Doug Sundheim’s Leading Ideas – Taking Smart Risks

Everyone knows that how you go about doing something can set you apart from the pack – the level of your commitment to service, the market knowledge you impart, the quality of your loquacity (we are quite the talkative bunch in real estate).  By doing well in the various parts of your business, you can expect a positive outcome.  But to what degree? Are you maximizing your potential just by doing things ‘right’?

We all  need goals, specific achievable milestones that don’t reflect solely on how you do the job, but how doing the job well turns into tangible progress and achievement.

 

This weeks Leading Ideas by Doug Sundheim takes on the difference between how you play the game and the measure of success one should focus on.  It resonates with us on the Blumstein Team, because while we do spend a lot of time on the how we do the job, we would not be consistently in the top of Corcoran’s ranks if we were satisfied with just performing the tasks admirably.  We set a goal as a team and support each other throughout the year to achieve it.  As Sydney Blumstein reminds us on a regular basis, “Teamwork makes the Dream work.”

It’s Not Only How You Play the Game –
It’s Whether You Win or Lose

I spent time this week with a team of very sharp software developers who are designing a new product. A well-oiled machine, this group of men and women embodied the best practices in agile and lean software development – keep things simple, deliver working software rapidly, and adapt to changing circumstances. They were very impressive. That is until I lobbed an innocent, seemingly easy-to-answer, question at them. “What does a ‘win’ look like with regards to this product in 12 months?”

The team did not have a clear, compelling, and aligned answer. Differing perspectives (that should have been fleshed out months earlier) started to rear their heads. The team, it turned out, was in the process of flawlessly executing on a vague set of objectives. And ones that, frankly, weren’t stretching them. A recipe for losing.

Consider This:

The old expression “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game” is flat out wrong. Winning matters. It matters for an obvious reason – because you achieve something important. But it matters for a much bigger reason also.

It drives growth – personal, professional, revenue, you name it.

When you have to find a way to stretch yourself and win, it changes you. It makes you realize what you’re capable of and builds your confidence. That doesn’t happen when you merely play the game well.

Of course – you can’t win all the time – and how you play the game does matter too. But it will never take the place of defining a stretch goal, digging down, and figuring out how to win when the going gets tough.

Try This:

1. Define what a “win” is for you now – be specific, stretch yourself, and know how you’ll measure it.
2. Get feedback from trusted friends/colleagues to ensure you’ve set the bar at the right level
3. If you’re working with others, ensure you’re all aligned.
4. Keep the goal in front of you on a regular basis, so it’s top of mind, perhaps posting it in your office
5. Take on the mindset that failure is not an option (notice how this changes your plan of attack).
6. Find a to play the game with excellence and win

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Doug Sundheim is an leadership coach & strategy execution consultant. He works with leaders and teams in large and small organizations to help them maximize their effectiveness. Learn more about his services at www.clarityconsulting.com

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