The most common ‘head in the sand’ behaviours that hold organisations back from competing well:
Closed topics
While of course it matters that once a decision is made, people get on board and support it. However, it’s dangerous when leaders determine a subject can never be spoken about again. I once heard a leader say, “I don’t care what new information you have. We’ve had this conversation 100 times and I’m just not interested in having it again.”
While it may be true that the new insight doesn’t shift the organisation’s view, in a rapidly changing world this thinking can cause organisations to miss vital clues and shifts in industry direction.
False optimism
Being positive and believing things will work out is typically a good thing. However, when there is little evidence to back that thinking, leaders risk being slow to act.
Having honest insight to circumstances and being willing to face those realities is critical to any leader’s ability to compete well in a fast-paced world. Leaders need to be careful not to adopt an inflated view of their organisation’s success or potential. Being real is critical to driving the outcomes you want.
Denial
Some leaders refuse to acknowledge, even to themselves, the extent to which some issues or challenges matter. Some fail to place adequate priority on issues while others lack of sense of urgency in dealing with them. Teams are entirely more likely to thrive when leaders influence belief in the future balance with honest insight into the realities of getting there.
NL.. we have been sensational since August !!!