negative aspect, but you might have somebody that's calmly going. All right, how do we do this from now? And so how do you put a spotlight on them so that they can help rally the group and get them all in the right mindset. Oh, that's super interesting, don't miss it.

Speaker 2: 7:13

It goes back to just being able to. If you can get your team to focus on the problem and allow them to explore their skill sets, that crisis mode uh could highlight some, some value. Look, there are people who work really well under crisis. I mean I think about the people who I've had who have run call centers or run the help desk. They, they want to go to work every day and have a different problem.

Speaker 1: 7:39

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:40

Most of them would rather die than have the same out same thing. The predictability, uh uh, of that of their job is something that's important to them, and so if you can find an opportunity like, hey, this person is so great under pressure, let's find a more high pressure function for them to be part of. Or hey, this person is horrible under pressure but really good with methods and process, all right, let's do that. So, I think, during a crisis, find a way to evaluate and find the hidden gems in your leadership.

Speaker 1: 8:10

I think that's good. I also, as a leader, take note of some people that are really challenged, and how do you circle back with them and help start working with them to get them the tools not to take away it's like a bonus is don't Remember. There are other leadership follow-ups that you can do that could have a huge impact on the team moving forward.

Speaker 2: 8:31

Oh my gosh, what a Tia. For the third piece of advice I have is no, I'm sorry. That's why we're just so good we're such a good team.

Speaker 2: 8:42

That third one is then take advantage of the growth opportunities for individuals. Maybe this person is weak, under under pressure because they don't have the technical skills to address this. Maybe they don't have the experience, um, in the financial area, to really understand the impacts of this, this uh crisis. So remember that that this crisis could drive the uh, the, the acknowledgement. This is a learning and growth opportunity. I think that the ability to have that team that grows has to be done with an element of what are the skills that we need.

Speaker 2: 9:17

And I think that if you have a company and a group that has a growth mindset and I think there's some great articles, hbr articles on having a growth mindset that come to mind here that says look, this is an opportunity for you to grow. We have identified and seen through stress that there are some weaknesses in our team. Let's fill those voids.

Speaker 1: 9:39

Yeah, I love this because it's kind of like, as a leader, zooming out and watching what's happening and making sure that you're taking advantage of that, because sometimes our egos get in the way too and as a leader, when we believe we know more than the team. I've worked with somebody that just jumps in and thinks it's okay to become the main point of contact because they're the smartest person in the room.

Speaker 2: 10:03

You got to be careful.

Speaker 2: 10:05

It's so hard as leaders as we grow through our career, that you know that excellence and that that knowledge base is what got you where you are. You know, I think, as, as a senior leader, your job is to surround yourself with really smart people. Let them solve all the problems and then step in when they can't solve a problem. And that doesn't mean that when the house is on fire, that you're the only fireman. You've got to rely on your team. And so, yeah, I think the biggest challenge as a leader is to know when to take a step back and have that point of view, and I think a crisis is a really good test of a leader's ability to do that.

Speaker 1: 10:40

Yeah, and it might not be like all the lights are out and the electricity is gone. No, crisis has come in a lot of shapes and sizes, if you will.

Speaker 2: 10:48

Absolutely yeah, and I think that's just key, that you can identify this as an opportunity. I've had many crises that have come up to the table and looked at this as an opportunity. Hey, this is a bad situation, the bleeding has stopped, it's not really that bad, but I'm going to use this as an exercise to do the things I just described. How do I leverage this particular one? Because maybe the crisis is solely within my organization and I can do that, that I can actually highlight the positive outcomes to the board because I have got it under control. You know, never let any crisis of any size go to waste. Maybe it should be our add to that sage piece of wisdom in that you can, even the smaller crises can result in huge outcomes.

Speaker 1: 11:36

All right. So in any size, shape or whatever the crisis, is what are the three tips that leaders? Need to keep in mind.

Speaker 2: 11:44

First, reframe that challenge, make sure you realize that that problem could become a solution. Second, take advantage of how this impacts your team and realize that some people could behave better under these circumstances and really take advantage of the hidden potential that your team may have. And then, third, realize this is a learning opportunity and take a look back through a retrospective, take the growth mindset and say how can we get better as a team? Where are our shortcomings? So during the next crisis, we're a better team.

Speaker 1: 12:21

Such timely advice because we're all trying to do more with less Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 12:25

And that creates pressure.

Speaker 1: 12:27

This was great. Thanks, James.

Speaker 2: 12:28

Fun topic.

Speaker 1: 12:33

I was wondering what your guilty pleasure is when you need a break from work.

Speaker 2: 12:40

Guilty pleasure. Well, it depends. Like, if I'm at the office, I do like to take myself out to lunch. I actually like to eat a meal by myself once in a while and I think that gives me an opportunity to completely disconnect. You know, if I'm running out the door to go coffee just I need a coffee I'll grab someone to go with me or I'll bring bring coffee people back. So I think my, my when, when I need to hit that reset button, it is I'm going to go to take myself to lunch. I love the sushi, I love the sitting at the bar.

Speaker 1: 13:21

Me too.

Speaker 2: 13:22

Me sushi guy. Yeah, let's do our thing and then we move on. I like that, and when it's really rough, I really like. I know this is crazy and a lot of listeners are going to lose their mind when I say this, but sometimes I turn off my phone. What and? Um, you know it's pretty rare when you are at a public place sitting by yourself and you're not looking at your phone.

Speaker 1: 13:48

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:49

Um and uh that that, uh, I find that to be really re reinvigorating, to just have that and and you know there's, to be honest, there's some some, you know, perverse energy and power and having it turned off and it's not, and I'm not talking to work phone, I'm talking personal phone. I mean I'm not looking at email, I'm not on the web, I'm not looking at any sort of social media. I mean nothing and that's a lost art, perhaps Good one.

Speaker 1: 14:19

Thanks for listening to this week's episode of Quick Take, where we talk about the questions that are on the mind of executives everywhere. Connect with us and share what's on your mind.

Speaker 2: 14:28

You can find us on LinkedIn, youtube or whatever nerdy place on the internet. You find your podcasts. Our links to the show are in the show notes.

Speaker 1: 14:37

We appreciate you.