We are so conflicted when it comes to failing. Failure is painfully hard to endure, yet amazing break-throughs can emerge out of the trial. The failure of Plan A may lead to a successful Plan B (or C or H…). We achieve success precisely because we failed earlier attempts. So, the faster we fail, the more quickly we can succeed.

Certain sales approaches teach how to get to “no” quickly. There is something to that attitude. Why waste resources hoping? Choose a path then push, fail, learn and modify. Repeat. With some iteration of the cycle success will likely emerge.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” –Colin Powell

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Lack of preparation is one of the surest ways to waste a good meeting. Do you remember Kramer’s classic entrances in the old TV sitcom Seinfeld – the off-balance slide with hair wildly flying? This is how many executives enter their meetings.

Meeting effectiveness is directly proportional to the preparation time participants expend. Each participant should run through this simple pre-meeting checklist:

• consciously note the meeting objective
• review key topics and input data
• write down what debates and decisions are needed

Scheduling buffer time between meetings is the practical transition mechanism for accomplishing this preparation. Don’t waste another meeting; enter prepared.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” –Abraham Lincoln

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We can become trapped by thinking and methods which are currently successful. Existing strengths or competitive advantages can also quickly turn into major limitations. The very factors which led to past successes become impediments to future, larger accomplishments.

This reality is difficult to see precisely because current achievements are directly linked to a particular paradigm we created and exercised (usually for years). However, our framework must flex.

In short, we must be willing to change and discard even successful efforts. This is what Peter Drucker referred to as “systematic abandonment.” We should consciously shift resources to new, more promising opportunities.

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” –Will Rogers

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Superior performance is rarely achieved through relentless force and pushing. Great leaders learn to strike a balance between motivational challenging and patience

Leaders CHALLENGE by:

• Expecting great results and holding people accountable.
• Practicing continuous learning themselves followed by wise application of concepts.
• Maintaining key disciplines such as meeting rhythms and priority-setting.
• Driving resource alignment around strategic priorities.

Leaders demonstrate PATIENCE by:

• Knowing change does not happen overnight.
• Spending years developing an effective, healthy leadership team.
• Understanding there is a limit to how much a person can take on and absorb (stretch) at any point in time.
• Repeating themselves…without showing frustration.

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.” –Saint Augustine

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