I have been very honored and blessed to lead teams, organizations, churches, and ministries to grow and thrive. It is rewarding and thrilling when you take steps forward. Even the flops are not quite as damaging when you are taking five or ten steps forward for every step backward. Those are times to be thankful for. However, I have been in leadership positions now for over thirty-five years. While it is exhilarating to lead ministries forward, the effective leader also gets a handle on how to lead when things are moving backward. What do you do if your team takes two steps forward and two backward over and over? Or worse yet, what if it is two steps forward and three backward.
It can happen to any leader because of a number of reasons, some of which are beyond your control. The greatest test of your abilities and leadership acumen is how you lead when things are going backward. How do you do it?
- You do not panic or over-react. Why? Because those around you will follow your lead and if everybody panics you will go backward even faster.
- You diagnose the reasons for the backward trend. What is causing this? It is probably a series of issues. Write down every possibility. Follow up by determining which issues are causing the most damage and which issues are easiest to address. Simultaneously begin to attack the problem on both ends. Minimize the damage (if it cannot be eliminated immediately) and knock the easy issues down quickly to slow the erosion.
- You allow others to diagnose. “Others” would include team members and leaders. However, if the backward trend is severe you will need an outside perspective. You and your team may be missing something. Allow someone to objectively view what is going on and receive feedback and recommendations. You may get your feelings hurt by what they say but that is not the worst thing that could happen. The worst thing would be to lose grip and get to a point of no return where doors are shut, and trends become irreversible.
- You ask yourself the hard question. What is it? Am I the right person to be leading right now? That depends. You may be able to turn it around. But, if you have tried everything you know to do, it may be time to move over and let someone else take leadership. That does not mean that you are finished as a leader, but you may be finished leading that particular task or team.
- You inspire everyone to press forward. Inspiration. That is what the best of leaders does. They motivate, inspire, urge, cheer, rally, coach, and move the organization and the people almost as if by sheer will. If you are not providing inspiration, then the organization is in deep trouble. Get out of your office. Get away from your self-pity. Stop blaming and start urging, strategizing, and leading your team forward. That is why you are there. You can do it…. I think. What do you think?
What else do you see effective leaders do when things are moving backward? Make a list. You will need it eventually if you intend to maximize your leadership!