Check Your Laces

This poem by Charles Bukowski prompts some questions useful for leaders:

• What are the shoelaces?
   
• How frayed are they?
   
• Who is wearing the shoes?
   
• Can I anticipate which shoelaces might be about to snap?
   
• Which shoelaces need to be changed or given more attention?
   

A leader is responsible for many things: at a strategic level, at an operational level, and at a personal level.

It’s like at the circus where the clown has many plates spinning on sticks and needs to give a little attention to each plate to ensure that they keep spinning. 

Every now and then it is useful for leaders to review their ‘plate-spinning strategies’ and to ‘check the shoelaces’.

Some ideas

At the beginning of team meetings quickly check how everyone is feeling. Not what they’ve done, not the problems they have – HOW they actually ARE. How are they personally responding to the current demands? Where are they "at"?

Notice if little errors start to occur. They’re not major problems. They probably don’t warrant performance feedback AND they may be early indicators that an individual needs a little more support or direction.

As a leader, make sure you have someone who can support YOU. Who will notice and give you feedback if your shoelaces are about to snap? Who do you have to remind you that some of the plates need a little more attention? How will you manage your own priorities and stress levels? Put a plan in place BEFORE you get stressed!

Be vigilant with upcoming deadlines. Trust your people to deliver. Monitor the milestones closely. Review risk mitigation strategies. AND be prepared to provide support and to help your team to succeed when you’re needed most.

What other strategies do you have to keep the plates spinning? 
Email us and let us know bron@bclearning.com.au