Why soft is hard
On the surface, most of the challenges leaders are facing have to do with business performance and strategy: the impersonal, ‘hard’ stuff. But dig a bit deeper and the roots of these issues almost always lie with the organization’s people: the ‘soft’ side. Many executives—even top leaders— make it through their whole career without properly addressing the people dimension.THE “IT” ISSUES
- poor results
- strategies not being executed
- difficulty merging two companies
- the competition getting ahead
- lack of innovation
- poor customer service
- bureaucracy and lack of speed
- ineffective meetings
THE “WE” ISSUES
- no shared vision
- lack of purpose (as a team)
- lack of alignment
- hidden agendas
- unproductive communication
- lack of trust between people
- a culture driven by fear
THE “I” ISSUES
- a victim mindset
- a knower mindset
- lack of empowerment
- lack of commitment
- low engagement
- wrong team for the jobs
YOUR PART
Are you part of the problem?
If you’re going to be part of the solution, you first have to recognize how you’ve contributed to the situation. It requires courage and the will to change.