Senior executives across every industry are feeling the pressure. Investors are growing more impatient by the day. Technology is disrupting the workforce and uprooting traditional business practices.

Lawyers — in-house counsel in particular — are particularly at risk. Regulators are growing more assertive. Our political environment remains increasingly dynamic. To help companies navigate this complex business landscape, senior management is leaning more on their general counsel than ever before. This can make a GC’s job much more exciting, but it also increases the pressure.

Every company views success through a different lens. As a former general counsel in the financial services and technology space, I know this all too well. As a leader, I’ve learned to live by what I call the Kenny Rogers Rule of Business. In other words, you’ve got to know when to hold ’em; know when to fold ’em; know when to walk away, and know when to run. Growing into success as a legal executive is not only about learning business competencies — it’s also about knowing when to spot red flags and walk (or run!) away.

Competencies and Characteristics of Strong GCs

When we talk about the traits of anyone in a leadership position, we usually like to qualify these characteristics as learned versus innate. Wherever you stand in this discussion, I believe many of these traits can be instinctive and developed through learned experiences. This is why companies would do best to look for a general counsel who demonstrates a combination of sound judgment and a growth mindset. Many characteristics make strong legal leaders, but below is a list of some of the most prominent:

Tested Judgment

It’s vital that senior executives not confuse “good brains” with “good judgment.” I’m paraphrasing a Wall Street Journal article written by Peggy Noonan over a decade ago, but it’s still a powerful message today. GCs, in particular, must be able to evaluate and weigh the impacts of every single decision and course of action made by a company’s senior executives. In-house lawyers must also use their judgment to lead cross-functional teams. So when looking for a general counsel, don’t look just for intelligence, but rather for people who can show good and tested judgment.

Versatile Communication

GCs must regularly communicate with diverse audiences, from the company’s senior management team to the board to its employees. Whether you are the GC or looking to hire a GC, a good legal executive needs to adapt their communications to any group and simplify complex legal matters whenever necessary. Versatile communication skills are not just intuitive; they are learned through experience. Good communication skills are also a key part of a growth mindset.

Strategic Thinkers

When asked about choosing people for a team, General Colin Powell once said to look for those that “see around corners,” and I believe this applies to general counsels as well. GCs must anticipate and prepare themselves for issues and risks before and after they arrive. Strategy-oriented GCs can proactively identify solutions to eliminate risks and grow the business. A purely reactive lawyer without a strategic “see around corners” focus may react too soon or, worse, too late.

Cultural Fit

Anyone that works for a company must fit in with that organization’s culture, including the legal team. They must work directly with senior management while also meshing with the company’s other employees. If they aren’t a good cultural fit, it could be damaging to that company’s growth and success, as well as that of an in-house lawyer.

BUT, sometimes, the expectations senior management has for a general counsel are meant to cover up red flags within the business. GCs must look for these red flags, as many regulated businesses have personal liability for them.

Red Flags: Knowing When to Run

Serving as a general counsel or legal executive often comes with personal liability. Here are some business red flags I’ve uncovered during my time in-house:

Values Mismatch

If your values as a lawyer and those of the organization you’re serving don’t line up, it’s time for a new job. Whether the misalignment is because of the culture, diversity, or other issues within the organization, if senior management is cultivating these values, it may not be the place for you. In my parents’ era, people stayed in their jobs for decades, maybe even for life. However, as you grow your career, you can no longer be afraid of leaving a job that doesn’t align with your values because a short stint with an employer “doesn’t look good on your resume.” The costs to your reputation may be far higher for staying than for leaving quickly. The same goes for companies who hire lawyers whose values don’t align with those of the company!

Risky Business

As a lawyer, it is often your job to manage business risk. This can mean everything from financial risk to employment risk to premises risk. At first, risk management can seem like a way to work hands-on with senior management, but it can also have a darker side. If you believe people within your organization are hiding or misrepresenting risks to you, run, don’t walk away. 

Blame Game

This isn’t a popular thing to talk about, but occasionally, senior executives choose to “blame the lawyer.” As general counsels, we’ve all experienced this at one point. It’s a common refrain from the boardroom to the courtroom: “My lawyer told me I could do it.” 

If a company wants you to succeed, you’ll succeed. But if you’ve noticed any of these red flags working with your company, follow the Kenny Rogers Rule of Business and know when to run.

As a leader, you’re really busy. While mentoring a rising high performer may sound like a great opportunity, you might worry that you just don’t have the bandwidth. But here’s something you may not have considered: Most people think of mentoring as a giving exchange, but it’s really a getting exchange.

Bert Thornton, the former president and COO of Waffle House, and Dr. Sherry Hartnett founder of the experiential learning Executive Mentor Program, share ten ways this relationship can benefit to you.

1. Mentoring can reignite your engagement. 

As you share your accumulated knowledge with your mentee, you’ll explain why you chose the path you did and reflect on what your career means to you. Especially if you’ve just been going through the motions for a while, this self-reflection can help you rediscover your enthusiasm for your job and reconnect you with your professional purpose. 

