Lead Inspired

Last month we explored the consequences of leaders believing the lie that they must be able to ‘know everything, do everything, and never make a mistake’ (That Can’t Be True). Believing that these unrealistic expectations are true (they are not!) causes anxiety, burnout, and chronic self-doubt in leaders. As a result, these lies increase the debilitating fear of failure that shifts the appropriate weight of responsibility into an oppressive burden, which no leader should ever feel. The impacts of believing the lie over the truth are numerous and result in struggles to receive feedback, a tendency to receive ‘distorted’ communication, and the erosion of confidence. This can ultimately crush the innovative and inspiring leadership that organizations desperately need to thrive.

Reclaiming Confidence in the Face of Uncertainty

At Michael Rainey and Associates we desperately want leaders to be rest-assured in their decision making, even in the most uncertain and ambiguous environments. This is especially true when leaders understand the true weight of leadership as lives are in the balance. When leaders are invested in those they serve, both inside and outside of the organization, their ability to take decisive action and inspire those within their care to do the same is absolutely critical.

Understanding the Fourth Field of Leadership

What Makes Strategic Decisions Different

In his research titled “What Makes Strategic Decisions Different”, author Phil Rosenzweig provides a decision-making framework that offers a powerful lens to help us understand why leadership amidst uncertainty and ambiguity carries ‘weight’. His research is based on the supposition that strategic decisions – those with the greatest impact on organizational performance – must go beyond best practices and analysis alone and instead require decisions that outperform competitors (to include risks, threat, etc.) in a dynamic environment. These decisions fall into what Rosenzweig calls the ‘fourth field’, where outcomes are influenced not just by analysis, but by ‘bold action and inspirational leadership’.

The Complexity of High-Stakes Decisions

The author states that the Fourth Field is a complex and consequential field that includes ‘high stakes’ decisions (such as entering new markets, launching products, or acquiring firms) that hinge on both analytical rigor and bold action. What makes this field unique is that leaders must acknowledge that they cannot control or dictate outcomes (which is true of all decisions in uncertainty and ambiguity!) and instead must employ – through vision, communication, and inspiration – the ability to galvanize teams together and ignite them along the path to mission accomplishment.

Galvanize and ignite!

One of the most critical outcomes a leader can cultivate are empowered teams—where every person, at every level, is equipped with the clarity, confidence, and trust to take decisive action, especially in the ‘fourth field’ where uncertainty and opportunity collide. When anxiety, burnout, and chronic self-doubt destroy inspirational leadership, quiet confidence motivates!  As we explored last month, quiet confidence is the balanced strength of believing in a leader’s own abilities while remaining humble enough to continue to learn from diverse, critical thought. And leaders who lead boldly without arrogance and receive feedback without fear create the foundation for wild success in the ‘fourth field’ and beyond!