When leaders look over the horizon and see the end of the third quarter fast approaching, they are worried. Privately, they acknowledge that it is highly unlikely that they will hit their growth or profitability targets. They struggle to figure out what is the best path forward.
Furthermore, the data they have collected presents mixed signals about what to do strategically and operationally. Some interpret the numbers and believe they need to completely abandon their core business model for an all digital engagement platform. Others parse the numbers and still believe that adapting the current model is a sustainable choice given the global and national pandemic projections before them. Finally, some are just overwhelmed by too many options and choices. They are stuck in analysis paralysis, hoping for a definitive answer to all their questions.
Often, this is when they call me, their executive coach. They want to think out loud and to explore their options in a safe and productive manner. Through our time together, insights and choices become clear.
During such visits, I often ask the following question which makes many leaders pause and think deeply: “What does your gut tell you to do in this situation?” I know we will explore facts and figures, data points and trend lines. We may touch on a SWOT analysis, a PEST analysis, or even internal engagement scores, but most leaders get so busy that they forget to check their gut. They don’t draw on their own intuition.
When they do pause and reflect deeply, many have shared with me that they do not believe the data is valid or paints a holistic picture. Sometimes, they share with me that they think people are only telling them what they think they want to hear and not the whole truth of what is going on.
At times like this, I remind good leaders that measuring something does not always need to be numerical in nature. I recognize that the party line in many companies revolves around the following two phrases, namely, “We inspect what we expect” and “If we can not measure it, it can not be improved.” Both of which are true to a point.
However, I have witnessed companies make profound and successful strategic choices on more than data and facts. As I remind good leaders, if people remember something over time, then it has made a difference. A qualitative measure, i.e. the memory and the feelings around a choice or event, can be as important as the quantitative measures, e.g. KPIs. For example, I have learned over time that the telling of stories related to key strategic choices and events is important. These stories and choices bond people together, and they make them feel like they are making a difference. They inspire people to take risks and to do the right thing, some times in spite of the data.
Danny Meyer in his book, Setting The Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business (HarperCollins, 2006) writes: “Service is the technical delivery of a product. Hospitality is how that delivery of that product makes the recipient feel. Service is a monologue - we decide how we want to do things and set our own standards for service. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a dialogue.” As he continues, it is “most meaningful to create positive, uplifting outcomes for human experiences and human relationships. Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel.”
When I help leaders check their gut, we are engaging in “a dialogue between what already exists and what could be”, referencing Meyer in the above book. And during this internal dialogue, we are referencing past experiences, insights, feelings and lessons learned. This history often yields a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of what to do next in the short and the long term.
This week, work with the data in a thoughtful and productive manner. And remember that feelings are as powerful as facts. It is the combination of the two that will yield productive choices and outcomes. If visiting with an executive coach would be helpful, do not hesitate to contact me. I would be glad to support you as you engage in that in-depth period of reflection and internal dialogue.
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