2. It can help you hone new skills

Mentees can teach, too! Often, they keep their mentors up to speed with current tools and technologies (for instance, what apps they’re using for productivity), help them learn to work with those of a different generation or background, and give them new insights into topics like inclusivity and unconscious bias.

3. Mentoring can help you get to know yourself better

You’ll sometimes need to take a step back and ponder what you really “know.” You’ll confront topics such as the nature of leadership, what success really means, and how to be a better person. This introspection will either reinforce your viewpoint or change it, driving learning and personal growth. 

4. You can develop lifelong relationships

“I still have contact with men and women who sat across the table from me 40 years ago,” shares Thornton. “Through the years, we’ve talked about college, jobs, surviving and thriving in the business world, marriage and kids, finances, and stress. Now we talk about how they enjoy the fruits of a successful life. No one can doubt this is the perfect outcome.” 

5. It expands your network

Over the years, many of your mentees will go on to work for other organizations. Maybe you will too. You never know how these connections might eventually help you, your company, or your future mentees.

6. It raises your profile in the organization

In most organizations—especially those with a formal mentoring program—mentors are considered an influential, successful group of leaders. When you add value to your company by developing mentees, your reputation will benefit.

7. Being a mentor pushes you to always do your best

“Knowing that your mentee is closely observing how you think, act, tackle challenges, manage conflict, etc., will ensure that you’re not cutting any corners,” points out Dr. Hartnett. “If you give your mentee advice, they need to see you implementing it in your career as well.”

8. Mentoring feels good

“To me, true success isn’t as much about wealth or power as it is about adding value, and where better to add value than in another person’s life?” says Thornton. “It’s a privilege to pay my experience forward to deserving, emerging leaders, and I have gained a deep, abiding sense of satisfaction from doing so.”

9. It can give new life to your self-development

Great leaders consistently consume an impactful list of books, articles, podcasts, websites, videos, etc. If your self-development has fallen by the wayside, you’ll need to kickstart it again if you expect your mentee to invest in themselves in a similar way. Revisit resources that have been of value in the past and discover new ones.

10. Mentoring gives you faith in the future

“Mentors often report that their opinion of the next generation has improved because they have a better understanding of younger workers’ strengths and potential,” says Dr. Hartnett. “Mentors also say they’ve become more effective leaders because they’ve gained important insights about younger people’s outlooks and priorities.”

“When you pass on your hard-won knowledge, experience, and wisdom, you powerfully impact rising high performers, your organization, and your industry,” says Thornton. “What better legacy can you leave?” 

“And remember, developing mentees into better employees helps not just them, but your whole organization,” adds Dr. Hartnett. “An investment in a mentoring relationship is an investment in your professional success.”

Bert Thornton and Dr. Sherry Hartnett’s new book is High-Impact Mentoring: A Practical Guide to Creating Value in Other People’s Lives.

Some people withhold information on purpose. They say yes when they don’t mean it. They may even schedule meetings when key players can’t attend.

These people seem to care more about dominating the terrain they’ve decided is “theirs” than they care about collaborating to improve everyone’s success.

If you don’t play their game, they may treat you like a threat. Initially you may avoid confrontation and try to work around them. And when the last straw lands it is easy to lose your cool or, worse, start playing games in return. The thing to remember is that unchecked, these games destroy trust, decrease the flow of information, sever relationships, unplug empathy, and waste resources.

Recognizing how many people interpret work primarily through a competitive lens is the first step to understanding these behaviors without demonizing the game players. We must find a way to turn them into allies: playing tit for tat only escalates bad feeling. It is sweet to imagine a game player suddenly seeing the error of their ways, apologizing, and collaborating, but it’s just a fantasy. Nope: The best way to build collaborative narratives at work is to help game players decide for themselves to stop playing games and collaborate for their own reasons.

Offering them the chance to change their behavior without ever admitting there was a problem gets the best results. Understand that for them, collaboration can feel like a loss. Sharing information, listening to diverse points of view, and backing up to rethink goals makes them feel unfocused and/or weak. Yet when we refuse to respond in kind and give game players a second chance to play collaboratively, we make more progress than if we stay silent or retreat.

Here are three common examples of workplace games — and what to do in response:

The Occupation Game

Back when territory was a matter of geography, strategies to control and occupy an area were tangible. Today, competitive players seek to control less tangible “territory” like information, relationships, and communication channels. Controlling conversations, withholding information, and mocking empathy are common strategies. Deterred by warnings to back off, many of us disconnect rather than risk “invading” their territory to ask for collaboration.

How to Respond

Disrupt the game by sharing some of your own “territory” to prove that work needn’t be a battle. Creating new channels of communication that reveal a bigger picture to produces more innovative solutions. Tell a story about the harm of “winner takes all” reasoning. Show up even when you aren’t invited. And stay present and alert instead of shutting down or getting angry.

