As a leader, you are often faced with difficult decisions. You may be thinking about it all the time or not know what to do at all. It could be a stressful conversation you’ve been avoiding or an operational decision that’s been keeping you up at night.
Here is a powerful exercise to help you get to a better understanding of where you stand and assist you to find your motivation to act.
Think of a course of action you’re considering. Grab a piece of paper and draw a large ’T’ at the top. Below the top of the ’T’ on the left side list some potential benefits of the action. You could list one, two or multiple benefits. Then, switch to the right column, and below the ’T’ on the right side list some risks and possible detrimental consequences of taking that course of action. It can be helpful to go back and forth listing a potential benefit, a potential detriment, etc.
Once you are done, read over your lists. Sit and contemplate them. As you contemplate the two lists, ask yourself: “What is my central motivation for doing this? What am I really wanting?” You’re looking for your deeper why or purpose in considering your course of action in the first place. We call this central motivation a “North Star” statement.
And, notice what you are feeling because your emotions will point you in the direction of your motivation and sustain your actions more powerfully than thoughts alone.
If you are still not clear about what to do, save the piece of paper overnight and look at it again in the morning. The subconscious sometimes works overtime for us and will send new ideas into the conscious mind, often received first thing upon waking.
In our Difficult Conversations course the first step is to Find Your Motivation. We use a similar exercise in the course to help people find their motivation for initiating conversations they are reluctant to have. Having your deeper purpose in mind, although sometimes difficult to spot, can make all the difference in creating the fuel you need for the completion of any worthwhile conversation or project.
