As we step further into the year, our carefully designed Annual Plans are put to the test by real-world hurdles. The first quarter often presents obstacles that can seem unbeatable for Leadership Teams, especially within small businesses. And the difference between staying on course or derailing usually comes down to the level of experience your COO/Integrator has.
What the Visionary/CEO is Thinking During 1st Quarter Struggles
For the Visionary/CEO, the lack of visible progress is alarming, and is wondering where it is! Their instinct to adapt or pivot intensifies with the growing tension within the business. Although the leader hopes the team will be ready to take action, they’re also prepared to shoulder the burden, if necessary, as has often been the case.
What the Inexperienced COO/Integrator is juggling
The COO/Integrator finds themselves at a crossroads, caught between maintaining order to keep the train on track and appeasing the Visionary. It’s hard to maintain discipline and order when it’s their first time experiencing these kinds of hurdles. There’s suddenly a tension between seeking more information to make a good decision and the urgency that the business needs to address and solve these issues. The outcome all too often? Is to pivot to where the Visionary is pushing, and yield those plans. Instead of doing what needs to be done in real-time to overcome the issues. Something an experienced COO knows how to do because they’ve done it before.
What the Leadership Team is Doing In the 1st Quarter
The leadership team is struggling with their position which in increasing difficulty. They feel the weight of seemingly impossible tasks, with hands tied behind their back due to the uncertainty.
There’s an underlying hope that either the CEO or COO will intervene, provide the much-needed direction and resolution, and save the day.
Which then demotes your leadership team from leader to order taker. Not a strategy for healthy long-term growth.
You Don’t Have to Throw Out Your Annual Plans in Quarter 1
The key is a healthy Leadership team – driven by an experienced COO/Integrator! Effective leadership involves both the Visionary and the COO. Many Integrators/COOs in small businesses haven’t yet mastered overcoming these early obstacles, leading to paralysis in decision-making because they overanalyze and then get stuck. This affects not just the COO but the entire business.
If your COO/Integrator freezes under pressure it’s time to consider how best to get them more coaching/training or bringing in more experience and expertise.
Enter the Experienced FCOO/Integrator
An experienced COO/Integrator, familiar with bringing together great plans and cold hard reality, knows how to take charge effectively. This isn’t their first rodeo. Their experience ensures a way forward, having successfully navigated similar paths before.
Here’s What an Experienced Leader Does During 1st Quarter Struggles:
- They understand actively leverage the CEO’s unique abilities, not pander or encourage their fragilities.
- They call up (not out) the Leadership Team – and provide constructive challenges and support to the leadership team. Empower them to be proactive in finding solutions.
- They’ve seen this before! They aren’t “reacting,” they are pivoting in real-time to overcome using methods that have worked before. They’re leveraging something even more valuable than a good plan – experience.
Perspective from an Experienced Fractional COO/Integrator: Tom Hoover Says:
Tom took the team from 1/10 rock completed to a 90% completion rate, and they achieved their 3-year target by the second year.
What else did Tom do? He developed the integrator from within the leadership team.
Tom Hoover shares a great insight:
Many leadership teams have more room to grow; they just need someone to help them with focus and direction.
Tom Hoover
This brings to mind a relevant anecdote:
A plumber charges $100 to fix a water heater with a single hammer strike. When the homeowner protests the fee for such a simple fix, he demands the plumber justify it. The plumber explains: $1 for the hammer strike, $99 for knowing where to hit.
This story underscores the value of expertise and experience, especially in leadership roles during challenging times. It’s not just about the actions taken but understanding the strategic points of intervention that make the difference.
