讓我們面對現實吧,強勢的領導并不總是那么受歡迎。但實際上,能夠力排眾議去做出正確決策卻是檢驗一位領導是否合格的標準之一。 作為一位合格的領導,你需要有居安思危的意識。你的責任是做出決策,而不是人云亦云——即使有時你的想法甚至與團隊背道而馳。面對機遇或挑戰,你應該比任何人都具備在有限信息條件下迅速做出決斷的能力。你還要依靠自己和在團隊內已經建立的公正性來全力推行工作計劃。而這一切就是領導力。 如果你總是扮演和事佬,你也許會在團隊中很受歡迎,但你的領導力卻會受到損害。最終,盡管你的人氣非常高,你卻可能已經失去了團隊內重要成員的尊重。因為他們會最先意識到做出正確決斷的意義,也會同樣了解缺乏這種勇氣的后果。 我正在負責一個覆蓋四個不同市場的項目。雖然商業投資的獲利會在不同時期顯現,但我需要在投資的同時也從市場中獲利。為了保證這個項目的執行,大量的當地資源被抽調,因此眼下大家對當地項目已經缺乏足夠的關注。此外,每個市場都有定制化需求,但我的決策是為了加快項目速度需要盡可能減少這類訴求。 可以理解的是,每個市場都認為這種方式是“不公平的”。雖然平時我并不會這么做,但我已經為此召開了數十次會議,以爭取每個人的理解和支持。但最終,我并不是為一個人或者一個市場負責,而是要為我們的公司、客戶和員工負責。當你為公司的未來投入成百上千萬美元時,你不能半途而廢或屈從于外在壓力,即使壓力可能來自于那些你喜歡并尊重的人。當你全力以赴時,即便保持公正,人們也可能并不認為你是最杰出或最公平的人,但他們會尊重你,甚至最終會感謝你為了顧全大局而做出的艱難抉擇。 不幸的是,任何領導都無法避免做出一些團隊成員可能并不會喜歡的艱難決策。要知道這也是為什么公司會化大價錢雇傭高管的原因之一。所以,下次當你陷入一個讓你寢食難安的艱難決策時,也許我下面的一些經驗之談會對你的處境有所幫助。 你要做的事: ? 堅信自己以及你做出決策的原因,這樣你才能更堅定地去說服別人。重大決策更需要你的勤懇付出——你要對作為決斷論據的數據資料有非常清晰的了解,同時理清你的思路。詳盡的數據分析和你的遠見卓識在你做出正確決策的過程中同等重要。 ? 征求利益相關方、計劃執行者和專家的意見和建議。這能確保你詳細考慮了如何制定最好的決策、最好地傳達決策并表明對所有相關方的尊重。但要記住,這并不意味著要做一個群體性的決策,以少數服從多數為原則,并將領導者的責任推卸給整個團隊。我們要征詢他人的建議,但你必須自己做出最終決策。 ? 雇用有能力的人,并在工作中給予他們盡可能多的自主權。對于團隊成員做出的決定,無論是否與你想的一樣,都請明確表示你對他們的支持。因為你也會做出他們并不完全認同的決定,這才公平。 ? 請確保你的工作能力,不然你會逐漸失去團隊的信任。 ? 請在道德標準下做出決定。否則,你會成為大家鄙視的對象,甚至被解雇。 ? 堅持你的判斷和原則。當你的決定一直是正確的并且成功地達成了目標,大家會開始喜歡你的。 千萬別做的事: ? 不要自私。作為領導,你的事并不只關乎于你自己。事實上,在工作上你應該最少考慮自身。不要擔心人們是否喜歡你,只管去做正確的事情。這種心態就像有孩子的父母們——如果你為了孩子們的茁壯成長考慮而做出一個艱難又得不到孩子認可的決定,孩子們在成長的過程中對你一定會有所誤解。可當他們有所成就時,一定會感激你對他們的用心良苦。 ? 當大家都認為已經做出決定時,不要再浪費時間對其反復討論了。這不僅會讓你的團隊對你失去信心,還將造成你可能會被別人或自己的內在沖突所左右的負面印象。 ? 不要避免艱難的決定或沖突。當你的團隊都了解他們的領導愿意并且能夠在需要時傾盡全力,這會使你、你的團隊和業務都更加強大。相信我,有時候,我們需要放手一搏。 有很多優秀的人才能以群眾領袖甚至啦啦隊長的身份收獲成功。也總有一些人見人愛的公司紅人。當組織內部缺乏重大挑戰、沒有新的監管或行業限制、抑或是競爭不那么激烈時,人氣的確可以在此時發揮一定的作用。但是,如果這些因素中的任何一種發生了變化,我會更中意那些有膽有謀、能果斷地做出艱難決策的人。(財富中文網) 作者Annabelle Vultee是英孚教育成人英語培訓中心首席運營官。 |
Let’s face it. Strong leaders aren’t always popular. The reality is that making firm, unpopular decisions is one of the true hallmarks of a leader. As a strong leader you make the hard calls when it’s easier to remain status quo. You take the responsibility to make decisions on your own instead of by consensus—sometimes in opposition of the consensus. You make decisions faster and with less information than anyone would like, because the clock is ticking on a risk or opportunity. You rely on yourself and the equity you’ve built with your team to carry out the plan. This is leadership. If you don’t make the tough calls, you might be popular, but your leadership will suffer. And eventually, although you may be liked by many, you won’t be respected by your best people. They’re the ones who will be first to recognize the value of solid decision making, and the first to notice the lack thereof. I am leading a project right now that impacts four different markets. The benefits of the investment will materialize at different times, but I am making the investment all at once and charging the markets at the same time. Vast resources have been mobilized away from local projects for this initiative, so there is little capacity at this time for local programs people feel strongly about. Further, each market wants to customize certain components, but my direction is to minimize the customizations in the interest of speed. It is understandable that each market feels this is “unfair.” I have fielded dozens of meetings soliciting everyone’s buy-in (if not understanding), which I don’t always get. Ultimately, though, my responsibility is not to a person or a market. It is to this company, our customers, and our staff. You can’t go halfway or bow to