Too Many Fires, Not Enough Fuel
Some leaders love putting out a fire.
They spend their time looking for a problem, fix it and move on to the next one.
What’s not to like? It turns out that the answer is plenty.
Leadership also includes tackling complex problems for which there is no clear precedent. Circumstances change with funding, legislation, technological advances and often in a way which could not reasonably be foreseen.
Gaining a senior leader position is the beginning of a professional learning journey, not the end.
Yet many leaders can be reluctant to engage. Having reached the top they feel they should have all the fuel in the tank they will ever need.
Or at least that’s the perception they want to give, because it can feel embarrassing to say otherwise and wrong to spend resources on your own learning.
How to get over these hang-ups and ensure you have the fuel to tackle any fire which comes your way?
Here’s four ‘how tos’ to consider.
1. Be ‘learner no.1’
Humility is a key feature of leadership, and it needs to be modelled.
Some people do not respond well to a promotion. The chest goes out, the stride picks up as their ego swells in size beyond their additional responsibilities.
Those on the shop floor need to see that senior leaders are just as humble as they are hungry and smart. If anything they need to show humility the most.
Part of this is showing you are ‘learner no.1’, open at talking about your mistakes and what you do not know. It is amazing how seldom some leaders engage in this.
You create two opportunities every time you mention a topic you know nothing about.
The first is demonstrating learning matters to you, and that it helped you get where you are. The second is the invitation for someone else to teach you.
When you model learning and demonstrate its importance, it also creates much less of an issue if you are out of office for a day or two to engage with it. This should generate some reassurance rather than raised eyebrows.
Block out the time and defend it at all costs. Create a culture that learning is ‘what leaders do’.
2. ‘Post fire’ analysis
Whether you like putting out fires or not they are coming your way. You do not have to enjoy it but you do have to deal with them.
When the fire is out it is natural for people to want to drop their shoulders and relax. Some ‘fires’ last days or weeks and can be all consuming. The intensity takes it out of people, not least the leaders who had to manage it.
Yet if you want to prevent the next one, this is the time to invest in learning.
Memories fade quickly. This is particularly true about the chronology of events. In the heat of the moment (pun intended) it can be impossible to document what happened and in what order.
The learning is in that chronology, and in your ability to recreate events and the key moments along the way. Spend some time recreating it with the key people involved.
You need a list of the key events, who was involved, all the decisions that were taken and why.
Once you have that chronology go through it step by step. Check to see where policies and procedures were not followed and where they were misaligned. Generate a list of the opportunities that were missed and what will happen differently next time.
If you have actions about updating a procedure, or running some training, get the dates in the diary and make it happen. If there is opposition then consider putting a cost on the problem, for example calculating how many hours of leaders’ time could be saved if there is a next time.
And where your own judgement fell short, say so and invite others to comment on your performance.
3. Broaden the possibilities
Learning can exist in many forms. It could be the traditional ‘one day’ course, online course or wider reading. It might be a new qualification or going all out for the doctorate.
Flexible options can help you fit professional development into your busy schedule without compromising other responsibilities. They also show your commitment to learn come what may. When you demonstrate that your own learning is essential you ensure others have no excuse.
The pandemic saw a huge proliferation in online learning. The options are vast, and that is no excuse for not engaging. You can learn whatever you want to learn in a variety of formats and sizes, often for free or at least for very little. If you only associate ‘important’ learning with qualifications that is your loss. There is an expert in everything ready to help you.
Many leaders do not just have a single coach or mentor. They have people who have helped them over the course of their professional lives, and to whom they return when the situation calls for it. They seek different perspectives, and willingly give their time when asked to do the same by others.
People who say they ‘don’t have the time for it’ or ‘just can’t learn that way’ are essentially saying they do not value it enough.
4. Exposure matters
Although you can never be ready for every eventuality, it is possible to prepare for the unpredictable.
This will involve you deliberately putting yourself out of your comfort zone, and practising your ability to think on your feet.
It is not just about crisis management, helpful though that is. It is also about training your strategic thinking so you can do it quickly and efficiently without staring at a blank piece of paper for hours.
If you have a leadership coach (and if you haven’t, why haven’t you?!?) use them to test you out. Try a scenario or two and work it through, and generate the twists and turns along the way. Then review it together and consider what you could have done differently.
If you had to lockdown the building would you know what to do? What about the complaint which got out of hand and on to the front pages of the newspapers? Or if a key member of staff left and took their team with them within three months?
Big problems lurk close by. When they materialise, few present their whole at first glance. The actions of others, and potentially you, can make it a lot worse if the initial handling is not secure.
Beyond this lies the question of collective responsibility. As a senior leader you will have your key areas of responsibility, but as a team member you carry collective responsibility for it all.
Which of other people’s responsibilities do you really not want to come your way? If your organisation hit a real problem with operations or finance would you be able to contribute to the solution?
You do not need to be an expert but you do not want to find yourself in the eye of the storm with nothing to contribute either.
Remember that
Investing in your own learning is not selfish, it is essential both for you and the organisation. Doing otherwise sets the wrong tone, and limits progress.
If you don’t have time to learn, then don’t lead. Organisations with strong learning cultures are more agile, and in a stronger position to recruit and retain.
How can I help you?
1. One to one coaching programmes for senior leaders who are swamped by their jobs so they can thrive in life. Click here to discover where you are on your journey from Frantic to Fulfilled? Just 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a full personalised report with guidance on your next steps!
2. Team coaching programmes - working IN a team is not the same as working AS a team and yet they are often treated as if they are the same. I help teams move from the former to the latter, and generate huge shifts in productivity and outcomes.
3. Talks, workshops and seminars - including topics relevant to the two areas above plus explaining Gen Z to Gen X.
