Leading in a growth year is not hard. The numbers do half the work.
The real test is the flat year.
A competitor launches. A tender goes the other way. The market slows. The team works as hard as ever and the curve does not move.
In my experience, that is the year people remember how their leader behaved.
A few things I try to hold on to:
Tell the truth early. Share the real picture, calmly.
Find the real cause. Look at the market, the competition and sell-out before questioning anyone's effort.
No shortcuts to the number. No loading the distributor, and nothing grey with customers. A shortcut this year becomes next year's problem.
Keep coaching. Field days and development are the first things cut under pressure, and the last things that should be.
Protect your best people. Tell them where they fit in next year's plan.
Choose fewer priorities. Full effort on a few things beats half effort on everything.
Praise the right behaviour, not only the result.
And stay visible. Same standards, same calm, same time in the field.
"In a flat year, the team watches the leader more than the numbers."
“In a flat year, teams watch the leader more than the numbers.”
Lesson 15 of 15 in Step 7: Leading the leadership team, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.