pressures of others (even those you like and respect) when you are investing millions of dollars into the future of your company. When you go all in, in spite of “fairness,” people may not think you are the nicest or fairest person, but they will respect you and hopefully even come to appreciate the tough choices you are forced to make for everyone’s benefit as a whole. Unfortunately, no leader can escape tough choices that will impact team members in a way they don’t like. It’s part of the “this is why they pay me the big bucks” bucket. So, the next time you are staring down a decision that puts knots in your stomach, perhaps my do’s and don’ts for strong leadership decision-making can help. Do’s: ? Do believe in yourself and how you came to your conclusion so you can communicate your decision(s) with conviction. Big decisions require diligence. Know the data that backs up your decision. Clarify your vision. Both data and vision are compelling and equally powerful if delivered well. ? Do solicit input and advice from stakeholders, executers of the plan, and experts. This ensures you’ve thought of how best to make the decision, how best to communicate the decision, and shows respect that is due those involved. Remember: this is not the same as consensus decision-making, which requires everyone to compromise on a potentially lesser quality decision and defrays the responsibility of the leader to the entire team. Seek advice, but you make the final call. ? Do hire strong people, and give them as much autonomy as you can. For every decision that someone else could appropriately make in their role, make it clear you support their decision, regardless if you would or wouldn’t have made the same one. This empowers others and builds equity for when you make a decision they aren’t in favor of. ? Do deliver quality work, otherwise you will completely lose credibility and your team’s trust in the future. ? Do always make ethical decisions. Otherwise, you deserve to be disliked—and fired. ? Do be consistent. If your decisions are usually right and you get things done, people will start to like you (maybe). Don’t: ? Don’t be selfish. Your job as a leader is not about you. In fact, it’s about you the least, so stop worrying about if people like you, and do the right thing. It’s a lot like a parent with kids. If you are tough and make unpopular decisions as they grow up—choices that prepare them to be great human beings—kids will for sure not like you many moments along the way, but in the end they will love you for shaping them into incredible people. ? Don’t bring up the same decision for discussion over and over when everyone already thinks the decision is made. It makes others lose confidence in you and creates the impression you can be swayed by others or your own internal conflict. ? Don’t avoid tough decisions or confrontation. It makes you, your business, and your team stronger when everyone knows their leader is willing and able to take a fight when needed, because, well, sometimes it’s needed. There are brilliant folks out there who have been successful as consensus leaders and cheerleaders. There are colleagues everyone loves and wants to vacation with. And when there are no major challenges within the organization, no new regulatory or industrial constraints or very little serious competition, popularity can work. But if any of those dynamics change, all day long I would prefer someone with the stomach to make the tough calls with decisiveness and speed. |