Has this happened to you? You’ve come up with a product idea, a strategy, a way around a big problem, or a different way to get better results cheaper as your next move. You have worked hard on a presentation, and excitedly shared your ideas with your boss…and WHAM, they say No. They might do it by politely ignoring your recommendations. You might hear the painful “Are you kidding? You can’t be serious.” The worst (my opinion) is being told in a patronizing tone, “You don’t really understand our situation. Stick to what you know better.” You feel stomped, squished, and shut down. You were so sure this was going to go well!
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. -Mike Tyson
As a leader you have a few choices as to what your next move will be.
You can yell, scream, whine, tell someone they are an idiot because they can’t see the brilliance of your idea, etc. You can see yourself as a victim, and wallow in self-pity. You can store up another “they done me wrong” story in your collection for whining to sympathetic listeners. You can feed a grudge until its grip on your mind lasts to your grave. You could call yourself an idiot for trying to make the world a better place, and fade back to sleepwalking through life.
Fools take those options. Your best leader self is not a fool.
Instead, work through these four options to make your best next move:
[Read more…] about Stomped, Squished, and Shut Down – What’s Your Next Move? – Glenn Brooke