Think, think, think...

The larger the team that you lead and the higher the stakes the more strategic thinking time you need to carve out.  Not just a few minutes here and there, but chunks of time for deep processing and to get clear about the issues that your enterprise is facing.  At the end of the day the most important thing you can do for your team is to have a clear headed approach for the challenges that are coming at you faster than ever. 

I know that the leadership adage, 'I won't ask my team to do anything that I wouldn't do' seems to make sense and the sentiment of that statement is spot on.  That is, you're wiling to do whatever it takes to help you team win.  However, most of the time the best thing you can do is to give every single thing away that anyone else on your team can do.   [ And, if it's not a mission critical task then they don't even have to do it as well as you.... ]  When you get down to what only you can do and carve our deep processing time you and your team win big time!

Failure to plan well or to consider new solutions will cripple your results and you could even grind your team into the ground heading down the wrong path if you aren't super clear about what your team needs to be doing now.

Deep processing may include changing locations so that you can gain new perspective.  'New places - new perspectives.'

It may include large stretches of solitude and silence.  Perhaps journaling of some sort.  White boards or chalk boards for visual processing.  Brainstorming software like Novamind or just a good old fashion sketch pad [ this one if my favorite because it's visual, portable, easy to work with and I'm a kinesthetic learner so the touch of the paper just makes it easier for me to process.  [ when I am done with a sketch pad session that I want to archive electronically I take a photo of the sheets and drop it into Evernote ] 

So, leader, amp your team's results by getting out of the office and away from distractions so that you can think about what and where and how and who and when related to your life and enterprise.  It will bring more results than you an imagine. 

You simply cannot afford not to take time for strategic thinking. 

Here's to your Highest Success,
Jeff Fuson

JeffFuson.com