The Intimidation Game

When a competitive player is threatened by what you have to say, they try to convince you to shut up. They often blame “how” you communicated, when the truth is that they actually didn’t like “what” you said. If they can get you to feel responsible for their failure to listen, it keeps you busy on the wrong tasks. Some of the behaviors used to intimidate and silence others include loud throat clearing, raising eyebrows, or verbal attacks. Some game players invade your physical space or threaten harm to your status. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a terribly effective form of intimidation.

They may accuse you of being the one who is intimidating. This often happens in cases when male game players get emotionally triggered after women expose injustice.

How to Respond

Women who stay calm in the face of intimidation keep others calm as well. Developing the ability to hear/see/feel the threat while taking a deep breath and staying sane often flips the focus back on them and their bullying behavior.

When we persevere, we expose that most of these acts of intimidation are bluffs. So it’s key to speak up — and protect others who are being bullied.

The Invisible Walls Game

Competitive players often agree in public to collaborate only to buy time to set up roadblocks that keep people divided. Once they label you as an enemy, misdirection and disinformation seems justified. All it takes is a disdainful or mocking attitude to encourage others to also block efforts to collaborate. Impossible timelines, logistical impediments, and unwarranted barriers for participation keep their battle lines strong.

How to Respond

Once a competitive group characterizes decision-making as a prize to win rather than an opportunity to collaborate, they implement “control the narrative” campaigns to belittle the more complex strategies that blend multiple narratives into a new story. And yet we must avoid accusations of ill intent that escalate aggression. It may be necessary to go toe to toe for a bit to illustrate that you could fight, but you choose not to. If you suspect insincere agreements, your best strategy is to track progress and expose invisible walls before they do too much damage. Perseverance is vital.

Our ability to anticipate these games rather than being blindsided by them builds up a shared immunity to tactics like gaslighting and intimidation. There are many more kinds of games — filibuster, noncompliance, discrediting, shunning — that undermine collaboration every day.

The key is to encourage vibrant conversations about how this kind of game-playing harms relationships and results. Plan innovative experiments that demonstrate the successful results of collaboration. It is high time we stop undermining each other — and pay better attention to our shared safety and our shared goals. There’s strength in numbers, and grace and power in collaboration.

As a business leader, choosing impact is a challenging career choice. Not only is it different from conventional shareholder-centric businesses, but many of us haven’t experienced working in for-profit organizations with an impact focus before.

You must accept that you’ll be inventing new ways to lead and that sometimes you’ll struggle. Hiring and retention are critical issues for all organizations right now, and impact-focused companies have some unique challenges and strengths in this area. Because we’re not venture-backed and focus on impact first, the incentives for working at our organization are different. Sometimes, there are fewer extraordinary monetary gains to be made; we are flatter in our structure and compensation, including our senior team.

Recently we were hiring for a business development executive and interviewed some great candidates. Still, many professionals in this field are more motivated by financial reward than impact, so it has been a challenging role to fill. We can show growth and great compensation packages, but it’s hard to compete on financial rewards alone. Instead, we compete by focusing on our culture and benefits and by offering support for employee health, wage growth, and personal and professional development. I’ve adopted a “stretch don’t break” approach to creating growth opportunities for everyone, and we recently adopted a 4-day workweek that allows for more personal time. You need to define what makes your organization a great place to work.

The results have been phenomenal. We’ve had amazing people approach us to see if we’re hiring and to find out how to get involved. We know our formula is working because we’ve attracted people who fit our culture and impact focus. But it’s not for everyone — and that’s OK.

The other area we see our impact model making a difference is in our growth strategies. When we launch a new product or service line, we are continually focused on the impact of that new idea. Does it bring something new to the marketplace? Is it having an outsized impact on our customers relative to its cost?

This thinking causes us to look for better ways to measure impact and focus heavily on innovation in our work. The easier path might be to chase all ideas that generate revenue, but revenue is not always a good impact indicator. For example, we launched the Fearless Leaders MasterClass to develop the next generation of leaders in response to succession pipeline challenges, but many HR leaders sought “microlearning” and online solutions. Those systems are an easy sell as they are low-cost and on-demand for employees, but do they really change behavior or elevate skills? So we decided to go for a product that has a lasting impact and stands for real change. As an impact leader, you sometimes forgo easy revenue to build something with lasting value.

A former New York Yankees coach shares seven lessons on how to develop champion teams from stories and insights gleaned from some of the world’s top performers in sports, life, and business.

01  YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE

How often do you find yourself adapting as a leader? I’m guessing frequently. Instead of adapting, why not create a set of standards that all company team members help develop, create, maintain, and enforce? Instead of going nuts as a leader and worrying about who’s not doing what, you can build a culture of full accountability. Your people, working alongside you, can help create the game rules and help enforce them.

