We have a choice.
We can treat the symptom or we can cure the disease. When we treat a symptom it will return. When we cure a disease we begin the process of becoming healthy. Medicine covers symptoms intense and intentionally focused actions cure diseases.
Curing a disease is not always fun or easy but it does the work necessary to get to the root of the things that are keeping us from being healthy. In order to cure a disease we have to be very intentional with what we do:
- Set clear expectations – Subjectivity can be disastrous. Clear and healthy expectations help clarify targets, wins, and successful products.
- Provide accountability for outcomes and deadlines – Accountability is rarely popular but it is required. Without measurable accountability we can’t create healthy environments and work process.
- Invest in people over positions – People matter. Way more than work, people matter. This is not permission for people to not do their work, but people before position…always. Time, resources, focus, vision…invest it all into people.
- Have hard conversations. – They suck. Get over it. Its part of being a leader and part of getting healthy. Being passive aggressive or being unwilling to have hard conversations helps no one in the process. Take your medicine and do it today so that everyone can move on.
- Don’t hesitate to make the decision. – When you know what to do. Do it.
- Remember Data is greater than opinion. – Even when we don’t like it we have to use the information we have to make healthy decisions. Trust your instincts but don’t avoid the data.
- Champion Wins and Coach losses. – When you do both you reward the behavior you want and you adjust the behavior that is not wanted.
- Keep people in their strengths and out of their weaknesses. – Position people to win to keep them strong, engaged, and healthy.
Health matters. Work today to start developing health on your team or organization. What would you add to this list?
