Quick Wins Paradox

In a recent edition of the Harvard Business Review, Mark E. Van Buren and Todd Safferstone wrote an intriguing article, The Quick Wins Paradox, on the keys to success for leaders transitioning into new roles. They identify five traps that new leaders tend to fall into:

1. Focusing too heavily on details.
2. Reacting negatively to criticism.
3. Intimidating others.
4. Jumping to conclusions.
5. Micromanaging.

To avoid these traps, the authors do not suggest that leaders stop focusing on quick wins. They rather suggest that leaders focus on "collective quick wins" -- accomplishments that make their teams look good. That's the key to great leadership. It's not showing off what you know, it's rather empowering those you know. The people skills of leaders make the difference between success and failure. Van Buren and Safferstone encourage leaders to:

1. Make people believers, not bystanders.
2. Understand uncertainty.
3. Show humility.
4. Learn about their teams.

I encourage you to read the entire article and to think about your own leadership, whatever the setting.

Coaching Inquiries: How much pressure do you feel to score a quick win in 2009? How can you make that win more about the team and less about you? Who could you brainstorm with to identify options and to set a course of action? How can you make sure everyone gets credit and on board?

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