02  CONNECT TEAM SUCCESS AND INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS

A company needs to win, but so do its people. It has to go beyond the paycheck. In today’s mindset of “What’s in it for me?” realize that you can get more from each team member by connecting their goals to team and company goals. As a leader, you must demonstrate to team members that they can achieve higher levels of success when both company and team win. Have a closed-door strategy session and ask team members two questions: “What does winning mean to you?” How can I help you win?” The trick is this: As the leader, you now have to help them win.

03 LEAD LIKE A COACH, NOT LIKE A BOSS

What is the most significant difference between a coach and a boss? A coach is a teacher, motivator, encourager, and inspirer. A coach makes sure the fundamentals are being focused on and practiced daily. A coach knows the fundamentals of the game and knows that perfect execution is what leads to winning. A great coach also knows when to push, and, most importantly, when to call timeout and have a heart-to-heart with players.

A boss is frequently just an enforcer who works in isolation with a hyper-focus on quarter-over-quarter growth and securing the next big deal. Yet, there are good bosses and bad bosses. The reality is, most people understand the idea of a “good boss” by what they give — time off, extra pay, pizza on Fridays — but not usually from challenging team members on what they could become. Be a coach; bring out the best in your people.

04 DO NOT LET YOUR TEAM QUIT ON YOU

When things aren’t going well, it’s easy to blame others and point a finger. It’s even easier to quit. If opportunity doesn’t present itself fast enough in your company, its another reason for employees to move on to something better. With much variety in the marketplace today, many team members keep their eyes peeled for what’s next. Their desire to grow is high, so make sure that you, as the leader, take advantage of that desire.

Instead of external staffing companies baiting your team with new opportunities, make sure that you’re encouraging them to find their next, new role in-house. Create and nurture a culture of internal advancement. When somebody advances from within, make it known to everyone. Use this as a reminder that when they’re on your team, their future is with you.

05 BE ADAPTABLE, OPEN, AND WILLING TO IMPROVE

Things are always changing, and your team must be adaptable, open, and willing to improve. Leaders must be flexible, accessible, and willing to improve. One way to do this is by bringing in outside speakers, coaches, and development experts to help your people grow. Work the entire skillset of your staff over the period of a year. Focus on their mental wellness and readiness, build their confidence through training, and improve team connectivity by exposing them to team building techniques and experiences that move them into new ways of thinking, behaving, and interacting. This takes a courageous and vulnerable leader, who is comfortable repurposing a few hours of deal-making each month toward team development. A real leader understands the importance of investing in human capital and playing the long game.

06 HIRE A TEAM THAT CAN KEEP UP WITH YOUR PACE

Do you often get frustrated that your people don’t work fast enough? Well, those who cannot keep up get frustrated with your demands, too. Many leaders make a crucial mistake when it comes to hiring. That mistake is hiring people who cannot or will not work at their pace. Some people prefer to go slower in low-pressure environments. That’s how some people do great work. Others love the pressure and enjoy moving quickly. Building the right team goes way beyond a shining resume and a great interview. Ask about the candidate’s preferred pace of work — to make sure they can keep up with you.

07 TALK ABOUT WINNING, BE ABOUT WINNING

It is OK to talk about winning in the workplace. Be excited about it. Let your team know it’s the reason they work at your company. They are here to be the best. They are here to win. They are here to dominate your category of business. It’s great to be humble in how you go about your business, but it’s equally essential to portray pride and confidence in your company’s vision and purpose. Demand excellence. Stay ahead of the competition by focusing on the details of your process and the importance of your purpose. Be a team that stands for and embodies winning. Over time, that culture of winning will help attract top talent, more sales, and the attention of your competition — making you the talk of your industry.

We’ve been taught to compete in business and life since we were young. But could a collaborative approach yield better results?

I attended a public school in Southern Rhode Island through 6th grade. We were taught that there was only one answer and only one way to solve a problem. We were told the answers lay in the back of our books, but we weren’t allowed to look or copy from others — that was cheating. Our desks were in tight rows, a few feet apart, yet we had to keep our eyes strictly on our papers only.

In 7th grade, I transitioned to a new school that was more liberal, an extension of Brown University. There, I experienced the opposite — we worked collectively in pods. By putting our heads together, we attacked challenges with greater intellectual firepower. Diversity of thought yielded more perspectives and helped eliminate critical blind spots. It unearthed different solutions and ultimately produced a better outcome and learning experience. We were collaborating.

Now, as the CEO of a major international real estate company, I see how invaluable that experience was. I consider it an important business lesson, on par with academic math and science. Collaboration in business can certainly give you a competitive advantage.

