#378: Being offensive has it’s benefits
From Defense to Offense: How Leaders Can Stay Proactive and Avoid Distraction
You become distracted when your calendar is double or triple-booked with meetings or your email constantly goes off. When you’re distracted, communication breaks down. You can get short or not ask the right questions because your mind is somewhere else.
I call this feeling “being on defense”—constantly wading through inbound. It’s the opposite of being on “offense”—trying to find the best people, products, and processes.
Being on defense is a toxic situation that leads even the best leaders to exhibit asshole behavior, like ghosting team members. It’s simple: distracted, overwhelmed people act like jerks.
One of the primary jobs of a leader is to sit in the room with their team and figure out if and how you’re about to build a vast company together. Everything else is noise.
How to stay on the offensive
Leaders can stay on the offense and be proactive instead of reactive by adopting the following strategies:
Anticipate Future Trends: Stay informed about industry trends and market shifts to anticipate changes rather than react to them. How many of you read your industry publications, white papers, or studies? Do you even know the names of the top periodicals in your industry?
Set Clear Goals: Establish long-term goals to guide decision-making and prioritize proactive actions. Yes, you’ve heard me talk about goals repeatedly.
Encourage Innovation: Foster a culture of innovation where team members are encouraged to think creatively and propose new ideas.
Develop Agility: Build a flexible organizational structure that adapts quickly to new opportunities and challenges.
Invest in Continuous Learning: Promote ongoing education and training to keep skills and knowledge up-to-date.
Build Strong Networks: Cultivate strong relationships with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and industry experts, to gain diverse insights and support.
Empower Teams: Delegate authority and empower teams to make decisions and take initiative, increasing responsiveness.
Monitor Performance: Regularly review performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and act before issues escalate.
Scenario Planning: Engage in scenario planning to prepare for various potential futures and develop strategies for each.
Communicate Vision: Communicate the vision and strategic direction to ensure alignment and proactive effort across the organization.
By implementing these strategies, leaders can maintain a forward-looking approach, seizing opportunities and mitigating risks before they arise. You will have fires, but it won’t be the majority of your time.
How do I use this advice?
Put these ten categories into planning your calendar.
Book meetings to discuss these areas of your business and stay on the offensive. Set a goal for one weekly meeting to discuss, plan, or execute a policy that moves one of these initiatives forward. Review your calendar and to-do list daily to ensure you are spending more time in these areas.
Think and act strategically. If you spend more time being offensive, you will spend less time putting out fires.