Leadership: Overcoming Obstacles

When he arrived, Amigo had health issues that compromised his movement. While he is trained, smart, and willing, his body was broken. He was forced to perform in spite of pain, possibly because his riders saw him as argumentative and unwilling vs. unable and fearful. Now he is well, but his habits and fears remain.

We negotiate constantly to not let Amigo's past keep him from performing. Amigo needs clear direction, connection to build trust and work through his anxiety, and courage and confidence as he relearns how to perform. I recognize and reward his "trys" and to allow him the dignity and time to work things through for himself, while keeping him gently but firmly "on the hook." Lots of positive reinforcement, knowing when enough is enough, and ending on a positive note are key. Timing is everything. As he realizes he feels better when he moves correctly it gets easier.

Good leadership is like that. We constantly assess and try to mitigate the obstacles others are facing in their hearts and minds. The best leaders recognize and get obstacles out of the way fast and well, whether we need clarity on expectations, training, connection and alignment on actions (such as an upper level executive who won't get on board), or a confidence boost via teamwork or coaching.to have courage to go forward.

Performance is optimized when our goal is clear, we are connected to each other, and we have courage, motivation and confidence. We and our teams are only as strong as the weakest link in the clarity, connection and courage chain. As leaders we are responsible for those links with our team, and getting the obstacles out of the way for maximum performance.

How are you giving clarity, connection, and courage, and getting obstacles out of the way for your team?

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