As New York Times bestselling author Sir Ken Robinson said, “Collaboration is the ‘stuff’ of growth.” We implicitly understand the creative benefits associated with collaboration. Partnering and collaborating are often discussed in separate contexts, but they can create a catalyzing effect of unequaled proportion when coupled together in a business strategy. Millennials demand and expect sharing, peering, and collaborating in today’s socially engaged world. In addition, utilizing the power of incentives to drive competition and better results has been adopted by almost every sector on the planet. “None of us is as smart as all of us,” American motivational speaker Ken Blanchard is fond of saying. It drives better business outcomes for clients, and in a non-collaborative environment, operating with a strong collaborative point of differentiation provides a competitive sales advantage. In my world, the commercial real estate market, there’s a move toward redefining what it means to be a commercial real estate advisor. Brokers and brokerage firms can no longer survive alone by being a middleman. They must evolve. They must pull the future forward. The broker of tomorrow is not a salesman for a manufacturer but an advisor for the client.

There is more value in collaboration than competition. Growth and development will follow when unique perspectives, philosophical differences, and dissenting views are seen as opportunities instead of setbacks. Positional gaps are closed by listening to all sides, finding common ground, and letting the principle of doing the right thing guide the process. 

Competition is not inherently bad, but competition that holds us back from achieving our greatest potential by being inherently divisive is bad. The latter is the stuff of a zero-sum game and is prevalent in commercial real estate brokerage. There can only be one winner. 

Collaboration, on the other hand, is about progressing as a whole. There’s no winner unless the entire group crosses the finish line together. Business models that embrace collaboration and cooperation are uniquely positioned to take market share in this era of change as client behaviors and expectations evolve.  The collaborative mindset and exponential growth concept is an idea shared by many in my Real Leaders Collaborative group too. There are seven of us, all value-aligned business leaders, who meet each month via Zoom. In this confidential environment, each member draws from the experience and relationships of their peers to power their exponential growth strategies. It’s collaboration on steroids.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the importance of coming together in times of crisis. Since March 2020, leaders have been asking themselves: What can we do in times like these? The answer, I believe, is to come together and share our collective struggles so that we can begin to move forward, stronger, together.  In a way, the pandemic forced us all to collaborate in new and inventive ways. Many of us had no choice but to evolve, find new ways of communicating and work together instead of apart. History has shown us that during a crisis, people often come together. The last two years serve as a poignant reminder that challenging times have a way of driving humanity forward — of placing trust, cooperation, and collective strength ahead of competition and conflict.

If we as leaders are to lead the world toward a more prosperous future, we must work together and with each other — including our clients, our colleagues, and our communities — toward a shared future.

Kevin Maggiacomo is a member of the Real Leaders Collaborative, a peer-to-peer group model designed to provide time-starved, purpose-driven CEOs with a high level of support from peers. Real-Leaders.com/Become-a-Member

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A tall, thin man in his late fifties approached me after my closing keynote for a manufacturing association conference on how manufacturing leaders can avoid business disasters. He looked distraught and agitated. I hoped he wasn’t angry with something I said. 

Mark introduced himself and asked me to tell him more about one of the many dangerous judgment errors – what scholars call cognitive biases – that I discussed, the MUM effect. This cognitive bias causes those lower down in the organizational hierarchy to avoid passing bad news up the food chain due to fears of the “shoot the messenger” problem, namely that they’ll be blamed for the bad news. According to research in cognitive neuroscience and behavioral economics, such mental blindspots stem from how our brains are wired.

Fortunately, recent research in these fields shows how you can use pragmatic strategies to address these dangerous judgment errors, whether in your professional life, relationships, or other life areas. 

You need to evaluate where cognitive biases are hurting you and others in your team and organization. Then, you can use structured decision-making methods to make “good enough” daily decisions quickly; more thorough ones for moderately important choices; and an in-depth one for truly major decisions.

Such techniques will also help you implement your decisions well and formulate truly effective long-term strategic plans. In addition, you can develop mental habits and skills to notice cognitive biases and prevent yourself from slipping into them.

Turning back to my exchange with Mark, I started giving some examples from my consulting and coaching experience of how the MUM effect tripped up successful companies and leaders. He grew increasingly and visibly agitated. Finally, he interrupted me and told me his story. 

He served as the CEO of a successful manufacturing company for over 12 years. Hit hard by the 2008 Great Recession; the company struggled for the next couple of years. Still, he believed his leadership was bringing it through the rough patch. 

Unexpectedly, the Chair of the Board of Directors called him in for a meeting in March 2010 and asked him to explain accounting discrepancies he heard about. Mark had no idea what the Chair was talking about and told him that. The Chair said that the Board received several anonymous whistleblowing complaints about accounting issues that cropped up over the last year.

Upset and surprised, Mark promised to look into it. The Chair asked him to coordinate on the matter with two members of the Board who had accounting expertise. 

What Mark and the other Board members found shocked them. The CFO and others in the accounting department were covering up much more severe losses than Mark knew about, using the same kind of tricks deployed by Enron and WorldCom. Naturally, Mark fired the CFO and other accountants implicated in cooking the books. 

