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It’s Really That Simple

Authors

Sometimes we feel trapped, confined by walls of confusion, tangled in the web of disjointed thoughts. Our team is not performing up to the mark. Our strategic plans are falling flat. The vision that was once vibrant seems dimmer now.

What should we do in such scenarios? Don't panic. Life is a labyrinth, with many things beyond our control. However, one thing we do command is our mindset. The choice to abandon hope or to persevere is entirely ours. Let's consider the approach of Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, who led a remarkable transformation of the tech giant in recent years. After a period of stagnation, especially in their innovative edge, he stated in an interview, “The fundamental task for us leaders is identifying what our team members excel at and enabling them to leverage those skill. Accentuate their assets and reduce their liabilities.”

It may seem overly simplistic that a leader would merely identify what's working well in their team and what's not, and then design strategies that amplify the former and mitigate the latter—but that's precisely the point! That's what trailblazers do. It's what turnaround specialists in businesses do as well. It's also how Marcus Aurelius summed up his stoic philosophy—it was as simple as he said, “Persist and resist.” That is, continue doing what’s working, and cease what’s not!

The last quarter might have been a dismal one. Your team might be underperforming. You might feel like your strategic vision is fading. Don't despair. Identify what's working, pinpoint what's not. Investigate why it’s working, figure out how to replicate that success. Leverage your strength and then, when you're operating from a position of power, channel that energy towards addressing your weaknesses.