The Art of Strategic Leadership by Stowell Steven J.;Mead Stephanie S.; & Stephanie S. Mead

Author:Stowell, Steven J.;Mead, Stephanie S.; & Stephanie S. Mead [Stowell, Steven J. & Mead, Stephanie S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated
Published: 2016-03-07T00:00:00+00:00

Learning to look at risk as an opportunity on your path to new, better, and great—as opposed to a path to potential failure—will help you shift your mindset in a more productive direction. Being dedicated to your vision, values, and goals, while being honest about reality, provides you with the guardrails needed to stay on track as you try new things.

A Note About Failure

We like this thought from former Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas: “Adventure calls on all faculties of mind and spirit. It develops self-reliance and independence. Life then teems with excitement. But man is not ready for adventure unless he is rid of fear. For fear confines him and limits his scope. He stays tethered by strings of doubt and indecision and has only a small, narrow world to explore.”

Real strategy requires some level of risk, and as with any risk-taking endeavor, there is the possibility of failure. There is no doubt that failure will be uncomfortable. But it also creates constructive tension, which is often the catalyst for significant progress and breakthrough ideas. Reframing your outlook on failure in this way can help you see that setbacks, missteps, or even accidents really aren't failures at all. Unless you are willing to accept the potential for failure and the benefits of constructive tension, it will be difficult to get ahead of the curve and move into a more-strategic mindset. As you increase your tolerance for risk, you will start to notice that leaders who have this quality are able to restrain their desire to create a plan that is perfect and utterly free of risk. Instead, they are willing to venture out into less-familiar territory and, if necessary, allow things to get a little messy at points along the way.

The fear of failure or taking risks is one of the biggest impediments to making real progress. If you are in constant fear of making a mistake, you are making a mistake. Quite frankly, if you want to be successful and you strive to lead your teams in a more strategic way, taking risks is just part of the equation. As you look toward the future and create long-term plans and goals, work hard to overcome the paralysis that can be caused by fear of failure. We know it can be hard, but if you pull it off, you will be better equipped to serve the people who have a stake in the success of your business, and they will look to you to lead them into the future.

When it comes to taking calculated risks in an effort to shape the future for yourself, your team, and the organization, you need to tap into your inner drive and personal tenacity to face down those fears and challenge yourself to drive the change that will pave the way to the future you desire. The good news is that developing your ability to be courageous when faced with risks and unknowns becomes easier with regular practice. Strategic leaders recognize that

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