Yet further investigation revealed that such accounting problems weren’t limited to the Great Recession, with smaller shenanigans occurring even earlier. Moreover, the issues didn’t stay in the accounting department. The organization’s culture prevented bad news from going up the organizational hierarchy, whether in the accounting department, customer service, or operations. As a result, safety problems in operations were swept under the rug, and customer service failures went unreported. 

The Board of Directors took a more active hand in investigating the situation. The result? The problem was Mark. 

The values of the CEO powerfully shape company culture. Mark – without realizing he was doing it – encouraged complacent behaviors, rewarding those who reported good news and punishing the bad. Unfortunately, too many business leaders share that trait, often without recognizing it.

Over his tenure, he grew more and more cut off from day-to-day operations. The people who surrounded him – those he rewarded with favor and promotions – were sycophants. 

 Hey, who doesn’t like people who praise them, right? But, unfortunately, surrounding himself with such people kept him from recognizing reality. The organization’s performance suffered as a result, with good people who reported the truth leaving and the company failing to adjust to shifting market conditions. 

The Board ended up firing Mark. He’s a typical example of many CEOs who found themselves in a similar position. A four-year study, which interviewed 1,087 board members from 286 organizations of all sorts that forced out their chief executive officers, found that almost one-quarter of CEOs – 23% – got fired for failing to recognize negative facts about the organization’s performance. Economic downswings often reveal such denialism and result in the removal of top leaders. 

Mark’s firing put him in a grim state of mind. He had trouble acknowledging his failure. Mark couldn’t face it at first, suffering a depressive episode. He slept for most of the day, didn’t want to eat, stopped spending time with friends, and snapped at his wife and kids. He lost over 40 pounds in five months. Finally, his family staged an intervention and pushed him to see a psychiatrist. He started taking medications and getting back on track with his life, including his career.

Mark went to the conference both to tap his network to find a new job and to see if he could learn how to prevent what happened to him from repeating. My keynote struck him hard, opening a wound that was still fresh. 

He grew tearful as he shared how he regretted not learning about the dangers of cognitive biases earlier in his career. He felt confident that what happened with the manufacturing company wouldn’t have occurred if he had known to watch out for such problems. Mark thanked me for opening his eyes about these dangers and committed to understanding how cognitive biases functioned in business contexts to make sure that he never suffered from these mental blindspots in his work. 

Within the following year, he found a new role as the COO of a manufacturing company somewhat smaller than the previous one he ran. Within a couple of years, he became CEO again, and at the time of publishing this article, he was still working there successfully. He made sure to spread knowledge about cognitive biases throughout the company. We still exchange emails sometimes when he has specific questions about them. 

Mark’s story stuck with me. Whenever I have a tough time dealing with disappointments and setbacks to help business leaders avoid the dangerous judgment errors that lead to business disasters, I remember Mark. He helps remind me of how high-flying careers and good companies get tripped up by people doing what’s comfortable and following their gut instead of suffering the temporary discomfort that can arise while making sound choices that will avoid business disasters and truly protect the bottom line. 

I hope you’ll recall Mark when you are tempted to do what’s easy and comfortable. I also hope you’ll look at your own professional activities right now and think about where and how dangerous judgment errors might be tripping you and your team up. Doing so is critical for the long-term success of your career.

As one of the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy, Carey Lohrenz has learned that understanding what is — and isn’t — within your span of control can help keep stress and anxiety at bay as you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.

Time spent in the cockpit of an F-14 is a grueling experience — the pressure mounts as you prepare to land on what feels like a bobbing 300-foot-long postage stamp — in the disorienting darkness. The weight of your mission, the awareness of what’s at stake, and countless external factors compound by the millisecond. No matter how many times you’ve nailed it before, landing on an aircraft carrier can be life-or-death dangerous.

The recent pandemic and economic fallout further compound the pressure and uncertainty you face as a business owner. You want to ensure everyone in your organization is supported, whether they are battling physical, emotional, or financial burdens. Repetitive practice and relentless preparation are requirements to navigate peak stress and overwhelm, whether operating a supersonic, twin-engine fighter jet or leading your team. Identifying where to fix your focus, formulating a flight plan, and communicating with your team increase your chances of success.

Study Your Span of Control.

Span of control in the corporate world indicates the number of direct reports you can effectively manage. In the Navy, the concept carries a different interpretation. Effectively managing your span of control — knowing what you can, and should, control at any given time — keeps you alive and helps you accomplish your mission.

Formulate Your Flight Plan.

Without a solid flight plan, your chances of reaching your destination on time are minuscule. Working in a leadership capacity in your organization means your flight plan involves others; your chances of victory increase with a spirit of collaboration and accountability. Beware of the “drift factor” — in aviation, it can take an aircraft off course; in your day-to-day life, you may find yourself drifting due to a lack of awareness, pressure and overload, distractions, and ego. Building checkpoints and markers of success into your flight plan will keep the team on track and energized. To keep everyone aligned and moving forward — especially in times of crisis and uncertainty — I recommend adopting a three-phase approach: Prepare. Perform. Prevail.

