Something I run into a lot with my business clients is Action Paralysis. This is when a leader KNOWS action is needed, but they just can't make themselves take the step to action. There are many causes, often rooted in company culture and status quo. Sure, occasionally we're talking bad leaders, but more often than not it's not having the tools to discern what actually needs their attention. Afterall, any current leadership poll will tell you the same thing: managers the world over are overwhelmed.

When I sit down with clients I ask them to make a list of their current headaches on the spot. I don’t want them to have too much time to think about it, because I want to know what is fresh and heavy in the now. Once we have a list, I tell them to tell me which items they think are actual problems, and which are just noise. This is where I get a lot of silence, because sometimes it’s hard to tell.

So I ask them to apply my key indicators of noise vs. problems:
WIll it cost you peace?
Will it cost you people?
Will it cost you pay?
Will it cost you productivity?
If the answer is yes to two or more, it’s a problem. Otherwise it could just be noise that you need to ride out. Let’s break these indicators down into a little more detail.

Will it cost you peace?
If the matter costs your peace, it will impact your ability to lead as well as your overall quality of life both at and away from the workplace. (I want to mitigate your stress levels, it’s what I do!)

Will it cost you people?
Will you lose people over this? Will they leave on their own, or be set up for failure that leads to termination?

Will it cost you pay?
Will you loose money over this? By way of capital, overhead or revenue, if you’ll be losing dollars, take note.

Will it cost you productivity?
This is huge, yours, your teams - anyone’s productivity is one of your most valuable assets - don’t let it take a hit for just anything.

So take a few minutes and apply these indicators to your current issues. Figure out what needs your attention and what doesn’t. If you need help deciding what’s next, reach out! It’s what I’m here for!