Fire Yourself (Management Tips– #13-101916)

Management shake-ups, though disruptive, can be good for a company. They bring in fresh perspectives and require that leaders take a hard look at their own performance. Do not wait for your company to get in trouble. Instead, fire yourself. Think about what you would do in your position if you were to start anew. What would you do differently if this were your first day on the job? Taking this step back can help you evaluate the strategies and approaches you are currently using, see things that are too difficult to see when you are entrenched, and re-energize yourself for the challenges ahead.

Cultivate Your Proactive Brain

Studies have shown that a good memory helps you better navigate the future and in business, the ability to anticipate and negotiate future demands is an asset. A proactive brain uses details from experiences to make analogies with your current surroundings. It then helps you determine where you are and envision future possibilities. We are all born with proactive brains, but these three things can help improve brain performance:

• Give your brain a lot to work with. Create a rich pool of information to draw from. Expose your brain to diverse experiences and situations.

• Borrow from others. Find out as much as you can about others’ experiences by talking and interacting with people, and reading about their lives.

• Let your mind wander. Undisturbed time gives your brain the space it needs to recall and recombine past experiences in ways that help you anticipate the future

Decipher and Achieve Success

Success in business is not about having the most brilliant answer. It is about having a workable solution, and that requires developing an under¬standing of the unwritten rules of the organization. To become more persuasive and effective, figure out who and what really matters. Ask successful people at your company what approaches and relationships helped them most. Be curious about the ways people get things done, and observe the inner workings of projects and initiatives you are not part of by building relationships with influential people. All of the information you gather can contribute to your own future success.

Schedule Time for Second-Guessing

Questioning whether you have made the right decision can be a useful way to make sure you are on the right track. However, if you second-guess yourself at the wrong time, you may feel tempted to give up on important commitments. Do not question your¬self when you are most vulnerable. Instead, schedule a time to review your decision when you are in the right frame of mind. For example, do not wonder whether you should abandon a plan to talk more during meetings when you are walking into the conference room. Rather, tell yourself that you will question the decision ten minutes into the meeting, once you have had time to get used to the idea. Setting a time will also help you second- guess once rather than nagging yourself with doubts.

Be Confident, but Not Really Sure

One of the keys to effective decision making is confidence. Even if you only have temporary convictions, act on them. If you doubt your decision while making it, trust in your leadership may erode. Strong opinions signal confidence and provide others with the guidance they need. But resist the urge to cling to your decisions. Have the humility to realize that you might be wrong if better information comes along and be prepared to change your mind and correct your course if that happens.

Recover from a Mistake

While most people accept that mistakes are inevitable, no one likes to make them. The good news is that even large slipups do not have to be career enders if they are handled well. Next time you make a blunder, follow these three steps to recover gracefully:

• Fess up. Trying to hide a mistake or down¬play its importance can be fatal to your career. Be candid and transparent about the mistake, take responsibility for your part in it, and do not be defensive.

• Make necessary changes. Mistakes are important learning opportunities. Explain to your boss and other interested parties what you will do differently going forward.

• Get back out there. Do not let your errors keep you from ever taking risks again. Once the mistake is behind you, focus on the future.