Prepare. Bring team members together for a period of planning. Establish the mission objective, analyze threats and obstacles, review resources, and walk through the steps needed to reach your goal. Don’t overlook asking, “Has anyone ever done this before?” Schedule the debrief before acting on your plan, or it will fall under the radar.

Perform. Fighter pilots must act without hesitation, take control, and push the envelope or they will come up short. Performing means following the plan in the face of fear. The confidence needed to execute is rooted in thorough preparation. Set your sights on seeing the upside; let your growth mindset be your superpower. Your solution-based thinking will serve the team well as you face contingencies (expected and otherwise).

Prevail. The debrief is vital to improving future performance. Foster an environment that encourages open discussion around wins and misses as you highlight lessons learned. The goal is always to improve.

Fix Your Focus.

To help students master the prioritization of tasks amid chaos, the Naval Academy introduces the concept of “the Bucket.” The Bucket represents the finite capacity pilots have for “input and subsequent action in the low-altitude environment.” Students learn that the most important tasks must go into the Bucket first. Removing distractions and identifying your top priorities applies in business as well.

I have found that naming my top three priorities for the day is a simple tool with immediate benefits. I write down what my most important work looks like each day — just three things. Failing to do so inevitably results in precious time wasted, teetering between task switching and task overload instead of engaging in focused work. Research shows us that we pay a significant price when attempting to multitask — losing up to 40% of our productive time.

Communicate to Fly in Formation.

The Blue Angels’ classic V-formation showcases their undeniable technique and talent. In the workplace, the uplift created by operating in alignment — with shared goals and values — helps everyone soar faster toward the goal. Your one key vision should be accessible at all times; strive for something that is simple, memorable, and repeatable. Staying in sync calls for consistent communication and being honest with one another about what’s working and what isn’t. Communicate in a manner that is concise, precise, clear, and consistent. In high-stress situations, be aware that one’s ability to process information is compromised by as much as 80%. Especially in high-pressure scenarios, keep the following in mind:

• Speak clearly and slowly.
• Anticipate, prepare, and practice.
• Establish trust by establishing that you care.
• Repeat the most important points.
• Balance each negative with three to four positives.
• The first and last things you say are most likely to be remembered.
• Speak in short sentences and use simple words.
• Clarity around your destination makes for a more effective and efficient flight.

I’ve been a loyal Starbucks customer for 20+ years, mainly because of their service and product consistency. However, one of the locations close to me has become a true test of patience: Horrible attitude towards customers, lack of consistency in drinks, and, worst of all, employees backbiting about each other, superiors, and the company to customers. You know, the typical characteristics of a highly dysfunctional team. 

Most of us experience dysfunctional teams first-hand daily. And even great organizations can have their share of dysfunctional teams (although not too many since group dysfunctionality is usually a reflection of an organization’s overall culture). 

For the record, I still love Starbucks and still go there daily. Just not to that location. 

So, leaders, before you lose customers, try the following five that have proven timeless for me in creating and sustaining elite teams: 

1. Instill a collective sense of purpose 

By definition, a team is a group of individuals being led by a purpose. When that purpose is not clear to them, they become confused about their roles and the group’s overall direction. Naturally, people start to think more of their own interests and agendas and form factions. It’s the leaders’ job to clarify group strategy (embedded within the organization’s strategy, derived from the company’s mission and values) and then consistently communicate it to the group. As a result, the group becomes clear of their positive mission that unites the members, each member having total clarity of their respective role in successfully executing that mission. 

2. Assemble the right team of lieutenants

The bigger the organization, the more important this is. Lieutenants derived from a dysfunctional team result in a perpetually dysfunctional team – and the entire organization soon after that. Some essential yet crucial standards when cultivating a team of right lieutenants are: 

a. Hire the most competent person for the job. Don’t base your selection on people’s charm, and don’t just hire your friends. 

b. Be diligent in vetting their character. 

c. Ensure they’re imbued with the organization’s spirit and the collective sense of purpose. 

3. Let information and ideas flow freely

Don’t isolate yourself by making yourself hard to reach or choosing to receive all relevant information solely from your lieutenants (or another singular source). Walk the floor, talk to individuals on the front line from time to time, talk to customers often to get an accurate picture of their experience. The idea is to put measures in place to receive information from different perspectives consistently. The diversity of such information-gathering will provide you with a much clearer picture, invariably leading to more informed and productive decisions by yourself. 

4. Infect the group with productive emotions

People are more susceptible to the moods and attitudes of the leader than anyone else. For example, calmness is one of the most essential, constructive emotions. Phil Jackson, the most successful basketball coach in history, noticed that many other coaches would try to rev up the team before a game, getting them excited and even angry. Instead, Jackson found it much more productive to instill a sense of calmness that helped the players execute the game plan and not over-react to the ups and downs in the game. As part of this strategy, always keep the group focused on completing concrete tasks, which will naturally ground and calm them. 

