Great Leaders Bounce Back!

By Dr. Richard Deems

It’s easy to be a leader when times are good. But what about when times are like they have been in the past several months—or even the past two years? Markets have shifted; companies are spending less; things are getting tighter. Maybe some people had to be let go because the numbers were going the wrong way.

We don’t plan for it, but sometimes things happen that make us stretch. I know—it happened to me. Two angioplasties in less than three months threw me for a loop. For nearly a year, I sat back and felt sorry for myself. Competition came in and clobbered me. Gross was down by at least 30%. I really don’t want to tell you the exact numbers because it wasn’t good.

Then, I learned from others what it takes to bounce back

1. Leaders bounce back by focusing on their strengths.
It is, after all, strengths that get us to leadership roles in the first place. And it is our strengths that keep us as leaders—even during the tough times.

Strengths work. Strengths build things back up, while weaknesses drive the numbers down. So focus on what you do well. One of my strengths was getting out and taking care of customers myself.

As Lee Iacocca stated, “In a downturn you have to knuckle down and ask yourself, ‘What the hell really works here?’”

So I asked customers questions, listened and innovated. My company looks different today than it did 10 years ago; but I have to remember that my company’s needs are different today than they were 10 years ago. To innovate is a strength for me.

2. Great leaders bounce back by examining their priorities and focusing on what’s important.
Leaders begin by asking, “What is this organization all about? Why are we here? What are our priorities? What do we really provide?” It’s not enough to know strengths. You also need to know your priorities, your mission and your purpose. As Peter Block states, we need to stop asking “How?” and begin asking, “What matters?”

Part of examining priorities means making some difficult decisions. Finding himself in a turnaround situation, bank president Les Olson started at the top. “If we have to cut costs,” he reported, “then cutting costs starts at the top. No more first class travel, no more country club membership…” He set the tone and made it easier for others to cut costs.

Priorities. Regaining business is more important than a fancy office. Getting the numbers moving in the right direction is more important than your golf scores. When the financial numbers are right, then you can start to think about the golf numbers.

3. Work smarter, not harder.
A lot of people work 50- to 70-hour weeks, trying to get everything done. They’re often successful because they’ve worked so hard. But there are also a lot of leaders who work 30-hour weeks. They work smarter, not longer.

After hitting it hard again, I began to realize that I was getting tired. Sixty-hour workweeks, week after week, took a toll. I wasn’t as quick, innovative, energetic, nor productive. So instead of working longer, I began working smarter.

Then I realized I was getting as much done in 41 hours as I had in 60. And having a lot more fun! My productivity increased. My quickness returned. And so did my love of meeting people and helping them learn how to get more done and have more fun doing it.

Dan Sullivan, founder and president of The Strategic Coach Inc., reports that, “Entrepreneurs are like star athletes. They get paid for their results, not their time and effort. That’s why working smarter, not harder, to achieve results, is crucial to entrepreneurial success.”

Author Bio: Dr. Richard Deems is the founder of WorkLife Design, which has provided premier services in workplace change, leadership and career management for the past 20 years. The firm may be reached at 800-432-6918 or at vitalwork@aol.com