Field notes
Field Notes
Our daily Field Notes email is just the kind of jumpstart you need. A fast read. Maybe less than a minute. Because sometimes it just takes one insight to change the trajectory of the day.
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Leaders Who Confuse Being Kind With Being Agreeable
When leaders and groups are faced with so much uncertainty that they can’t act, the wise choice is to decide on the time to decide. In other words, determining at what point a decision needs to be made, regardless of the certainty or clarity (or lack of) that the group possesses. This decision point may be months away, but the timeline serves as a bulwark for reducing the pressure to act.
Leaders vary widely when it comes to risk. Some leaders operate conservatively and prefer stability and low-risk choices, while others have a larger appetite for taking a chance and pursuing potential opportunities. Knowing the risk appetite of a leader is central intelligence, as it helps team members decide what proposals and ideas to push forward and what persuasive messages would work best to win support for them. Assessing your leader’s tolerance for risk comes down to making a few astute observations.
Smart leaders engaged in disagreements, debates, and emotionally charged interactions often slow down and pause before responding.