CEO Coaching: Two Simple Questions to Eliminate Frustration In Your Team
In my work with leaders across various organizations, I often interact not just with the CEO but also with a layer or two deeper within the organization. Sometimes, there’s a disconnect between the C-suite and those who are responsible for executing the strategy, leading to inevitable frustration.
There are two questions that, if answered, can significantly reduce this frustration: What are the expectations? and Who is in charge?
When it comes to expectations, the biggest challenges I see are: 1) there are too many—which is essentially like having none, and 2) they are never clearly articulated.
If your list of expectations is longer than the U.S. tax code, you might be a control freak. Tell your people what the top priorities are and let them figure out how to achieve them. Everyone has a few hot buttons, so share these, but focus more on autonomy than control. And don’t forget to provide feedback on their results.
As a leader, if you haven’t clearly and repeatedly articulated your expectations, it’s on you if they’re not being met. Specificity, repetition, and a little intensity are key!
Another surefire way to breed frustration (and slow progress to a crawl) is to avoid clarity around who is responsible for what. This usually happens in two ways: either no one is put in charge, or—worse—more than one person is. This often stems from weak leadership, where indecision or fear of conflict reigns. Who do you report to? Who controls the budget? Who’s responsible for meeting the deadline? Crystal-clear clarity is essential, or you’ll frustrate your team and execute poorly.
So, take a walk through the hallways this week or pick up the phone and ask people about their understanding of expectations and ownership. You might be surprised by what you find, but that’s just an opportunity for you to lead better!
coaches CEOs to higher levels of success. He is a former CEO and has led teams as large as 7,000 people. Todd is the author of, Never Kick a Cow Chip On A Hot Day: Real Lessons for Real CEOs and Those Who Want To Be (Morgan James Publishing).
Connect with Todd on LinkedIn, Twitter, call 303-527-0417 or email [email protected].