Remember, infecting the group with a sense of resolution must emanate from you. Don’t get upset by setbacks; keep advancing and working on the issue at hand. Stay persistent. The group senses this, and individuals feel embarrassed for becoming hysterical over the slightest shift in fortune. 

5. Battle-test the team before the battle

You don’t quite learn their strengths and weaknesses in good times, but you can undoubtedly count on adversity to reveal their true character. Now and then, it’s a good idea to give various members some relatively challenging tasks or shorter deadlines than usual and see how they respond. Some will rise to the occasion and even do better under such stress, while others won’t, giving you a clear idea of everyone’s capabilities and temperament – and their overall strength and character. For lagging individuals, this provides a fair chance to improve before an actual crisis. For the team, it serves as a practice run with them getting an opportunity to learn about each other and improve chemistry. 

“A leader must be humble but not passive; quiet but not silent.” — Jocko Willink

www.bridgecapconsulting.com

Business is a high contact – team sport.

Many of us end up spending the majority of our time driving our businesses, careers, and passion. We invest countless hours every day in accomplishing our vision, goals and sometimes just to hold it all together.

The below five tips have been battle-proven.

1. Business is a team sport

If you want to “do it on your own,” good luck with that. You will always be limited to your own time, energy and thoughts. 
 
Any worthy cause takes a team to accomplish. Our vision gets to be bigger than ourselves. Your mission will determine the team needed. Once clear on the mission, you can then put together or restructure your current team. Build a team of mission-driven professionals that can also clearly see the vision, commit to its daily discipline and bring talents to the table that you are lacking.
 
For example, in 2012, Tom Spooner, a retired U.S. Army Delta Operator with 21 years of service in the U.S. Army (1990-2011), brought to my awareness that 22 veterans a day commit suicide. We are losing more of our nation’s heroes at home than in combat. That was so alarming that my wife Lisa and I felt compelled to partner with him to help address this national crisis.
 
Tom brought skills and access into the military that I did not have, and together, we created Warriors Heart in 2016, as the first and only private and accredited treatment program in the U.S. that is exclusively for military, veterans, and first responders struggling with addiction, PTSD, mild TBI, and co-occurring issues.

2. Build a Team of Advisors

It’s important to always bring in new ideas and information. One idea could have a significant, positive impact on the mission and your bottom line.

For instance, joining a network like E.O., YPO or Vistage is a fast track to like-minded peers. When importing new ideas, it’s always best to seek out others who have accomplished or been successful in the area of interest — knowledge from “experienced-based” advisors.

In addition, look at your existing team as Advisors, which may include your attorney, CPA, bankers, and more. Put together quarterly meetings to bring all of your “advisors” together for a working dinner. Open the meeting with your vision or problem you need to solve. Then, sit back and let the Advisors work through it. Putting them all in the same room together will save you a lot of back and forth.

3. Study Together

Once your team is in place, pick a book (that supports your mission/desired outcome) and study it together. For example, our team is currently studying Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright. We invest 90 minutes every Friday. A section of the book is discussed. We ask, “What is the author saying and, how does it apply to us?” (if it does). As a result, everyone gets on the “same page” (literally), and our language is the same. This strengthens culture.

Since 2002 and building/selling successful businesses, our goal has always been to develop people to create positive change. We are social entrepreneurs.

In 2021, members of the Warriors Heart team participated in a year-long training program led by Leadership Master Expert and Author Blair Singer. Out of our team of 137, seventeen (17) qualified for the Mountain Leadership Experience to climb Kilimanjaro in Africa. This was a life-changing event!

Even during the pandemic, when so many businesses were pulling back, we accelerated in the investment of people.

4. Host an AAR (After Action Review) after Major Events

It’s essential to conduct an AAR (After Action Review) after a significant event with your team. An AAR-driven event could be as simple as a failed sales presentation or a manufacturing breakdown to a huge contract win.

An AAR is simply a structured approach for reflecting on, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

An AAR is centered on four questions:
First, what was expected to happen?
What actually occurred? 
What went well and why?
 What can be improved and how?

Warriors Heart remained open throughout the pandemic and provided continuous care as an “essential service.” Our mission must continue, and the AAR disciplined practice supported the team, the fears, the unknowns. And together, we were able to work through the uncharted waters.

5. FOCUS (Follow One Course Until Successful)

FOCUS is easier when you are small and just starting out. It comes into play when you have a level of success and available resources. Why – because the mind wants to think, “I can do it too.” While this might be true…. be careful it does not create mission drift and pull your (and the teams) focus away from the main objective.

For example, an excellent question to ask is – If we were to invest $500,000 into this other project and hire x amount of people or pull x amount of existing team members off their current project to work in this new one… what would it return?

VS

What would that return be if we were to invest the same amount of money and resources into our existing business?

Look at the return holistically – people, planet, and profit.

Then you will have a clearer vision to move forward or not.